After completing the PhD in Biology in 2003 at the Univ. of Lisbon, I arrived at CIBIO/Univ. of Porto as a Post-Doctoral Researcher to lead scientific research in deserts. In 2010, I created the research group BIODESERTS. I had the opportunity to lead FCT-funded scientific projects and research contracts as PI, always in the scope of desert research. These projects and contracts have allowed me to lead 46 scientific expeditions to North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. I have conducted fieldwork in more than 10 countries, accumulating over 1,300 days and covering nearly 300,000 km of desert environments. I have been responsible for implementing Cooperation Agreements between CIBIO/BIOPOLIS and African Universities and National Parks in Morocco and Mauritania.

The research activities over the last 20 years have revolved around characterising desert wildlife and promoting its value and uniqueness. Research is conducted in North and West Africa (Sahara and Sahel) and the Middle East, ranging from Morocco and Mauritania in the west to Saudi Arabia and Iran in the east. The research developed can be broadly assigned into three lines:

1) Assessing biodiversity distribution patterns in deserts. Research is developed based on occurrence data collected in scientific expeditions, which are analysed with ecological modelling tools to map the distribution of taxonomic groups and biodiversity hotspots and to simulate the effects of climate change on biodiversity distribution. Relevant examples include the assessment of relict crocodile populations in the Sahara Desert and critically endangered cheetah populations in Iran. A significant contribution was made by supplying a GBIF dataset of over 5,000 observations from the Sahara-Sahel (https://doi.org/10.15468/4ptmwb). New tools were developed for species distribution modelling and developing Remote Sensing indicators of biodiversity distribution in global drylands and mapping underrepresented land cover heterogeneity in arid regions. Integrating molecular markers with classical morphological analyses has allowed to identify and describe cryptic diversity, including 5 new vertebrates, the most remarkable being a new African wolf.

2) Understand evolutionary and landscape processes in deserts. Research is developed based on biological material collected in scientific expeditions that are analysed with molecular markers to identify phylogenetic and phylogenomic relationships in desert species, to evaluate phylogeographic patterns and diversification mechanisms, and to identify population structure and geographic barriers in the landscape to gene flow and population connectivity. Relevant examples include the assessment of population structure and connectivity in endangered crocodiles, cheetahs and ungulates, the integration of phylogeographic and ecological analyses to understand the role of mountains in the diversification and colonisation of deserts, and the use of population genomics to unravel the evolutionary history of desert-adapted vipers, gerbils and foxes. A significant contribution was made by supplying DNA barcode reference libraries for the amphibians and reptiles of the West Sahara-Sahel.

3) Contribute to conservation planning in deserts. Research is developed to identify threatened species, determine genetic conservation units, and provide policy instruments for biodiversity conservation. Relevant examples include the assessment and prioritisation of cultural ecosystem services in the Sahara-Sahel, the identification of potential adverse effects of the Green Wall on Sahel’s biodiversity, the definition of priorities for action and adaptation measures to cope with sea-level rise in African protected areas, the establishment of links between armed conflicts and wildlife decline and the consequent call for the protection of environment during conflicts.

The described research has been synthesised in review publications addressing drivers of change, and conservation needs for vertebrates in drylands, the assessment of biodiversity, evolution and threats to conservation in the Sahara-Sahel, the understanding of the genetic basis of mammalian desert adaptations, and the ecoregion-based approach to protecting half the terrestrial realm (https://ecoregions.appspot.com).

I am concerned with ensuring that research results can be used to support conservation policies and raise awareness about the cultural, economic and ecological importance of desert biodiversity and ecosystem services. In this respect, the experience acquired over 20 years of desert research is being fully applied in several projects developed in Saudi Arabia since 2022.

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