The forgotten reefs: benthic assemblage coverage on a sandstone reef (Tropical South-western Atlantic)

Soares, Marcelo de Oliveira; Rossi, Sergio; Martins, Francisco Allan Santos; Carneiro, Pedro Bastos de Macêdo

doi:10.1017/s0025315416000965

Cited by 36 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Sessile suspension feeders like bivalves, sponges, and corals play a role as ecosystem engineers (sensu Jones et al, 1994) and can maintain complex threedimensional structures that provide habitats and refuges for other species-these associations have been named as "Marine Animal Forests", because of their structural and functional similarity to terrestrial forests (Rossi et al, 2017). These communities occur widely around the world, from the tropics (e.g., Soares et al, 2017) to the poles (e.g., Arntz and Gallardo, 1994;Cárdenas and Montiel, 2017) and are characteristic of the rocky walls of the Comau Fjord (Försterra et al, 2017).…”

Section: Habitat-forming Species and The Marine Animal Forestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Depth-Dependent Diversity Patterns of Rocky Subtidal Macrobenthic Communities Along a Temperate Fjord in Northern Chilean Patagonia

et al. 2021

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Understanding the distribution of biodiversity along environmental gradients allows us to predict how communities respond to natural and anthropogenic impacts. In fjord ecosystems, the overlap of strong salinity and temperature gradients provides us with the opportunity to assess the spatial variation of biodiversity along abiotic environmental gradients. However, in Northern Chilean Patagonia (NCP), a unique and at the same time threatened fjord system, the variation of macrobenthic communities along abiotic environmental gradients is still poorly known. Here, we tested whether macrobenthic species diversity and community structure followed systematic patterns of variation according to the spatial variation in salinity and temperature in Comau Fjord, NCP. A spatially extensive nested sampling design was used to quantify the abundance of subtidal macrobenthic species along the fjord axis (fjord sections: head, middle, and mouth) and a depth gradient (0–21 m). The vertical structure of the water column was strongly stratified at the head of the fjord, characterized by a superficial (depth to ca. 5 m) low-salinity and relatively colder layer that shallowed and decayed toward the mouth of the fjord. The biotic variation followed, in part, this abiotic spatial pattern. Species richness peaked at high salinities (>27 psu) between 5 and 10 m in the head section and between 15 and 21 m in the middle and mouth sections. Diversity and evenness were also highest at these salinities and depth ranges in the head and middle sections, but at shallower depth ranges in the mouth. Information theory-based model selection provided a strong empirical support to the depth- and section-dependent salinity, but not temperature, effects on the three biodiversity metrics. Erect algae and the edible mussel Aulacomya atra numerically dominated in shallow water (0–3 m) at the head and the middle of the fjord, coinciding with the horizontal extension of the low-density water layer—these taxa were further replaced by the crustose algae Lithothamnion sp. and deep-dwelling suspension filters (e.g., corals, polychaetes, and sponges) along depth gradient. Macrobenthic biodiversity correlated, therefore, with the influence of freshwater inputs and the density-driven stratification of the water column in this ecosystem. The spatially variable (across both, horizontal and vertical fjord axes) thresholds observed in our study question the widely accepted pattern of increasing biodiversity with increasing distance from the head of estuarine ecosystems. Finally, non-linear environmental stress models provide us a strong predictive power to understand the responses of these unique ecosystems to natural and anthropogenic environmental changes.

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Section: Habitat-forming Species and The Marine Animal Forestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Depth-Dependent Diversity Patterns of Rocky Subtidal Macrobenthic Communities Along a Temperate Fjord in Northern Chilean Patagonia

et al. 2021

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“…Among the SAO mesophotic ecosystems, there are many of these aggregations, which are composed of massive demosponges in the forms of balls, tubes, fans, vases or branches, such as Agelas, Aplysina, Xestospongia , Callyspongia, Clathria, Monanchora, Oceanapia, and Geodia (Moura et al., ; Soares, Lotufo, et al., ). Additionally, extensive coverage of sponges can be found atop submerged rocky outcrops (Soares, Rossi, Martins, & Carneiro, ).…”

Section: South Atlantic Mesophotic Ecosystemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mesophotic ecosystems: Distribution, impacts and conservation in the South Atlantic

Soares

Tavares

Carneiro

2018

Diversity and Distributions

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Aim: This study reviews recent research on the South Atlantic Mesophotic ecosystems (MEs) and the pressures threatening them, and offers suggestions for their management and conservation. Location:The South Atlantic Ocean. Methods:A comprehensive compilation of the scientific literature was performed to examine the distribution, human impacts and conservation status of the South Atlantic MEs. Results: Our review indicated that the South Atlantic Ocean (SAO) is one of the majorMEs areas in the world's oceans. The South Atlantic MEs are composed of a mosaic of distinct seascapes, mainly rhodolith beds, mesophotic reefs (i.e., rocky and biogenic) and marine animal forests (e.g., sponge aggregations, octocoral and black coral forests) that occur along the East South American and West African coasts, seamounts and oceanic islands. Throughout the SAO, the distinct seascapes of MEs are usually formed on the middle and outer continental shelves, shelf-edge, seamounts, submarine canyons, incised valleys and paleochannels, reef structures and insular shelves. We highlighted sea temperature anomalies, ocean acidification, extreme floods and droughts, fisheries, invasive species, marine debris, mining, and oil and gas exploitation as major threats to these ecosystems. Main conclusions:Given the threats to the South Atlantic MEs, growing human pressures may degrade these ecosystems in the next years and undermine their unique biodiversity as well as their potential to provide connectivity between regions and depths. Our review revealed the existence of some extensive and unprotected formations, which urgently demand in-depth investigations and conservation action. K E Y W O R D S climate change, coral reef, deep-sea refugia, marine biogeography, marine conservation, rhodolith bed 1 | INTRODUC TI ON Developments in the marine sciences, especially in terms of methodology and equipment, have allowed the exploration of progressively deeper oceanic zones, providing a more detailed picture of the hidden biodiversity in mesophotic ecosystems (MEs; Loya, Eyal, Treibitz, Lesser, & Appeldoorn, 2016). These ecosystems are characterized by the presence of light-dependent corals and associated species (e.g.,

