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

Influence of piers on functional groups of benthic primary producers and consumers in the channel of a subtropical coastal lagoon

Hábitats artificiais têm se tornado comum em áreas costeiras no mundo todo, podendo influenciar a estrutura e funcionamento de ecossistemas bênticos. Nós analisamos a influência de trapiches nos grupos morfofuncionais bênticos de algas associadas a substrato consolidado e de macrofauna em substrato inconsolidado, no canal da Lagoa da Conceição (sul do Brasil). O principal impacto da presença de trapiches é a redução da irradiação disponível para atividade fotossintética, o que está diretamente relacionado com o decréscimo na biomassa microfitobentônica no sedimento e de macroalga de formas de vida mais complexas. Contrário ao esperado os morfotipos com alto potencial de produtividade de biomassa, como macroalgas calcárias articuladas, corticadas e coriáceas, em geral foram menos abundantes, sendo que macroalgas foliáceas e filamentosas de menor biomassa foram encontradas exclusivamente em áreas controle. Os efeitos do trapiche nos grupos funcionais de epifauna e infauna foram específicos ao ponto de coleta e provavelmente relacionados com redução generalizada de produtores primários e com o novo hábitat criado. A infauna discretamente móvel foi o único grupo funcional capaz de prosperar embaixo dos trapiches, devido à sua mobilidade reduzida e frágil estrutura morfológica, beneficiando-se do abrigo oferecido pelos hábitats artificiais. Nossos resultados mostraram que os trapiches podem ter um efeito negativo sobre os organismos da base da cadeia trófica, responsáveis pelo controle bottom-up.Artificial habitats have become common in coastal areas worldwide and may influence the structure and functioning of benthic ecosystems. We analyze the influence of piers on the benthic morphofunctional groups of rocky seaweeds and of soft bottom macrofauna in the channel of Conceição Lagoon (southern Brazil). The main impact is a reduction in the luminosity available for photosynthetic activity which is directly related to a decrease in the biomasses of sediment microphytobenthos and of more highly structured macroalgae life-forms. Contrary to expectations, the morphotypes of potentially high biomass productivity, such as articulated coralline, corticated and leathery macroalgae, were in general less abundant and the low biomass foliose and filamentous macroalgae occurred in reference areas but not under the piers. The piers' effects on motile epifauna and infauna functional groups were site-specific and probably related to the general reduction in primary producer organisms in the new habitats. The discretely motile infauna was the only functional group able to thrive under the piers due to their reduced motility and fragile morphological structures, being benefited by the shelter provided by the artificial habitats. Our results showed that the piers might have a negative effect on the base-trophic level organisms responsible for bottom-up controls

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

Variação espacial nas características da água, dos sedimentos e da macrofauna bentônica em áreas urbanizadas e em unidades de conservação na Baía da Ilha de Santa Catarina.

