Patos Lagoon Estuary Research Articles

Selenium Enrichment in Pore Water of Estuarine Sediments Subject to Salt Marsh Vegetation Bioirrigation (Patos Estuary, Southern Brazil).

Selenium (Se), iron (Fe), and free sulfides contents in pore waters were measured to study the liberation of soluble Se in suboxic conditions. The sediment core was collected in a salt marsh in Patos Lagoon estuary (southern Brazil), and it was obtained during a brackish water period, in a low intertidal stand vegetated by Spartina alterniflora. The redox potential (Eh), pH, andacid volatile sulfides (AVS) content were also investigated. Pore water results sustained the idea that S. alterniflora roots promote oxygen penetration to depths of ca. 10cm below the salt marsh surface, increasing Eh and lowering the pH in this interval. High Se concentrations (e.g., 16.9µg L-1), that are above US. EPA environmental criteria, were observed in the pore water to depths between 10 and 20cm and are associated to low AVS contents and high concentrations of free sulfides. In the first 10cm the lowering of Se contents probably happens due the low pH and biological volatilization of the metalloid.

Fine-scale genetic structure in Lahille’s bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus gephyreus) is associated with social structure and feeding ecology

Varying levels of population structure may arise from interactions between intrinsic behavioral and demographic factors and extrinsic environmental factors. Social organization, habitat use, resource partitioning, or even individual preferences are putative drivers of population genetic differentiation over fine spatial scales. Here, genome-wide data from single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope data were used to examine population structure and niche partitioning among three social units of bottlenose dolphins with strong home range overlap in a relatively small geographic area in southern Brazil. Results from model-based and model-free analyses of population structure supported the delineation of two populations, one with preferences for estuarine waters and another strictly coastal, consistent with isotopic niche differentiation. These findings suggest that genetic and ecological structuring is mainly driven by habitat use. At finer scale, we also detected low but significant genetic differentiation among the three social units. The outcomes of this study provide new insights into population structure of Lahille’s bottlenose dolphins in the Patos Lagoon estuary and its adjacent coastal waters, which are exposed to increasing levels of anthropogenic disturbances, such as intensive artisanal fisheries, pollution, and boat traffic. Although for demographic studies, the estuary and the coastal dolphins should be treated separately, for conservation purposes, we recommend that the three social units be regarded as different entities.

The effects of Microcystis aeruginosa cells lysate containing microcystins on physiological and molecular responses in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Microcystins (MCs) are potent toxins produced by environmental cyanobacterial blooms. The present study evaluated the effects of a Microcystis aeruginosa cyanobacterial lysate containing 0.1, 1, and 10 μg L-1 MC-LR equivalent in the C. elegans Bristol N2 wild-type and the effects caused by equivalent concentrations of a MC-LR standard. The lysate was prepared from a culture of toxic strain (RST9501) originated from the Patos Lagoon Estuary (RS, Brazil). The minimal concentration necessary to cause significant effects in C. elegans under exposure to M. aeruginosa lysate or to MC-LR standard were, respectively, 10 and 0.1 μg L-1 MC-LR equivalent for growth and 10 and 1 μg L-1 MC-LR equivalent for fertility. Reproduction (ie, brood size) was only affected by the exposure to 10 μg L-1 MC-LR standard and was not affected by the lysate. The nematodes that were exposed to lysate containing 1 μg L-1 MC-LR equivalent or MC-LR were also analyzed for pharyngeal pumping and gene expression using RT-qPCR. The worms' rhythmic contractions of the pharynx were similarly affected by the lysate containing 1 μg L-1 of MC-LR equivalent and the MC-LR standard. The MC-LR standard caused down-regulation of genes related to growth (daf-16), fertility (spe-10), and biotransformation (gst-2). This is the first study to evaluate the effects of a toxic cyanobacterial lysate using the C. elegans model. This study suggests the organism as a potential biotest to evaluate toxicity of natural waters containing M. aeruginosa cells and to environmental risk assessment associated to cyanobacterial bloom events.

