If you walk on the beach, you may observe many kinds of stones of diverse colors. Surprisingly, some of these “stones” may be algae! A certain type of red algae creates structures called redstones, also known as rhodoliths. Rhodoliths are important builders and can create extensive banks at the bottom of the oceans. These bioengineers create an oasis for marine life. Marine worms, crabs, and sea stars, for example, can live in and on rhodoliths. However, human activities, including pollution and removal of rhodoliths for aquarium decoration, may harm rhodolith banks. Rhodoliths are sensitive to disturbances and should be protected. In this article, we explain the main attributes of rhodoliths, including their formation, distribution, and importance, as well as conservation measures, we can take. We hope that what you learn about rhodoliths will inspire you to defend these fascinating “rock-and-rolling” ocean creatures.
This study investigates the marine macroinvertebrate fauna of rhodolith beds (non-geniculated red corallinaceaous algae) in northeast Brazilian. A total of 57 species were identified, belonging to six phyla (Platyhelminthes, Annelida, Sipuncula, Mollusca, Arthropoda and Echinodermata), of which 50 are considered here as new records for the Paraíba State. Annelids (Class Polychaeta) were the most representative taxa in Miramar and Seixas Beaches, while molluscs were dominant in Maceió Beach. This is the first study that includes an identification key, diagnostic features and distribution patterns worldwide and local (including new records) of the marine invertebrate fauna associated with rhodolith beds in northeast Brazil (State of Paraíba). Sampling events were performed in 2018, at low tide in the intertidal to shallow subtidal zones (1.5 and 4.0 m depth), in Miramar, Seixas and Maceió Beaches. A total of 17 species were found for the first time on Seixas Beach, as well as all identified species for Miramar and Maceió. This study tries to contribute to the knowledge of marine invertebrates in northeast Brazilian shallow habitats, providing a baseline for future environmental studies.
AnAlise espAciAl e mApeAmento dA ocorrênciA de corAis nos recifes de picãozinho, João pessoA-pB, compArAtivo entre 2001 e 2015/2016ABstrAct -Coral reefs are distributed in more than 100 countries. The reef environments are considered extremely diverse habitat, being one of the richest natural communities biodiversity of the planet. The Brazilian northeast coast stands out for its natural exuberance, especially evidenced by its reef environments, attracting national and other countries tourists. Among the nine states of the Brazilian Northeast, Paraiba has as a big draw your reef environments, especially its capital João Pessoa, to allow easy access for the wide expanse of reefs located in front of its urban beaches. The Picãozinho reef is the most sought for visitation, which arouses concern about its conservation status. This article describes a quantitative analysis in Picãozinho coral comparing 2001 data (Costa 2001), with a new mapping conducted between November 2015 and January 2016, which aims to assess the environment and its actual situation, from the distribution of coral species. This is the first step towards the creation of a spatial database of reef environments, mounted on a GIS platform, enabling the minimum conditions for monitoring. The flexibility of applied spatial analysis methodology allows corrections and more efficient control over the spatial distribution of species. This enables a new look to be put on the environment for the maintenance of different types of coral, in addition to other species that have a direct connection to the reef environment. The results show a decrease of species and their diversity and quantity in areas of intense visitation. These data lead us not only to reflect about the environmental aspect, but also raise the need to analyze the social, economic and political, to get in the future to a monitoring and usage model that aims at the preservation and sustainability of reefs in Picãozinho. Key Words: Coral reefs, Mapping and Monitoring ModelResumo -Os ecossistemas recifais estão distribuídos em mais de 100 países, sendo reconhecidos como uma das comunidades naturais com maior biodiversidade do Planeta. O litoral do nordeste brasileiro destaca-se por sua exuberância natural, evidenciada principalmente por seus ambientes recifais, atraindo turistas do Brasil e de outros países. Entre os nove estados do Nordeste brasileiro, a Paraíba possui como um grande atrativo os seus ambientes recifais, destacando-se a sua capital João Pessoa, pela grande extensão de recifes de fácil acesso, localizados próximos à costa em suas praias urbanas. Picãozinho, recife costeiro localizado na praia de Tambaú, reune todas essas características, resultando em uma área de fluxo intenso de turismo, o que alerta para a importância de estudos sobre o seu estado de conservação. Este artigo descreve uma análise quantitativa dos corais de Picãozinho comparando dados de 2001 (Costa 2001), com um novo mapeamento realizado entre novembro de 2015 e janeiro de 2016, que objetiva avaliar o ambiente qu...
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