Reef fish and benthic assemblages of the Trindade and Martin Vaz Island group, southwestern Atlantic

O conjunto insular de Trindade e Martin Vaz (CITMV) está localizado a aproximadamente 1.120 km da costa brasileira. Apesar de sua importância, salientada pela presença de diversas espécies endêmicas de peixes, não existem informações detalhadas sobre as assembléias de peixes e bentos do CITMV. É apresentada aqui a primeira caracterização quantitativa das assembléias de peixes e bentos do CITMV em um gradiente de profundidade entre 5 e 45 m. Informações qualitativas adicionais sobre assembléias recifais entre 45 e 100 m foram obtidas utilizando-se técnicas avançadas de mergulho (TRIMIX) e um veículo de operação remota (VOR). Assim como outras ilhas oceânicas brasileiras, a CITMV possui assembléias depauperadas de peixes e bentos, possivelmente devido ao seu isolamento e pequeno tamanho em comparação ao continente. A profundidade foi o fator que mais afetou a estrutura das assembléias de peixes, com a densidade da maioria das espécies declinando com o aumento da profundidade. Os recifes profundos (>; 45 m) foram caracterizados pela presença de bancos extensivos de rodolitos e recifes rochosos esparsamente cobertos por algas coralináceas incrustantes, corais negros (Cirripathes sp.) e alguns corais massivos e em de forma de placa. Peixes parcialmente ou obrigatoriamente planctívoros (e.g. Cephalopholis furcifer and Clepticus brasiliensis) também dominaram em recifes profundos. Características similares foram registradas para recifes mesofóticos ao longo do Atlântico Ocidental. Evidências de sobrepesca (obtidas aqui e em outros estudos recentes), a presença de quatro espécies de peixes endêmicas e com distribuição restrita, e o aumento no número de espécies novas ainda não descritas, indicam que a adoção de medidas de conservação baseadas no princípio da precaução é urgentemente necessária para garantir a manutenção dos ecossistemas frágeis e únicos do CITMV.The Trindade and Martin Vaz island group (TMVIG) is located at about 1,120 km off the Brazilian coast. Despite its importance, highlighted by the presence of several endemic fish species, the TMVIG lacks detailed information on the structure of fish and benthic assemblages. Presented here is the first quantitative assessment of reef fish and benthic assemblages of the TMVIG in a depth gradient ranging from 5 to 45 m. Additional qualitative information on reef assemblages between 45 and 100 m was obtained using advanced gas diving techniques (TRIMIX) and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Similarly to other Brazilian oceanic islands, the TMVIG possesses depauperated fish and benthic assemblages, possibly due to its isolation and small size in comparison to the mainland. Depth was the most important factor affecting the structure of fish assemblages, with the density of most fish species declining with depth. Deep reefs (>; 45 m) were characterized by the presence of extensive rhodolith beds and rocky reefs sparsely covered with crustose coralline algae, black coral (Cirripathes sp.) and a few massive or plate-like reef corals. Part-time or obligatory planktivorous fishes (e.g. Cephalopholis furcifer and Clepticus brasiliensis) also dominated deep reefs. Similar characteristics were recorded in mesophotic reef ecosystems across the Western Atlantic. Evidence of overfishing (obtained here and in other recent studies), the presence of four endemic and restricted range fish species, as well as the increase in number of new (and still undescribed) endemic taxa, indicates that the adoption of precautionary conservation measures are urgently needed in order to maintain the fragile and unique ecosystems of the TMVIG

Alignment of the CMS tracker with LHC and cosmic ray data

© CERN 2014 for the benefit of the CMS collaboration, published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License by IOP Publishing Ltd and Sissa Medialab srl. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation and DOI.The central component of the CMS detector is the largest silicon tracker ever built. The precise alignment of this complex device is a formidable challenge, and only achievable with a significant extension of the technologies routinely used for tracking detectors in the past. This article describes the full-scale alignment procedure as it is used during LHC operations. Among the specific features of the method are the simultaneous determination of up to 200 000 alignment parameters with tracks, the measurement of individual sensor curvature parameters, the control of systematic misalignment effects, and the implementation of the whole procedure in a multi-processor environment for high execution speed. Overall, the achieved statistical accuracy on the module alignment is found to be significantly better than 10μm

Distribution and Sediment Selection by the Mud Shrimp Upogebia noronhensis (Crustacea: Thalassinidea) and the Potential Effects on the Associated Macroinfaunal Community