First detection of the non-indigenous gastropod Rapana venosa in the southernmost coast of Brazil

The rapa whelk Rapana venosa is a predator of bivalves, native to Eastern Asia. It was first recorded outside its native distribution in 1946 in the Black Sea and since then has invaded estuarine and marine waters worldwide. The present findings increase the known geographic distribution of reproducing populations to eight regions: Black, Adriatic and Aegean seas, the coast of Brittany, the coast of the Netherlands, Chesapeake Bay, La Plata River estuary in Argentina-Uruguay and the southern Brazilian coast. We present the first records of R. venosa in the southernmost Brazilian coast (between Hermenegildo and Cassino Beaches, RS), based on 110 specimens, one as an epibiont associated with the green sea turtle Chelonia mydas. The majority of the specimens were found along Cassino beach, close to the inlet of the Patos Lagoon estuary (~32°S). Despite the highly variable salinity in the estuarine area, R. venosa was able to invade this area, probably due to its high fecundity and fertility, fast growth rate and high tolerance to salinity and temperature variations, all characteristics of a successful invader. The presence of this species further to the north (about 800 km) of the La Plata River estuary shows that it is dispersing along the southwestern Atlantic. Its interaction with green turtles may be of global importance for sea turtle conservation, given the observed potential for dispersal using turtle carapaces, which may affect their swimming and feeding. Our study contributes to the knowledge of bioinvasion in the Southwestern Atlantic coast.

Sulfate reduction and alterability of sulfur species in sediments of an estuary with irregular hydrological regime

The irregular hydrological regime in Patos Lagoon estuary has been suggested as having a distinctive influence on sulfur speciation in sediments. We performed an investigation for different prolonged hydrological conditions focusing on the distribution of sulfides (acid volatile sulfide (AVS), chromium reducible sulfide (CRS), and Free-S2-) in sediment cores from salt marsh and non-vegetated shallow zone. Significant differences in sulfides content and distribution between the different hydrological periods were found. The predominance of more reducing conditions was observed during the freshwater period. It reflects a higher total reducible inorganic sulfur (TRIS) content in this period, with a great accumulation of AVS in sediments (> 100 mg kg-1). In the maximum salinity period, more oxidizing conditions prevailed, which significantly decreased the concentrations of metastable sulfides. The intense bioirrigation process exerts control over sulfide formation and distribution, which is as important as that exerted by the variations of the hydrological regime.

Habitat use in different life and moulting stages of Callinectes sapidus (Decapoda, Portunidae) in South Brazilian estuarine and marine environments

AbstractThe blue crab Callinectes sapidus is an important ecological and commercial species. It plays a fundamental role in the structure and function of coastal benthic food webs, with global catches of ~74,357 tons. This is the most exploited portunid species in Brazil. However, few studies about the ecology and population dynamics of C. sapidus have been published. This study aimed to analyse the preferred areas for the spatial distribution of juveniles and moulting individuals of C. sapidus in shallow areas of the Patos Lagoon estuary and the adjacent marine reproductive area, and their relation to water and sediment characteristics. Juveniles and moulting individuals preferred the embayment of the upper estuary, where the sediments are finer, with higher contents of organic matter and the presence of submerged vegetation. There was also a temporal variability in the abundance of juvenile size classes, with two marked increments of smaller individuals: (1) in late spring and summer and (2) in winter, indicating two recruitment peaks. Unusual environmental conditions in the summer of the first year, with an increase of fine sediments and organic matter, combined with low salinities in the adjacent marine area, allowed recruitment of individuals there. We suggest better attention to the embayment around the Marinheiros Island (considered here as upper estuary) for management and protection measures due to the overlapping of recruitment preferences of the blue crab, pink shrimp and fish species in this area.

The biggest or the most abundant? Predation of the Black Drum Pogonias cromis (Perciformes, Sciaenidae) on benthic organisms in southern Brazil

Predators that consume larger prey acquire a greater net return of energy per individual, even though they are less abundant. The objective of this work is to analyze the feeding biology of Pogonias cromis in southern Brazil, in order to test for the occurrence of ontogenetic changes in diet as fish reach larger sizes, by consuming larger prey as they grow. Between August 2014 and May 2016, 347 specimens were collected from catches of the fishing fleet that operate in the Patos lagoon estuary and in the adjacent marine area of Cassino beach, that use artisanal fishing gillnets. The prey-specific relative importance index, food overlap, niche breadth and prey length preference were calculated for three length classes, class 1 (27.8–48.73 cm), class 2 (48.73–69.66 cm) and class 3 (69.66–90.60 cm). A total of 13 food items (6 species of crustaceans, 5 species of mollusks, fish fragments and non-animal fragments) were identified, where two species of mollusks (Heleobia australis and Erodona mactroides) represented 90.49% of the diet. The overlap index was moderate between classes 1 and 2, high between 2 and 3 and moderate between 1 and 3. There was a low niche breadth at the population level and for each length class. There were no significant differences in the length of prey consumed among classes. The data obtained here indicates that P. cromis can be classified as a predator specialized in mollusks, with low tendency to ontogenetic changes in southern Brazil. Considering information from the population of P. cromis from Argentina, it can be inferred that the species in the waters of southern South America is a benthic predator adapted to local conditions.

