Spatial and seasonal changes in benthic macrofauna from two dissipative sandy beaches in eastern Brazil)

Sandy beaches are dynamic ecosystems with strong interaction of sediments, waves and tidal energy, with marked effects on benthic assemblages. Although there are numerous efforts in understanding spatial-temporal variation of benthic macrofauna on sandy beaches along the southern and southeastern Marine Ecoregions in Brazil, there is poor sampling along beaches of the Eastern Marine Ecoregion (EME). Here we examined spatial and temporal scales of variability in benthic macrofauna (>; 500 µm) through a hierarchical sampling of two dissipative sandy beaches within the EME between two seasons (winter 2011 and summer 2012). We tested the hypothesis that spatial changes (i.e., meters to hundreds of meters scales) in the structure of benthic assemblages will be more pronounced compared to the weak seasonal fluctuations at this tropical region. We found weak temporal and spatial changes in sediment grain size and beach slope, but differences in macrofaunal assemblages were evident. Contrary to our hypothesis, hierarchical sampling indicated significant changes in macrofaunal composition and density at multiple local scales (meters to hundreds of meters) and on seasonal scales. The macrofauna density and composition was directly related to changes on the sediment organic matter and grain size.Praias arenosas são ambientes dinâmicos com interação entre sedimento, energia de ondas e marés, com marcantes efeitos sobre assembléias bentônicas. Existem numerosos esforços no entendimento da variação espaço-temporal da macrofauna bentônica em praias no Brasil, sendo a maioria concentrados na Ecorregião Marinha Sudeste e Rio Grande (20oS a 35oS), mas limitada amostragem em praias tropicais na Ecoregião Marinha Leste (EML). Este estudo examinou as escalas de variabilidade espaço-temporal da macrofauna bentônica (>; 500 µm) através de amostragem hierárquica em duas praias dissipativas dentro da EML em duas estações (inverno de 2011/verão de 2012). Testou-se a hipótese que mudanças espaciais (escala de metros a centenas de metros) na estrutura das assembléias bentônicas são menos pronunciadas em comparação com as fracas flutuações sazonais nesta região tropical. Foram encontradas pequenas mudanças espaço-temporais na granulometria e perfil de praia, mas com evidentes diferenças nas assembléias macrofaunais. Contrariando a hipótese deste estudo, a amostragem hierárquica indicou mudanças significativas na composição e densidade da macrofauna em múltiplas escalas locais (metros a centenas de metros) e em escalas temporais. A densidade e composição da macrofauna está relacionada com mudanças no teor de matéria orgânica do sedimento e tamanho do grão

Benthic estuarine communities in Brazil: moving forward to long term studies to assess climate change impacts

Estuaries are unique coastal ecosystems that sustain and provide essential ecological services for mankind. Estuarine ecosystems include a variety of habitats with their own sediment-fauna dynamics, all of them globally undergoing alteration or threatened by human activities. Mangrove forests, saltmarshes, tidal flats and other confined estuarine systems are under increasing stress due to human activities leading to habitat and species loss. Combined changes in estuarine hydromorphology and in climate pose severe threats to estuarine ecosystems on a global scale. The ReBentos network is the first integrated attempt in Brazil to monitor estuarine changes in the long term to detect and assess the effects of global warming. This paper is an initial effort of ReBentos to review current knowledge on benthic estuarine ecology in Brazil. We herein present and synthesize all published work on Brazilian estuaries that has focused on the description of benthic communities and related ecological processes. We then use current data on Brazilian estuaries and present recommendations for future studies to address climate change effects, suggesting trends for possible future research and stressing the need for long-term datasets and international partnerships.Estuários são ecossistemas costeiros que sustentam uma ampla variedade de serviços ambientais para a humanidade. Estuários abrigam muitos ambientes bentônicos com características específicas e seriamente ameaçados globalmente. Manguezais, marismas e planícies de maré são amplamente impactados por poluentes domésticos e industriais, por atividades comerciais que levam à perda de habitat e pela sobrepesca. Os diversos impactos locais, associados a mudanças regionais e globais na hidromorfologia estuarina e potenciais efeitos de mudanças climáticas, colocam sérias ameaças a ecossistemas estuarinos. A rede Bentos foi criada para estudar o efeito de mudanças no clima em ecossistemas bentônicos costeiros brasileiros. Este trabalho faz parte dos esforços iniciais do Grupo de Trabalho Estuários em rever o conhecimento sobre comunidades bentônicas estuarinas no Brasil. Aqui apresentamos uma breve revisão crítica sobre os trabalhos realizados objetivando o estudo, em nível de comunidades, do bentos estuarino e processos ecológicos associados. A partir do cenário atual, realizamos recomendações de estudo para responder questões científicas sobre efeitos de mudanças climáticas em comunidades bentônicas estuarinas, e enfatizamos a necessidade de bases de dados contínuas e de longa duração e o estabelecimento de parcerias internacionais com foco específico nos estuários brasileiros

