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The Azores have a high potential for tourism differentiation, due to its distinctive and unique characteristics and natural beauty. However, there is a lack of interactions between known areas that can be used in innovation processes and international differentiation of the coastal and maritime tourism offer, since the value of seascapes remains underestimated. A seascape assessment methodology was developed based on data from databases, scientific publications, reports and existing promotional flyers/books, complemented by the empirical knowledge of local stakeholders, in order to access baseline seascape values (e.g., ecological, economic, cultural, social or aesthetic). In this context, underwater visual surveys play a vital role, allowing a detailed mapping in the underwater realm and complementing a detailed categorization of diving trails/spots, fulfilling characterization gaps that help to define standard evaluation criteria (e.g. biodiversity, habitats, substrate, geology, level of human impact, other uses, accessibility, cultural heritage, conservation status). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a recently discovered population of Caulerpa prolifera in the Azores (NE Atlantic), which becomes the westernmost record of this species in European waters. Morphological, anatomical and molecular characters were investigated for species recognition. The occurrence of the species in the Azores represents a northern expansion of its distributional range, covering now the whole Macaronesia region. It may have been brought by rafting from the western Atlantic through the Gulf Stream, but human-assisted transport may also have been involved in its arrival or dispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colpomenia sinuosa (Mertens ex Roth) Derbès and Solier (Scytosiphonaceae, Phaeophyceae) is a common species on the rocky intertidal shores of the Azores, where reproductive gametophytes occur throughout the year. Life-history studies of this species were carried out in culture, and both sexual and asexual reproduction were observed. Anisogamous gametes fused to form zygotes. The zygotes gave rise to a filamentous prostrate sporophyte generation bearing unilocular sporangia, under both short-day and long-day conditions at 15 and 22°C, and to both unilocular and plurilocular sporangia, under the lower temperature condition. Unispores developed into gametophytes, and plurispores gave rise to filamentous sporophytes. Asexual reproduction was carried out by unfused female gametes and asexual plurispores produced from the same gametophyte. Unfused gametes developed into filamentous prostrate sporophytes producing unilocular sporangia in both culture conditions, and unispores released from the sporangia gave rise to gametophytes. Asexual plurispores from field gametophytes, under both culture conditions, developed directly into new gametophytes. The species exhibited three types of life history: a heteromorphic, diplohaplontic; a heteromorphic, monophasic (both with alternation between the erect and filamentous prostrate thalli); and a monomorphic, monophasic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological and culture studies of Scytosiphon lomentaria (Lyngbye) Link and Microspongium gelatinosum Reinke (Scytosiphonaceae, Phaeophyceae) were undertaken on material collected on the Island of São Miguel, Azores, where both species were commonly found. Erect thalli of S. lomentaria collected in the field were up to 33 cm long and 2.3 mm wide, tubular, hollow, and commonly constricted at intervals. The plurilocular sporangia were positioned in continuous sori on the thallus surface. Ascocysts were present. In the field, M. gelatinosum formed crustose to slightly pulvinate plants, were spongy in texture, and dark brown to black in color, which were circular or irregularly spreading over several centimeters and firmly attached to the substratum. Sessile unilocular sporangia were located in sori on the crust surface. In culture S. lomentaria plurispores developed into Microspongium -like crustose prostrate thalli that formed unilocular sporangia. Unispores developed into new erect thalli that formed plurilocular sporangia. Sexual reproduction was not observed. In culture, M. gelatinosum unispores developed into erect thalli identical with S. lomentaria. These results are similar to those reported for other areas and suggest the occurrence in the Azorean plants of a monophasic and heteromorphic life history, involving both entities studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological and culture studies of Scytosiphon lomentaria (Lyngbye) Link and Microspongium gelatinosum Reinke (Scytosiphonaceae, Phaeophyceae) were undertaken on material collected on the Island of São Miguel, Azores, where both species were commonly found. Erect thalli of S. lomentaria collected in the field were up to 33 cm long and 2.3 mm wide, tubular, hollow, and commonly constricted at intervals. The plurilocular sporangia were positioned in continuous sori on the thallus surface. Ascocysts were present. In the field, M. gelatinosum formed crustose to slightly pulvinate plants, were spongy in texture, and dark brown to black in color, which were circular or irregularly spreading over several centimeters and firmly attached to the substratum. Sessile unilocular sporangia were located in sori on the crust surface. In culture S. lomentaria plurispores developed into Microspongium -like crustose prostrate thalli that formed unilocular sporangia. Unispores developed into new erect thalli that formed plurilocular sporangia. Sexual reproduction was not observed. In culture, M. gelatinosum unispores developed into erect thalli identical with S. lomentaria. These results are similar to those reported for other areas and suggest the occurrence in the Azorean plants of a monophasic and heteromorphic life history, involving both entities studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]