Long‐term changes in fishery resources of an estuary in southwestern Atlantic according to local ecological knowledge

AbstractLong‐term changes in the abundance of fisheries resources from the Patos Lagoon estuary and adjacent coastal waters in southern Brazil have been observed. Despite this understanding, it is well known that the perception of pristine state of the environment is susceptible to inter‐generational changes, commonly known as shifting baseline syndrome (SBS). An useful approach in the reconstruction of pristine scenarios and in lack of data, as often occurs in small‐scale fisheries, is the local ecological knowledge (LEK). Temporal changes in the perception of 81 fishers with 1–63 years of fishing about the resources status were analysed. More experienced fishers reported larger catches, heavier individuals and perceived a greater number of species as "scarce" nowadays and "common" at the beginning of their careers proving the existence of a SBS among them. Over time, the number of fishing sites with very high catches decreased and fishing sites shifted from the lower towards the upper estuary. The perception of the fishers corroborated the real decreasing scenario in estuarine fisheries resources shared with industrial fishing in coastal waters. The results reinforce the utility of LEK for reconstruction of biological scenarios when no empirically obtained data are available.

Interannual variation of bycatch assemblages of artisanal bottom shrimp-trawling on the Patos Lagoon estuary, Brazil

One of the most concerning problems of trawl fisheries today is the bycatch, especially given that over the last decade the Ecological Approach to Fisheries (EAF) has increased in importance. Bycatch variation is an important issue in fisheries management, since non-representative assessments of this topic can lead to the implementation of inadequate legislation. The assemblages of bycatch species in shrimp trawlings on the Patos Lagoon estuary and their relation to salinity, the size of the main species captured, and the bycatch to shrimp ratio were studied. Samples were taken between January 2011 and May 2014, encompassing four fishing seasons. We analyzed a total of 173 trawls, containing a joint total of 32,835 individuals. Sixty-one different types of bycatch species were captured, which were mostly (>80%) juveniles/non-mature individuals of commercial species. Eleven species dominated the captures, the most abundant of which were Micropogonias furnieri (FO > 82%), Callinectes sapidus (FO > 90%) and Genidens barbus (FO between 1.30–66.7%). There was a shift in assemblage structure according to salinity, which was reflected in the presence or absence of the lesser abundant species, but also in shifts on the density of the dominant species. Temperature was similar throughout the studied fishing seasons (23.9 ±3.3∘C), but salinity varied between 8.6 and 21.9. The bycatch to shrimp ratio was very high during the studied period (2011 = 3.3:1; 2012 = 2.6:1; 2013 = 8.7:1; 2014 = 65:1), but highest values were recorded when salinity was lower. However, even when environmental conditions favored pink shrimp abundance (high salinity), the ecological impact of this fishery was high, confirmed by the higher richness of species in the samples. Results call for a better fisheries management and supervision of illegal trawls.

Impacts of dredging on the hydromorphodynamics of the Patos Lagoon estuary, southern Brazil

Many estuaries present natural harbor conditions with relatively calm and shallow waters that provide a connection between the ocean and continental waterways. The increase in the demand for goods by the constant growing of the world population has forced estuaries to be altered by human activities, such as dredging, in order to maintain a safe navigation system. The development of sophisticated morphological and hydrodynamic models opened a new perspective of assisting dredging operations inside different estuaries. Thus, the aim of this study is to apply a hydromorphodynamic model to simulate the bed evolution of the Patos Lagoon estuary, southern Brazil. The results of the simulation were applied in a dredge operation model to simulate dredging inside the waterway of the Rio Grande harbor, located inside the Patos Lagoon estuary. The salinity and current velocities inside the estuary were well represented by the model simulations. An annual mean discharge of 3 407 ms3 s−1 was calculated for the lagoon for the year 2004. The morphodynamic model successfully represented the silted and eroded scenarios for the estuarine channel. The dredge operation model results affirm that dredging of the channel causes significant variations in estuarine physical parameters such as salinity, current velocity and suspended sediment concentration. The bed evolution results indicate that a fast siltation of the channel occurs right after dredging stops, stabilizing the variations after a 60-day period.