Benthic estuarine communities in Brazil: moving forward to long term studies to assess climate change impacts

Abstract Estuaries are unique coastal ecosystems that sustain and provide essential ecological services for mankind. Estuarine ecosystems include a variety of habitats with their own sediment-fauna dynamics, all of them globally undergoing alteration or threatened by human activities. Mangrove forests, saltmarshes, tidal flats and other confined estuarine systems are under increasing stress due to human activities leading to habitat and species loss. Combined changes in estuarine hydromorphology and in climate pose severe threats to estuarine ecosystems on a global scale. The ReBentos network is the first integrated attempt in Brazil to monitor estuarine changes in the long term to detect and assess the effects of global warming. This paper is an initial effort of ReBentos to review current knowledge on benthic estuarine ecology in Brazil. We herein present and synthesize all published work on Brazilian estuaries that has focused on the description of benthic communities and related ecological processes. We then use current data on Brazilian estuaries and present recommendations for future studies to address climate change effects, suggesting trends for possible future research and stressing the need for long-term datasets and international partnerships

Whales, wood and kelp islands in the deep-sea: ecological succession and species overlap with other chemosynthetic habitats in the Californian continental slope (NE Pacific)

Parcelas orgânicas de macroalgas, madeira e carcaças de baleia criam importantes oasis de enriquecimento orgânico no assoalho marinho de regiões profundas, mas a estrutura e sucessão ecológica da macrofauna sedimentar ao redor destes ambientes ainda é pouco conhecida. Parcelas de macroalgas e madeira foram artificialmente implantadas próximas a uma carcaça de baleia de 30-ton hà uma profundidade de 1670 m na Bacia de Santa Cruz, Pacífico NE. Ao redor de cada ilha orgânica, foram estudados os padrões espaciais e temporais de enriquecimento sedimentar orgânico e a estrutura e sucessão temporal da macrofauna em escalas temporais que variam de 0.25 à 7 anos. Ainda, o nível de sobreposição entre espécies colonizadoras das parcelas orgânicas e na baleia, foram comparados com comunidades de exudações frias (uma localizada na bacia de São Clemente, Pacífico NE) e fontes hidrotermais. Em geral, a abundância da macrofauna sedimentar foi altamente elevada em períodos de intenso enriquecimento orgânico, com decréscimo da diversidade da macrofauna num raio de 0.5 metros das parcelas. Nas parcelas de macroalgas e madeira, espécies oportunistas e tolerantes à sulfetos atingiram altas densidades após o pico de enriquecimento orgânico sedimentar (0.25 e 1.8 anos, respectivamente), enquanto que ao redor da carcaça de baleia, a macrofauna foi também dominada por organismos quimiossintéticos com associações simbióticas bacterianas, e ainda espécies oportunistas que se alimentavam do abundante carpete bacteriano sobre a superfície sedimentar. Os sedimentos ao redor das parcelas de macroalgas e madeira sustentam baixas taxas de degradação microbiana e sulfeto intersticial, recrutando assim um limitado número de organismos quimioautotróficos e consequentemente com baixa sobreposição de espécies com outros ambientes redutores. Na carcaça de baleia, os sedimentos sustentam intensa degradação microbiana e altos níveis de sulfeto, mas diferenças marcantes nas biogeoquímica e nas cadeias tróficas presentes nestas carcaças resultam em baixa sobreposição de espécies com a fauna de exsudações frias e fontes hidrotermais. Conclui-se que sedimentos enriquecidos organicamente ao redor de macroalgas, madeiras e carcaças de baleia criam importantes hábitats para a persistência e evolução de espécies dependentes de condições sedimentares redutoras, e assim estas ilhas devem contribuir para a diversidade regional e global dos ecossistemas de mar profundo.Sunken parcels of macroalgae, wood and whale carcasses provide important oases of organic enrichment at the deep-sea floor, but sediment community structure and succession around these habitat islands are poorly evaluated. We experimentally implanted parcels of kelp and wood falls nearby a 30-ton deep-sea whale-fall at 1670 m in the Santa Cruz Basin (SCr; NE Pacific). At each organic island, we aimed to evaluate patterns of organic enrichment and spatial and temporal patterns of macrofaunal community structure and succession over time scales of 0.25 to 7y. Additionally, species overlap between kelp-, wood- and whale-falls with nearby cold-seep communities were investigated. In general, the abundance of infaunal macrobenthos was highly elevated at periods of intense organic enrichment at all organic falls, with decreased macrofaunal diversity and evenness within 0.5 meters of the falls. At kelp and wood falls opportunistic species and sulfide tolerant microbial grazers (dorvilleid polychaetes) abounded after the peak of sedimentary enrichment (0.25y and 1.8y, respectively), while the whale-fall macrofauna was highly abundant from 4.5 to 6.8 y, and was dominated by enrichment opportunist, chemoautotrophic-symbiont-hosting and heterotrophic species grazing sulfur-oxidizing bacterial mats. Sediments around kelp and wood parcels provided lowintensity reducing conditions, which sustain a limited chemoautotrophically-based fauna, with low levels of species overlap among other chemosynthetic habitats in the deep NE Pacific. Whale-fall sediments harbor many species and trophic types not present in background sediments, but there were low levels of species overlap between the whalefall, cold seeps and hydrothermal vents, explained by differences in biogeochemistry and food webs among these habitats. We conclude that organically enriched sediments around kelp, wood and whale-falls may provide important habitat islands for the persistence and evolution of species dependent on organic- and sulfide-rich conditions at the deep-sea floor and contribute to regional and global diversity in deep-sea ecosystems

