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

Biologia populacional e reprodutiva de Callinectes danae Smith (Crustacea, Portunidae), no Balneário Shangri-lá, Pontal do Paraná, Paraná, Brasil

Entre abril/2000 a abril/2001 todos os indivíduos de C. danae Smith, 1869 procedentes de um mesmo arrasto foram coletados em visitas quinzenais às bancas dos pescadores do Balneário Shangri-lá (25°37'30S, 48°25'08W) visando investigar sua estrutura populacional e parâmetros reprodutivos. de cada indivíduo foi determinado o sexo, a largura cefalotorácica (LC) e o peso úmido (P). O estágio de maturação gonadal foi determinado macroscopicamente pelo aspecto e coloração das gônadas. A massa de ovos das fêmeas foi separada para análise da fecundidade. Foi observado um predomínio de fêmeas adultas (incluindo as ovígeras) em relação às outras categorias. A proporção sexual foi 0,9:1 (machos:fêmeas). O tamanho de primeira maturação sexual foi estimado em 60,5 mm (machos) e 52,7 mm (fêmeas). A relação LC/P foi isométrica para machos e fêmeas. A largura da carapaça das fêmeas ovígeras variou de 43,2 a 79,5 mm (67 ± 8 mm), com fecundidade variando entre 25.127 e 246.676 ovos, com uma média de 127.177 ovos por fêmea. O diâmetro médio dos ovos foi de 0,22 mm. A maior incidência de fêmeas ovígeras ocorreu durante o inverno e o verão.From April 2000 to April 2001 all individuals of C. danae Smith, 1869 included on one otter-trawl by-catch was fortnightly sampled at Shangri-lá's fish market (25°37'30S, 48°25'08W) in order to study their population structure and reproductive pattern. Each specimen was sexed and measured (CW = carapace width, excluding lateral spines; WW = wet weight). The gonadal maturation stage was determined macroscopically based on its color and size. The egg mass of the females was separate for fecundity analysis. Prevalence of adult females (including ovigerous ones) was observed comparing to other categories. Sexual proportion was 0.9:1 (males:females). Size at first sexual maturation was estimated at 60.5 mm for males, and 52.7 mm for females. WW/WC relationship was isometric for males and females. The carapace width of ovigerous females was between 43.2 to 79.5 mm (67 ± 8 mm), and fecundity varied from 25,127 to 246,676 eggs, with an average of 127,177 eggs per female and mean egg diameter was 0.22 mm. The highest presence of ovigerous females occurred during winter and summer.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Estrutura populacional de Callinectes ornatus Ordway (Crustacea, Portunidae) no Balneário Shangri-Lá, Pontal do Paraná, Paraná, Brasil

Swimming crabs are commonly found in the otter-trawl shrimp fishery by-catch, which operate intensively in the Coastal Plain of Leste Beach, where is located Shangri-lá Beach (25°37'30"S and 48°25'08"W), Paraná State. This work aimed to study the population structure of Callinectes ornatus Ordway, 1863, the most abundant swimming crab in this beach. Between March 2000 and April 2001, fortnightly visits were accomplished in Shangri-lá at the fish market, where all swimming crabs of one otter-trawl were collected. The following data from each individual of C. ornatus were obtained: sex, carapace width (excluding lateral spines), weight, and the gonadal maturation stage, based on its color and size. Juveniles and mature males were dominant, mean sexual proportion was 2.2:1 (males:females). Two recruitment periods were detected, but few ovigerous females were obtained. Size at sexual maturation was estimated at 55mm for males, and 48 mm for females. Both sexes presented positives allometric growths. The results indicate that an important portion of C. ornatus population is captured in the otter-trawl shrimp fishery in Shangri-lá Beach (Paraná). Such information is important for futures plans of by-catch management in that area