Surface coatings select their micro and macrofouling communities differently on steel

Previous studies have shown the effect of surface coatings on biofouling; however, they did not take into account the interaction of the micro and macrofouling communities, the effect of substrate orientation and the zooplankton-zoobenthic coupling together. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Zn- and Cu2O-based coatings on micro and macrofouling on steel surfaces, while also observing the role of substrate orientation and zooplankton supply. An experiment was carried out in the Patos Lagoon Estuary in southern Brazil for three months between spring and summer, where ASTM-36 steel plates represented different coatings (Zn- and/or Cu2O-based) and orientations (vertical and horizontal). To assess the zooplankton supply, sampling was carried out weekly using a 200 μm plankton net. Zn-based coating positively affected microfouling density compared to uncoated surfaces. The same pattern was observed with macrofouling, associated with vagile fauna preference, which represented 70% of the settled macrofoulers. Cu2O-based antifouling painted surfaces showed the highest microfouling density inhibition, while Zn + Cu2O-based coating did not affect the bacteria adhesion but showed lower density compared to Zn-based coating alone. The coatings combination showed the highest invertebrate inhibition. In this way, the macrofouling community was more sensitive than microfouling was to the antifouling coatings tested. The substrate orientation only affected macrofouling, horizontal surfaces being more attractive than vertical. Meroplankton, tychoplankton and holoplankton were recorded on the surfaces, although their representation in plankton was not proportional to the recruits recorded on the substrates. This was probably due to fast dispersion, the interactions of other factors and/or ecological succession stage. Surface coating, substrate orientation, and zooplankton supply interacted with the biofouling process on steel in different ways depending on the organism evaluated. Therefore, copper oxide- and zinc-based coatings were not suitable as coatings to avoid the total biofouling establishment.

Modelling the spatio-temporal bycatch dynamics in an estuarine small-scale shrimp trawl fishery

The Patos Lagoon estuary in Southern Brazil is an important nursery ground for many commercially important fish and invertebrate species, with shrimp fisheries sustaining most of the surrounding small-scale fishermen. Although they are illegal, trawl gears are widely used by small-scale fishermen in order to catch shrimp. Shrimp trawl fisheries in tropical waters have high bycatch rates and cause a variety of problems, spanning from conflicts with other fisheries to changes in ecosystem trophic dynamics. A better understanding of the factors driving the bycatch process is therefore needed to establish reliable management measures. Here we used hierarchical Bayesian spatio-temporal models (HBSMs) to describe the bycatch of a small-scale shrimp trawl fishery in the Patos Lagoon estuary relative to a set of environmental and spatio-temporal predictors. Two different models were used to estimate bycatch trends: an effort-based method (BPUE) and a ratio-based method (BR, bycatch rate). A third model was used to evaluate the dynamics of shrimp catch per unit of effort (CPUE) as this measure is equally important to describe the underlying bycatch process. Overall, the bycatch consisted of 61 species of which 45 have market value. The mean bycatch rate was 86.2% for the entire period, which represents 6 kg of bycatch for every 1 kg of shrimp caught. Although the contribution of environmental variables differed among the models, the yearly spatial effect was identified as a common that explained bycatch dynamics. Moreover, the predictive maps revealed consistent hot and cold-spots from year-to-year, which varied in intensity for BR, BPUE and CPUE, and, therefore, represent a valuable benchmark for stakeholders and managers.

