The CIIMAR researcher took first place in the award granted by the Portuguese Society of Ecology (SPECO) and the Amadeu Dias Foundation.
Bianca Reis has been awarded the 2026 PhD Prize in Ecology – Fundação Amadeu Dias, run by the Portuguese Society of Ecology (SPECO).
The winning thesis, titled “KelpAbilities: From kelp ecosystem functions and vulnerabilities to its restoration”, was defended as part of the Doctoral Programme in Biology at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (FCUP). The work focuses on understanding the functioning, vulnerabilities and restoration potential of Iberian kelp forests in a changing climate.
To assess the impact of Ocean warming, tropicalisation, reduced coastal upwelling and increased herbivory on temperate reefs, the researcher took a multidisciplinary approach that combined fieldwork and laboratory work, as well as the development of an innovative tool for measuring the productivity of these ecosystems in situ.
The research showed that kelp forests associated with colder waters record higher primary productivity and carbon uptake capacity, playing a crucial role in the blue carbon cycle. The study also revealed that nutrient limitation may compromise the recruitment of boreal species under future climate scenarios, and that fish may exert greater herbivory pressure than sea urchins, “something unprecedented in the Atlantic, which brings new challenges to the management of marine protected areas”, SPECO notes in a statement.
The thesis also contributed to refining the green gravel method, by identifying the ideal conditions to promote the early growth of these algae.
In the 2026 edition, which received eleven eligible applications from Portuguese universities, Bianca Reis was awarded a cash prize of 3000 euros along with a one-year waiver of SPECO membership fees. Second place went to Joana Nogueira (CIBIO/InBIO – University of Porto) and third to Miguel Gandra (Okeanos – University of the Algarve).