Comparisons between urban and non-urban areas may be one method for the establishment of cause and effect relations in environmental changes provoked by urbanization in locations for which there is no historic data. The impacts of urbanization on water, sediment and the macrofaunal benthic associations were investigated using an hierarchized sample planning. The spatial variations were evaluated within a single estuary, within a single group of estuaries and between groups of urban and non-urban estuaries in the Santa Catarina Island Bay in southern Brazil. The properties of water, sediments and the benthic fauna were distinctly different between urban and non-urban areas. In the water (dissolved nutrients, particulated matter in suspension and phytoplankton biomass) and in the sediments (lead, zinc, and copper, phosphorus and polyphosphate) concentrations were higher and had greater variations in the urban estuaries than in the non-urban estuaries. In contrast, in the non-urban estuaries the concentrations were similar and often lower than those in the areas considered to be reference locations for biogeochemistry and ecotoxicology stu dies. The benthic fauna responded to the environmental changes in such a way that it can be separated in association with sensitive species, including Nephtys fluviatilis, Heteromastus similis and Kalliapseudes schubarti and in association with tolerant species, including the polychaete Laeonereis acuta and by a non-identified oligochaete Tubificidae. The study results indicate that in shallow coastal ecosystems the benthic and pelagic compartments are closely linked. Not only the changes in the characteristics of the sediments, but the water properties are also directly related to the changes in the fauna.Financiadora de Estudos e ProjetosA comparação entre áreas urbanizadas e não urbanizadas pode ser uma alternativa para o estabelecimento de relações de causa e efeito das mudanças ambientais provocadas pela urbanização em locais onde não há dados históricos. Os impactos da urbanização sobre as águas, os sedimentos e as associações bênticas macrofaunais foram investigados utilizando-se um planejamento amostral hierarquizado, avaliando as variações espaciais dentro de um mesmo rio, dentro de um mesmo grupo de rios e entre grupos de rios urbanizados e não urbanizados na Baía da Ilha de Santa Catarina, sul do Brasil. As características da água, dos sedimentos e da fauna bêntica foram diferentes entre áreas urbanizadas e não urbanizadas. Na água (nutrientes dissolvidos, material particulado em suspensão e biomassa fitoplanctônica) e nos sedimentos (chumbo, zinco, cobre, fósforo e polifosfato) as concentrações foram mais elevadas e apresentaram maiores variações nos rios urbanizados do que nos rios não urbanizados. Ao contrário, nos rios não urbanizados as concentrações foram similares e muitas vezes inferiores aquelas de áreas consideradas como locais referência para estudos de biogeoquímica e de ecotoxicologia. A fauna bêntica respondeu as mudanças ambientais de tal forma que pode ser separada em associação de espécies sensíveis, formada pelos poliquetas Nephtys fluviatilis e Heteromastus similis e pelo crustáceo Kalliapseudes schubarti; e associação de espécies tolerantes, formada pelo poliqueta Laeonereis acuta e por um oligoqueta Tubificidae não identificado. Os resultados do estudo evidenciaram que em ecossistemas costeiros rasos os compartimentos bêntico e pelágico estão profundamente interligados. Não só as mudanças nas características dos sedimentos, mas também das propriedades da água estiveram diretamente relacionadas com as alterações na fauna

Um mundo à beira mar, curso de capacitação e alternativas didáticas, uma parceria com a escola do mar

The project was carried out between May and December 2009 with the goal of providing teachers from the elementary school of Florianópolis City information on marine science, coastal ecosystems of the Santa Catarina island and the human impacts that occur in these environments, offering practical activities to share this knowledge through ludic activity with their students. A course in Distance Learning, available by Moodle UFSC, being developed in five themes: Origin of the Oceans, Oceanography like a Science, The Marine Ecosystem, Santa Catarina Island - Environment and Ecosystem. Each theme had the theoretical content of the subject, description of practical activities to be developed in the classroom and in the ecosystems of SC Island and quiz to assess the participants of the course, as well as, references of text and audiovisual materials. The course was offered in November 2009 for the participant to study 16 hours of theory by EAD and 4 hours of practical activity visiting some ecosystems of the Santa Catarina Island. Participants took more than 90% of the content offered and made a positive assessment on the content and materials available on the course. The practical activity allowed us to assess the participants’ involvement with their training, as well as discuss some themes related to exchange experiences among people. It is expected to continue the project, extending it to other municipalities in the coastal region of SC and clumping the suggestions made by teachers who participated in the course

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

Influence of piers on functional groups of benthic primary producers and consumers in the channel of a subtropical coastal lagoon

Artificial habitats have become common in coastal areas worldwide and may influence the structure and functioning of benthic ecosystems. We analyze the influence of piers on the benthic morphofunctional groups of rocky seaweeds and of soft bottom macrofauna in the channel of Conceição Lagoon (southern Brazil). The main impact is a reduction in the luminosity available for photosynthetic activity which is directly related to a decrease in the biomasses of sediment microphytobenthos and of more highly structured macroalgae life-forms. Contrary to expectations, the morphotypes of potentially high biomass productivity, such as articulated coralline, corticated and leathery macroalgae, were in general less abundant and the low biomass foliose and filamentous macroalgae occurred in reference areas but not under the piers. The piers' effects on motile epifauna and infauna functional groups were site-specific and probably related to the general reduction in primary producer organisms in the new habitats. The discretely motile infauna was the only functional group able to thrive under the piers due to their reduced motility and fragile morphological structures, being benefited by the shelter provided by the artificial habitats. Our results showed that the piers might have a negative effect on the base-trophic level organisms responsible for bottom-up controls.publishe