Environmental Variability and Body Condition of Argentine Menhaden Larvae, Brevoortia pectinata (Jenyns, 1842), in Estuarine and Coastal Waters

Predation and starvation are inter-related processes that are considered primary sources of mortality in the early life stages of fish. In this sense, determining the environmental variables affecting the condition of fish larvae is essential to understanding recruitment variability and subsequent success of the adult stock. The present study investigated that variability for the Argentine menhaden (Brevoortia pectinata), the condition of this species’ larvae, is related to El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), local hydrological variability, and food availability. Generalized additive models (GAM) were used to explore the association between the residual condition index (RCI), ENSO, and environmental variables, at monthly and annual scales. ENSO phases did not show significant effects on RCI. In contrast, monthly and annual variability of river discharge, salinity, and chlorophyll a concentration showed significant effects on menhaden larval condition. Optimal values of salinity (20 to 27) and chlorophyll a concentration (10 to 18 μg/l) led to larvae with good body condition in the adjacent coastal zone (ACZ). The RCI of larvae captured in the Patos Lagoon Estuary (PLE) had no significant association with these variables. Larvae with good body condition correlated to river discharge values of below 1000 m3/s and above 2500 m3/s. When river discharge reached values of 1000 to 2000 m3/s, menhaden larvae presented a critical drop in RCI. This study suggests that the variability of local hydrology and its effects on estuarine and coastal productivity are the main factors associated with the body condition variability of menhaden larvae, and suggests hydrology may substantially impact their survival and recruitment.

Influence of wind events on the transport of early stages of Micropogonias furnieri (Desmarest, 1823) to a subtropical estuary

As all coastal environments, the Patos Lagoon Estuary (PLE) is an important habitat for the early stages of the life cycle of many marine organisms. Little is known, however, about how larvae respond to the estuarine dynamics because this study is complex. An actual way to investigate fish eggs and larvae dispersion is to use "Individual-Based Models" (IBM). Here, an IBM is used to study the wind influence on the transport of fish eggs and larvae of Micropogonias furnieri in the PLE. Circulation patterns were generated and extracted from TELEMAC-3D hydrodynamic model and simulated in an IBM. Results demonstrated that the transport of M. furnieri larvae to the PLE is maximized during periods of southerly winds. During northerly winds, on the other hand, larvae are advected off the estuary. This study revealed that the wind-driven estuarine dynamics mainly modulate the transport variability of eggs and larvae and it could have consequences for M. furnieri ’ s recruitment.

NUMERICAL STUDY OF OIL SPILL IN THE PATOS LAGOON ESTUARY REGION

The consumption pattern of the world population is based on petroleum derivatives, which despite contributing to the improvement of the quality of life, has negative aspects, mainly in the environmental scope. The number of oil spills in water slide has increased significantly in recent years. Considering the complexity of the marine environment, the present work aims to apply a identification system of the dynamics and dispersion of oil, using the numerical modeling in the region of Franceses Bridge, near to Patos Lagoon-RS, Brazil. The study of hypothetical events of oil leakage in the region is of fundamental importance, since the Riograndense Petroleum Refinery is located inside of the Patos Lagoon estuary. A data structure of atmospheric and oceanic circulation was organized and inserted in the coupling between the hydrodynamic module Telemac-3D and the ECOS oil model, during the period between 2010 and 2013. The coupling of these models provided satisfactory results, requiring a level of computational effort favorable to obtaining of results capable of giving technical and scientific support to studies such as those of environmental impacts and contingency plans.

MID TERM SIMULATION OF SUSPENDED SEDIMENT TRANSPORT AND BED EVOLUTION FOR THE PATOS LAGOON ESTUARY

Worldwide harbors are settled inside estuarine areas due the protection function of these environments against oceanic waves and therefore are subjected to the hydrodynamic processes that provide morphodynamic changes in sediment distribution and bed evolution. Understanding the dynamic of sediments and the bed evolution at estuaries is of crucial importance on maintenance of fairways and harbor docks. We modeled using the finite element technique 1005 days of hydro and morphodynamic of the Patos Lagoon estuary, in order to identify the critical deposition areas inside the Rio grande harbor fairway. Therefore, a hydrodynamic model, TELEMAC 3D, and a morphodynamic, Sisyphe, were applied in order to acquire the bed evolution and sediment distribution of the area using different data sources for the oceanic, atmospherical and continental boundary conditions. The results, present that clay is being deposited at deeper parts of the channel. Bed evolution results indicate siltation/erosion process where silt/clay is being deposited. Sedimentation rates were calculated based on the bed evolution results as well. The validation procedure showed good representation by the models of the physical aspects of the environment.

