Southeast Coast Of Brazil Research Articles

Historical shell form variation in Lottia subrugosa from southeast Brazilian coast: Possible responses to anthropogenic pressures

Mollusk shells can provide important information regarding environmental parameters. It is known that shell morphology is affected by both natural and anthropogenic factors. However, few studies have investigated alterations in shell morphology over a historical perspective and considering chemical contamination and climate changes. The present study assessed shell form (shape and size) variations of limpet (Lottia subrugosa) shells sampled from 1950 to 1981 (past) in comparison with organisms obtained in 2018 (present). Differences between shells from the past and present (2018) were detected, being shell weight and height the two most important affected parameters. The differences observed were attributed to the possible increase in contamination over the years due to human population growth and to climate change. Additionally, when shells from the past were evaluated according to the decade they were sampled, results indicate that it was necessary an interval of 40 years to shell form be altered within populations.

Marine Habitats in Conservation Units on the Southeast Coast of Brazil

Continental shelves with diversified physiography, geomorphology marked by rocky reefs, channels, and marginal terraces, besides several terrestrial and marine sediments, have a rich mosaic of habitats ideal for the conservation and reproduction of marine life. This work, as part of the research project Detailed Study of the Ocean Bed inside the Santa Cruz WLR, Costa das Algas EPA and 2000m Immediate Environment, aims at mapping the marine habitats located in two Conservation Units, Costa das Algas EPA (Environmental Protection Area) and Santa Cruz WLR (Wildlife Refuge), located south of the Doce River mouth, on the southeast coast of Brazil. For this purpose, data on the type, distribution, and composition of seabed sediments, as well as information on the seabed geomorphology using bathymetric data, seabed records by ROV imaging, and benthic fauna at the phylum taxonomic level were determined in the studied areas. The results indicated the presence of five sedimentary facies defined by the terrigenous and marine sedimentation regimes, separated in the vicinity of the -35 m isobath. The sandy-clayey sediments deposited by the fluvial discharges from the region rivers predominate in the first case. On the other hand, the marine sedimentation consists of biolitoclastic and bioclastic sediments, with rhodolith pebbles as well. In addition, three hydrodynamic zones/regions were defined, according to the presence and type of seabed ripples formed by near-bottom waves. The bathymetric data revealed seabed features such as reef structures, or rocky reefs, as well as submerged channels originated by marine regression. This set of characteristics defined eleven marine habitats, and among them, those consisting of biolitoclastic, bioclastic and rhodolith sediments, as well as rocky reefs and submerged channels, which had the greatest abundance of marine fauna and flora organisms. On the other hand, the habitats defined by the terrigenous sedimentation had a lower abundance of organisms. This finding indicates that the marine sedimentation regime predominated over the terrigenous, especially in the Costa das Algas EPA, which generally represents an area with high potential for proliferation and preservation of marine benthic and demersal fauna and flora. In view of this, the mapping of the Conservation Units presented here for the first time on a detailed scale can help to understand the importance of these areas for the preservation and maintenance of marine life.

Evaluating the impact of climate change on offshore structures design: A practical case study

Climate change is a topic discussed worldwide. There is concern about how climate change will influence human activities, including offshore engineering. Climate change will alter the metocean data used for design purposes. These changes will possibly cause some impact on the structural responses of ships and offshore structures, more specifically fatigue damage accumulation and extreme responses. These possible impacts will depend on the structure life span, structure geographic location and climate change scenario assessed, among other aspects. This paper discusses the results of dynamic stochastic analyses and long-term extreme response estimates of a Steel Catenary Riser (SCR) connected to a semi-submersible platform considering future climate change scenarios for two locations: South East Brazilian Coast and North Atlantic Ocean. The long-term response is estimated by the Environmental Contour Method (ECM). Climate change is assessed by using different climate change scenarios available. The climate change scenarios considered in this work are the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 proposed and described by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Specifically, this work focuses at the influence of climate change on the wave parameters, significant wave height (Hs) and zero up-crossing period (Tz), and their impact on the structural responses of a SCR, for both locations aforementioned.The results obtained suggest that climate change can affect the structure response in different ways, depending on the geographic location. They show an increasing trend for the long-term structural response in the Brazilian location and a slight decreasing trend for the North Atlantic Ocean location. However, these results show high variability due to considerable uncertainties in the ocean climate forecasts, related mainly to shortcomings in global climate models.

Computational and experimental pore-scale studies of a carbonate rock sample

Abstract Carbonate rocks host several large water and hydrocarbon reservoirs worldwide, some of them highly heterogeneous involving complex pore systems. Pre-salt reservoirs in the Santos Basin off the south-east coast of Brazil, are an example of such rocks, with much attention focused on proper characterization of their petrophysical and multiphase flow properties. Since it is very difficult to obtain rock samples (coquinas) from these very deep reservoirs, analogues from north-eastern Brazil are often used because of very similar geological age and petrophysical properties. We used a coquina plug from an outcrop in a quarry in northeast Brazil to perform a comprehensive set of analyses. They included Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and micro-computed tomography (μCT) image acquisition using a series of pixel sizes, as well as direct permeability/porosity measurements. Some of the experimental data were collected from the plug itself, and some from a small sample of the rock slab, including thin sections. Results included the carbonate rock composition and the pore system at different scales, thus allowing us to reconstruct and model the porosity and absolute permeability of the coquina using 3D digital imaging and numerical simulations with pore network models (PNMs). The experimental and numerical data provided critical information about the well-connected pore network of the coquina, thereby facilitating improved predictions of fluid flow through the sample, with as ultimate objective to improve hydrocarbon recovery procedures.

