MED às 4as | 21 October 2026
The MED às 4as is back! We’ll be getting together on 21 October (14h-15h) to host another session to share scientific knowledge produced at MED.
This session will feature:
- Dominik Noll, a MED researcher at the University of Évora (Landscape Dynamics and Management Research Group), who will discuss the impact of large-scale renewable energy and water management infrastructure on the transformation of Mediterranean landscapes, using Alqueva as a case study and examining changes in land use between 1980 and 2024.
- Daniela Rosa, a MED researcher at CEBAL (Plant Protection, Genetics and Biotechnology Research Group), who will present the potential of the Mediterranean plant cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) in the development of bioherbicides, exploring new solutions for weed control and a form of agriculture less dependent on conventional herbicides.
Join us in the Conference Room at the Polo da Mitra, University of Évora, or online (access link HERE).
“A sociometabolic perspective on energy infrastructure and landscape transformation”
Speaker: Dominik Noll (MED-UÉvora)
Abstract: Drawing on a background in Social Ecology and sociometabolic research, this presentation explores how large-scale renewable energy and water infrastructure reshapes Mediterranean landscapes. Using the Alqueva dam and irrigation system as a case study, it reconstructs long-term changes in land use, biomass production, ecosystem services and resource dependencies between 1980 and 2024. As well as presenting the main findings of the study on Alqueva, the presentation also outlines the speaker’s research trajectory within the MED programme, focusing on the interaction between energy transitions, changes in the territorial system and the sustainability of Mediterranean rural landscapes.
“From plant to bioherbicide: the potential of the cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)”
Speaker: Daniela Rosa (MED-CEBAL)
Abstract: What if a Mediterranean plant could contribute to a new generation of bioherbicides? The plant Cynara cardunculus, rich in bioactive compounds such as sesquiterpene lactones, shows promising potential for weed control. This research explores how to transform this potential into more effective solutions through the development of a nanoformulation based on ethanolic extracts of C. cardunculus leaves, and seeks to understand the fate of cynaropicrin (the major sesquiterpene lactone) in the environment, paving the way for more sustainable weed control strategies aligned with a form of agriculture that is less dependent on conventional herbicides.