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“…O PRM, com uma área de 33,20 km 2 , está localizado a 10 milhas náuticas (aproximadamente 18km) na direção 60º NE do município de Fortaleza, estado do Ceará (Figura 1). É a única unidade de conservação exclusivamente marinha do estado e foi criada para proteger recifes de arenito e bancos de sedimento, que abrigam rica biota (Soares et al, 2016). Essas feições estão permanentemente submersas, em profundidades que variam de 17 a 30 m. O PRM foi criado pela Lei Estadual 12.717 de 05 de setembro de 1997 e já no seu artigo 1.º coloca como única finalidade a proteção integral à flora, à fauna e às belezas cênicas daquele ecossistema.…”

Section: áRea De Estudounclassified

“…Tem-se o registro documentado de que a região é frequentada por 123 espécies de peixes ósseos, seis de peixes cartilaginosos, uma de golfinho e três de tartaruga, muitas dessas ameaçadas de extinção (Freitas, 2009;Soares et al, 2011). Também sabe-se que grande parte da superfície dos recifes está coberta por esponjas, corais e algas, sem no entanto termos a identificação da maioria das espécies (Soares et al, 2016). Informalmente, também são comuns os relatos da grande abundância de lagosta sobre os recifes do Parque.…”

Section: áRea De Estudounclassified

“…Devido à conectividade inerente aos ambientes marinhos, o funcionamento dessas unidades é por vezes bastante complexo e a utilização de critérios objetivos para descrever sua importância poderia contribuir sensivelmente na melhoria da sua gestão (MMA, 2010), sobretudo ao incorporar, nas políticas públicas, ações que minimizem as falhas de mercado decorrentes da natureza dos bens públicos e da existência de externalidades (Pindyck & Rubinfeld, 2013) O presente trabalho tem por objetivo estimar os valores de uso e de não uso do Parque Estadual Marinho da Pedra da Risca do Meio (PRM), única unidade de conservação exclusivamente marinha do estado do Ceará. Essa unidade de conservação protege ambientes peculiares da costa brasileira (Soares et al, 2016), porém, ainda carece de uma gestão eficiente, inclusive por conta da falta de dados que permitam tomadas de decisão bem informadas (Lima Filho, 2006, Soares et al, 2011. Portanto, mas com consequências que podem ir além de questões administrativas, é preciso que sejam realizados estudos básicos da região, dentre os quais se inclui a valoração.…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

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Valoração Ambiental Do Parque Estadual Marinho Da Pedra Da Risca Do Meio, Ceará, Brasil

Carneiro

Sátiro

Coe

et al. 2017

ACMAR

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The establishment of protected areas is an efficient way to ensure nature conservation, but these areas are frequently managed without objective criteria for resource allocation, what often results in insufficient funding. In order to contribute to the management of marine protected areas in Brazil, this paper aims to estimate use and non-use values of Parque Estadual Marinho da Pedra da Risca do Meio, located in Ceará state, through the contingent valuation method. One hundred and five (105) interviews were conducted with residents of Fortaleza, Ceará, and the influence of sociological variables (summarized by descriptive statistics) on the Willingness To Pay (WTP) for the maintenance of the Park was studied through linear models. Total willingness to pay was calculated by multiplying WTP by the involved population. On average, respondents were willing to expend R$21.50 / month for the maintenance of the Park, an amount that was higher in the case of users and people of higher incomes. Considering only users, the use value amounts to R$964.080 / year. These results highlight the importance of this protected area and emphasize the need of new financing strategies for its maintenance. Increased incentives for visitation, collection of fees and the payment for environmental services seem to be well-accepted financing mechanisms, which are equally applicable to other Brazilian marine protected areas, and therefore can contribute to the conservation of the country's coastal zone.

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The forgotten reefs: benthic assemblage coverage on a sandstone reef (Tropical South-western Atlantic)

Cited by 36 publications

References 51 publications

Depth-Dependent Diversity Patterns of Rocky Subtidal Macrobenthic Communities Along a Temperate Fjord in Northern Chilean Patagonia

Depth-Dependent Diversity Patterns of Rocky Subtidal Macrobenthic Communities Along a Temperate Fjord in Northern Chilean Patagonia

Mesophotic ecosystems: Distribution, impacts and conservation in the South Atlantic

Valoração Ambiental Do Parque Estadual Marinho Da Pedra Da Risca Do Meio, Ceará, Brasil

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