Benthic biodiversity and biogeographic patterns on the Deep Brazilian Margin

This dataset contains species occurrences of deep-sea benthic fauna distributed along the Brazilian Continental Margin (BCM). Existing records from published databases accessible online were synthesized to derive the deep-sea benthic diversity of the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Only records that had been identified to species level and that were found between 200 and 5000 m water depth were included in this final, standardised database. Records were mapped in ArcGIS and the here included shapefiles for each phylum are annexed. Two existing biogeographic schemes for the South Atlantic bathyal and abyssal depths (Spalding et al., 2007 and Watling et al., 2013) were tested using the distribution data of benthic species along the BCM. A third biogeographic scheme was tested to assess the relationship between benthic fauna and deep water masses within the Brazilian EEZ. Species occurrences were assigned to the biogeographical units of each biogeographical scheme from which the three occurrences databases (watling, hybrid, water masses), included here, were generated

Database of deep-sea benthic fauna occurrences along the Brazilian Continental Margin (BCM)

The dataset contains species occurrence records of deep-sea benthic fauna distributed along the Brazilian Continental Margin (BCM). Benthic records from existing and openly published databases available online were synthesized to obtain the deep-sea benthic diversity of the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Only records that were identified to the species level and distributed between 200 and 5000 m water depth were included in the final, standardised database

Benthic biodiversity and their biogeographic patterns on the Deep Brazilian Margin

This dataset contains species occurrences of deep-sea benthic fauna distributed along the Brazilian Continental Margin (BCM). Existing records from published databases accessible online were synthesized to derive the deep-sea benthic diversity of the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Only records that had been identified to species level and that were found between 200 and 5000 m water depth were included in this final, standardised database. Records were mapped in ArcGIS and the here included shapefiles for each phylum are annexed. Two existing biogeographic schemes for the South Atlantic bathyal and abyssal depths (Spalding et al., 2007 and Watling et al., 2013) were tested using the distribution data of benthic species along the BCM. A third biogeographic scheme was tested to assess the relationship between benthic fauna and deep water masses within the Brazilian EEZ. Species occurrences were assigned to the biogeographical units of each biogeographical scheme from which the three occurrences databases (watling, hybrid, water masses), included here, were generated

Spatial and seasonal changes in benthic macrofauna from two dissipative sandy beaches in eastern Brazil)