Burrowers such as thalassinideans remobilize sediment in benthic ecosystems, altering granulometry, enhancing organic matter cycling and oxygenation. We characterized the distribution of the mud shrimp Upogebia noronhensis and the associated macroinfauna along a depth and granulometric gradient in a shallow subtidal area in the southern Brazilian coast. Mud shrimp densities were estimated by burrow opening count using 0.25 m2 quadrats in three sediment zones: sand, sand-mud transition and mud. Macroinfaunal community descriptors and sediment granulometric characteristics were assessed. U. noronhensis average density varied from 0.6 to 145 individuals m−2 and was highest in the transition zone and lowest in the sand zone. Macrofauna in the sand zone was at least three times more abundant and 1.2 times richer, averaging 436.3 organisms and 39 species, while the transition and mud zones were more even in species distribution (species evenness > 0.7). The shrimp presence seems to be linked to a coarse sand content <80% and clay and silt <40% in the sediment, a compromise between gallery construction ability and filter-feeding suitability. High densities and aggregated distribution of mud shrimp, combined with alteration of sediment grain composition and organic matter, are likely to affect macroinfaunal abundance nearby the burrows

Short Period Baited Remote Underwater Video as a cost-benefit tool to evaluate effectiveness of Marine No-take Zones

Evaluating effectiveness of marine No-take Zones (NTZ) can be cost or labor prohibitive, thus comparisons to nearby unprotected areas are typically lacking. Two NTZs were evaluated, the waters surrounding Ilha Anchieta State Park and Palmas Island in Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, for species richness, diversity, and abundance of ichthyofauna, comparing them with two nearby unprotected “Take” Zones. From 23 deployments using Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV), 737 individuals from 51 species of fish were recorded. The NTZ community composition was significantly different from Take Zones, with higher average species richness, abundance, and diversity but similar evenness. Seven species, accounting for more than 72% of the composition differences between Take and NTZs, were more abundant in NTZs. Comparisons of individual sites within each zone showed high variability for the Mar Virado Take Zone, with one site grouped with NTZs at 30% similarity. In parallel, BRUV deployed over a short period was assessed as a potential rapid, low-cost method for analyzing the effectiveness of a marine protected area, important for management of sites in low- and middle-income countries with patchy resource availability. BRUV distinguished significant community structure differences between Take and NTZs, with no difference between sites within each classification. Comparing with BRUV conducted for a longer period at two of the four study sites (MV and PA), our rapid study recorded 44.3% of total species using 28% of the survey effort. Compared with a multi-method survey as a proxy for a record of all potential species present at a third site (AI), BRUV recorded 30% of total species using 4.2% of the survey effort. BRUV showed bias towards size classes >15cm and certain feeding strategies, important to note if assessing a single target species. Overall, this rapid implementation of BRUV showed a clear difference between sites that differed in fishing protection level

Anaerobic carbon oxidation in sediment of two Brazilian mangrove forests: the influence of tree roots and crab burrows

This study evaluated the effects of biogenic structures (tree roots and crab burrows) on sediment carbon (C), sulfur (S), and iron (Fe) biogeochemistry during the wet season in the Olaria mangrove forests near the city of Cananéia, São Paulo state, Brazil and the Nobrega mangrove forest approximately 2 km from the city. Anaerobic C oxidation pathways were assessed from sediment profiles and anaerobic incubations and related to the abundance of biogenic structures in the form of pneumatophores and crab burrows. Porewater depth profiles of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and SO42- were less steep in the presence than absence of biogenic structures. While Fe(II) appeared unaffected by biogenic structures, Fe(III) levels were significantly higher in the upper 4 cm of the sediment in the presence than absence of vegetation and bioturbation. Surprisingly, the concentration of Fe(III) in this layer was 2-6 times higher in the Nobrega forest (6-13 µmol cm-3) than in the Olaria forest (1.5-6.5 µmol cm-3). Accordingly, depth integrated sulfate reduction (SR) tended to be highest at Olaria, while iron reduction (FeR) was highest at Nobrega. SR accounted for 54-83% of DIC production, with no diference between forested sites, while FeR accounted for 8-24% of DIC production, with a 2-3 times higher contribution in the Nobrega versus the Olaria forest. The results suggest that mangrove roots and crab burrows in mangrove sediments only promote FeR at the expense of SR in the Nobrega forest. It appears that anthropogenic discharge from Cananéia city may have overridden the impact of biogenic structures on sediment redox conditions at Olaria, thereby diminishing the role of FeR without strong stimulation of overall C oxidation rates

