Population dynamics and fecundity of Sunamphitoe pelagica (H. Milne Edwards, 1830) (Crustacea: Amphipoda) associated to Sargassum sp. beds in anthropogenic impacted bay

Abstract

The coastal environment is often impacted by anthropogenic actions like marine pollution, which has been affecting biogenic substrates and thus its associated fauna. Some brown macroalgae, like Sargassum spp., can accumulate heavy metals on its tissues, which can directly affect the fitness of herbivorous amphipods that feed upon these algae, which therefore are considered efficient indicators of environmental quality. This study presentes the population dynamics and fecundity rates variations of Sunamphitoe pelagica, a Sargassum-associated herbivorous amphipod, collected in an impacted bay on southeastern Brazil. Sargassum sp. samples were taken in winter and summer at four sampling sites in Flamengo Bay, Ubatuba municipality – SP, at different distances from Saco da Ribeira’s marina, considered an important pollution spot in the area.