Biochemical and molecular biomarkers in integument biopsies of free-ranging coastal bottlenose dolphins from southern Brazil

Adverse effects of exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) threaten the maintenance of odontocete populations. In southern Brazil, coastal bottlenose dolphins from the Laguna Estuarine System (LES) and Patos Lagoon Estuary (PLE) were sampled using remote biopsies during the winter and summer months. Levels of bioaccumulated POPs were measured in the blubber. The activities of glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were also quantified, as were the mRNA transcript levels of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT), cytochrome P450 1A1-like (CYP1A1), metallothionein 2A (MT2A), GST-π, GPx-4, GR, interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1α), and major histocompatibility complex II (MHCII) in the skin. In general, levels of POPs were similar among sites, sexes, ages and seasons. For most animals, total polychlorinated biphenyl (ΣPCBs) levels were above the threshold level have physiological effects and pose risks to cetaceans. The best-fitting generalized linear models (GLMs) found significant associations between GR, IL-1α and GPx-4 transcript levels, SOD and GST activities, and total polybrominated diphenyl ether (ΣPBDEs) and pesticide levels. GLMs and Kruskal-Wallis analyses also indicated that there were higher transcript levels for most genes and lower GST activity in the winter. These results reinforce the need to consider the influence of environmental traits on biomarker values in wildlife assessments.

Residence time patterns of Mirim Lagoon (Brazil) derived from two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations

Mirim Lagoon (ML) is a large choked lagoon connected to the Patos Lagoon estuary and eventually to Mangueira Lake. Together, these water bodies form the most extensive lagoon system in South America. ML is a transboundary basin shared by Brazil and Uruguay that serves as a water reservoir, providing freshwater for public supply and agricultural activities. This work evaluated the transport patterns and residence time of ML using numerical simulations forced by time series of the tributaries’ discharge and by reanalysis of atmospheric data. The results indicate a mean residence time of 180 days, and spatial and temporal variations of up to 100 days were presented. The discharge conditions and the wind regime are the causes of such high variability on the distribution of the residence time at Mirim Lagoon. This high variability indicates that specific periods are more susceptible to be impacted by exogenous contaminants.

Numerical study of oil spill in the Franceses Bridge region, Patos Lagoon estuary

The consumption pattern of the world population is based on derivatives petroleum, which despite contributing to the improvement of the quality of life, has negative aspects, mainly in the environmental scope. The number of oil spills in water slide has increased significantly in recent years. Considering the complexity of the marine environment, the present work aims to apply a identification system of the dynamics and dispersion of oil, using the numerical modeling in the region of Franceses Bridge, near to Patos Lagoon-RS, Brazil. The study of hypothetical events of oil leakage in the region is of fundamental importance, since the Riograndense Petroleum Refinery is located inside of the Patos Lagoon estuary. A data structure of atmospheric and oceanic circulation was organized and inserted in the coupling between the hydrodynamic module Telemac-3D and the ECOS oil model, during the period between 2010 and 2013. The coupling of these models gave a good approximation to the solution of the problem, besides demanding a level of computational effort propitious to obtaining results capable of giving technical and scientific support to studies such as those of environmental impacts and contingency plans.

Molecular markers indicate the phylogenetic identity of southern Brazilian sea asparagus: first record of Salicornia neei in Brazil

Abstract Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on ETS, ITS and atpB - rbcL spacer sequences assessed the phylogenetic status of the southern Brazil sea asparagus species of the genus Salicornia (Salicornioideae, Amaranthaceae). Accessions of Patos Lagoon estuary (32° S) were obtained from wild plants and two pure line lineages, selected from contrasting prostrate (BTH1) and decumbent (BTH2) ecomorphotypes found locally. Patos Lagoon wild plants, BTH1 and BTH2 f4 progenies showed 100% identical sequences for the atpB - rbcL and ITS spacers, only two mutations for ETS. Comparison of the sequences of these three markers with GenBank records confirmed the identity of Brazilian accessions as Salicornia neei . Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis of ETS sequences indicated that the southern Brazilian accessions of Salicornia certainly are not close to any of the Salicornia ambigua accessions in GenBank, which are restricted to the northern hemisphere, nor are they related to any Salicornia fruticosa/Salicornia perennis clade accessions, which are also restricted to Eurasia. All above cited species have been wrongly applied to the southern Brazil sea asparagus.