ABYSSAL Database: an integrated WebGIS platform for deep-sea information from the South Atlantic

South Atlantic deep waters provide a huge diversity of habitats, with variations in areas such as geology, macrofauna, microbiology, physics, and chemistry. However, most of the data lacks central organization, important for subsequent deep-sea research, especially considering the multidisciplinary approaches and comparisons of the South Atlantic with other oceanic basins. Given the rising interest in commercial exploration off the deep-sea, especially with respect to hydrocarbon extraction and mining, there is an urgent need for a centralized repository of information with tools to collect and share geospatial data to support the conservation of this important oceanographic region. The main objective of this manuscript is to present an integrative database in WebGIS format for South Atlantic deep waters, open to further development in terms of data input, reliant on researcher collaboration, and with tools for ongoing maintenance and usability improvement driven by user feedback. The WebGIS format provides an open access, cost-free, feature-rich, and easy to use database through any Internet browser to reach the greatest number of researchers and students possible. The ABYSSAL database can be accessed at http://abyssal.io.usp.br

Macrobenthic assemblages across deep-sea pockmarks and carbonate mounds at Santos Basin, SW Atlantic

The SE Brazilian continental margin is rich in geomorphological features that create different seascapes, where diverse benthic communities thrive. The seafloor is composed of a mixture of pockmarks of different sizes and shapes and tall carbonate mounds that may form extensive chains. Mounds are colonized by deep-water corals which are the main responsible organisms promoting growth over geological time. Depressions and mounds affect the benthic ecosystem in multiple ways owing to water flow, sedimentation rates and food availability. This paper presents new data on macrofaunal composition and community structure associated with deep-sea coral habitats and pockmark areas along the upper continental slope of Santos Basin. Ten sites were sampled using a 0.25 m2 box corer on board R/V Alpha-Crucis, totaling 27 sediment samples. A total of 182 taxa were found, including new records for the Southwestern Atlantic, as well as several potential new species to science. In general, we observed an association of the macrobenthic fauna with the geomorphology of the area and the most important variables, mainly substrate composition and water flux. The abundance, taxonomic composition and also the feeding modes varied across the deep-water coral sites and pockmarks, reflecting in a mosaic of benthic habitats. As deep-sea corals and pockmarks are extremely sensitive to anthropogenic influence and natural shifts, in addition to the economic value associated to fisheries, this study provides baseline information on these special habitats in Santos Basin that can be used for future research, monitoring activities, and conservation strategies

BENTHOS 2006-2008

Benthic cover data for the study sites between 2006-200

Data from: Dynamics of coral reef benthic assemblages of the Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil: inferences on natural and anthropogenic drivers

The Abrolhos Bank (eastern Brazil) encompasses the largest and richest coral reefs of the South Atlantic. Coral reef benthic assemblages of the region were monitored from 2003 to 2008. Two habitats (pinnacles’ tops and walls) were sampled per site with 3-10 sites sampled within different reef areas. Different methodologies were applied in two distinct sampling periods: 2003-2005 and 2006-2008. Spatial coverage and taxonomic resolution were lower in the former than in the latter period. Benthic assemblages differed markedly in the smallest spatial scale, with greater differences recorded between habitats. Management regimes and biomass of fish functional groups (roving and territorial herbivores) had minor influences on benthic assemblages. These results suggest that local environmental factors such as light, depth and substrate inclination exert a stronger influence on the structure of benthic assemblages than protection from fishing. Reef walls of unprotected coastal reefs showed highest coral cover values, with a major contribution of Montastraea cavernosa (a sediment resistant species that may benefit from low light levels). An overall negative relationship between fleshy macroalgae and slow-growing reef-building organisms (i.e. scleractinians and crustose calcareous algae) was recorded, suggesting competition between these organisms. The opposite trend (i.e. positive relationships) was recorded for turf algae and the two reef-building organisms, suggesting beneficial interactions and/or co-occurrence mediated by unexplored factors. Turf algae cover increased across the region between 2006 and 2008, while scleractinian cover showed no change. The need of a continued and standardized monitoring program, aimed at understanding drivers of change in community patterns, as well as to subsidize sound adaptive conservation and management measures, is highlighted

BENTHOS 2003-2005

Benthic cover data for the study sites between 2003-200