Abstract Sandy beaches are dynamic ecosystems with strong interaction of sediments, waves and tidal energy, with marked effects on benthic assemblages. Although there are numerous efforts in understanding spatial-temporal variation of benthic macrofauna on sandy beaches along the southern and southeastern Marine Ecoregions in Brazil, there is poor sampling along beaches of the Eastern Marine Ecoregion (EME). Here we examined spatial and temporal scales of variability in benthic macrofauna (> 500 µm) through a hierarchical sampling of two dissipative sandy beaches within the EME between two seasons (winter 2011 and summer 2012). We tested the hypothesis that spatial changes (i.e., meters to hundreds of meters scales) in the structure of benthic assemblages will be more pronounced compared to the weak seasonal fluctuations at this tropical region. We found weak temporal and spatial changes in sediment grain size and beach slope, but differences in macrofaunal assemblages were evident. Contrary to our hypothesis, hierarchical sampling indicated significant changes in macrofaunal composition and density at multiple local scales (meters to hundreds of meters) and on seasonal scales. The macrofauna density and composition was directly related to changes on the sediment organic matter and grain size

Benthic estuarine communities in brazil: moving forward to long term studies to assess climate change impacts

Estuaries are unique coastal ecosystems that sustain and provide essential ecological services for mankind. Estuarine ecosystems include a variety of habitats with their own sediment-fauna dynamics, all of them globally undergoing alteration or threatened by human activities. Mangrove forests, saltmarshes, tidal flats and other confined estuarine systems are under increasing stress due to human activities leading to habitat and species loss. Combined changes in estuarine hydromorphology and in climate pose severe threats to estuarine ecosystems on a global scale. The ReBentos network is the first integrated attempt in Brazil to monitor estuarine changes in the long term to detect and assess the effects of global warming. This paper is an initial effort of ReBentos to review current knowledge on benthic estuarine ecology in Brazil. We herein present and synthesize all published work on Brazilian estuaries that has focused on the description of benthic communities and related ecological processes. We then use current data on Brazilian estuaries and present recommendations for future studies to address climate change effects, suggesting trends for possible future research and stressing the need for long-term datasets and international partnerships.CNPq SISBIOTAFAPESPFAPES [52638090/2011]CNPq [301412/2013-8]SNI-ANII of UruguayDepartamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, CCHN, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo. (Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Goiabeiras, Vitória - ES, CEP: 29075-910, Brasil)Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, CFH, Departamento de Geociências, Laboratório de Biodiversidade e Conservação Marinha. (CEP: 88040-900, Florianópolis - SC, Brasil)Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. (Av. Alm. Saldanha da Gama 89, Ponta da Praia, Santos, SP, CEP: 11030-400, Brazil)Laboratório de Ecologia Bentônica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia. (Rua Barão de Jeremoabo s/n.,Ondina, Salvador, CEP: 40170-115, Tel: (71) 3283-6552)Laboratório de Ciências Marinhas, Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina. (Av. Acácio Moreira ,787, Dehon, Tubarão, SC, CEP: 88704-900)Oceanografía y Ecologia Marina, Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales (IECA), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República. (Iguá 4225, Montevideo, 11400, Uruguay)Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná. (CEP: 83255-979, Pontal do Sul, Paraná, Brazil)Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. (Av. Alm. Saldanha da Gama 89, Ponta da Praia, Santos, SP, CEP: 11030-400, Brazil)FAPES: 52638090/2011CNPq: 301412/2013-8Web of Scienc

Benthic estuarine communities in Brazil: moving forward to long term studies to assess climate change impacts

Abstract Estuaries are unique coastal ecosystems that sustain and provide essential ecological services for mankind. Estuarine ecosystems include a variety of habitats with their own sediment-fauna dynamics, all of them globally undergoing alteration or threatened by human activities. Mangrove forests, saltmarshes, tidal flats and other confined estuarine systems are under increasing stress due to human activities leading to habitat and species loss. Combined changes in estuarine hydromorphology and in climate pose severe threats to estuarine ecosystems on a global scale. The ReBentos network is the first integrated attempt in Brazil to monitor estuarine changes in the long term to detect and assess the effects of global warming. This paper is an initial effort of ReBentos to review current knowledge on benthic estuarine ecology in Brazil. We herein present and synthesize all published work on Brazilian estuaries that has focused on the description of benthic communities and related ecological processes. We then use current data on Brazilian estuaries and present recommendations for future studies to address climate change effects, suggesting trends for possible future research and stressing the need for long-term datasets and international partnerships