New records of the non-indigenous oyster Saccostrea cucullata (Bivalvia: Ostreidae) from the southeast and south Brazilian coast

New records of the non-indigenous species of oyster, Saccostrea cucullata were found along the southeast and south coasts of Brazil. Previously, the only documented record in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean was known from Bertioga, São Paulo State (Southeast Brazilian coast). We updated the known distribution of this species to include the states of Rio de Janeiro, Paraná and Santa Catarina, and new localities in the state of São Paulo. Studied samples were found attached to natural (mangrove roots, rocky shores, rocky reefs and gravels) and artificial (harbor, marina and jetty) substrates, forming clusters of many individuals and cohabiting with native oyster species (Crassostrea mangle, C. brasiliana and Ostrea puelchana). Recent introduction of marine organisms has been common in coastal waters due to ballast water, aquaculture activities and ship hull incrustation. Considering the high connectivity of shipping especially in port areas, like Santos (SP), Paranaguá (PR) and Tubarão (SC), Saccostrea may have been introduced to the Brazilian coast by either recreational or commercial vessels, probably between the years 2005 and 2014.

Can sambaquis (shell mounds) be used as records of the Holocene marine fish biodiversity?

The documented quality of the zooarchaeological remains found in sambaquis is an important issue for ecologists who increasingly consider this material as a possible record of historical biodiversity to extend the observation periods of their analyses. In this work ichthyological inventories based on zooarchaeological remains were used to test the hypothesis that they do not differ statistically from those constructed by sampling current ichthyological diversity. Ichthyological records of 68 sambaquis of the Brazilian southeast coast were systematised. Data analyses were done based on taxa richness, taxonomic distinctness and food guild composition approaches. All analyses failed to show significant differences between sambaqui and modern fish inventories. Such result was kept for all tested scales and for the different studied regions. The current results indicate that sambaquis contain records of past species composition and therefore of Holocene biodiversity. It is concluded that sambaqui zooarchaeological remains should not be neglected in ecological studies and represent a quality alternative to extend the temporal scale of these studies.

NUMERICAL MODELING AS SUPPORTING TOOL FOR AQUACULTURE OF OYSTERS IN A SUBTROPICAL ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEM

The Estuarine-Lagoon Complex of Cananeia-Iguape (ELCCI) is a large estuarine system dominated by mangroves, located on the southeast coast of Brazil (25° S, 48° W). Oyster farming is an important economic activity in Cananeia due to the natural abundance of oyster seeds originally found in its mangrove fields. The aim of this study was to describe the hydrodynamic aspects of the mangrove and oyster farming in the ELCCI by analyzing environmental scenarios using numerical simulations. Simulations allowed for the description of the distance of penetration of the salt wedge into the system as well as the direction and magnitude of the tidal currents. Higher values of river discharge corresponded to lower distances of penetration of the salt wedge, a feature which shows that the freshwater discharge and geomorphology together determine the variation in salinity within the estuary. Oysters are cultivated in regions of higher salinity and relatively stable conditions, with low speeds of tidal currents and little vertical variation in salinity. Under average river discharge conditions (450 m3.s-1), there is a confluence of tidal waves in Mar Pequeno, where velocity is lower. This change may lead to a higher sedimentation at restricted areas and thus to a higher depositionb of organic matter derived from oyster cultivations during flood tides.
 
 
 

Carbon Flow for Plankton Metabolism of Saco do Mamanguá Ría, Bay of Ilha Grande, a Subtropical Coastal Environment in the South Brazil Bight

The autotrophic plankton assemblage along the subtropical coastal embayments of the South Brazil Bight is dominated by the cyanobacteria Synechococcus. This investigation evaluated the contribution of photosynthetic carbon fixation to the total Carbon metabolism within the planktonic system of Mamangua Ria, a sub-system of the Bay of Ilha Grande, southeast Brazilian coast. Our results reveal the Carbon budget inside the Ria is not balanced by autotrophic production. Net community production is generally negative throughout the year, with a deficit ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 mg m-2 d-1 below what is necessary to sustain the local plankton ecosystem. We argue that the offset between daily primary production and heterotrophic Carbon consumption may be balanced by grazing of nano-heterotrophs on heterotrophic bacteria. Our conclusions apply to the majority of the Brazilian inner shelf waters outside of estuarine plumes and upwelling systems, thus with meso-oligotrophic conditions

Digital petrography: Mineralogy and porosity identification using machine learning algorithms in petrographic thin section images

Images represent a large and efficient source of geological information from oil exploration. To better analyze them, well-known machine learning algorithms are used to extract mineralogy and porosity data from petrographic thin section images. Microscopic petrographic analysis allows obtaining images from thin sections in the visible spectrum. They are used to evaluate depositional environments and diagenetic processes during the formation of sedimentary basins. However, that is an activity subjected to the petrographer's experience. Data from other sources, such as chemical microanalysis, provide quantitative information that might assist in petrographic evaluation, but they are expensive and time-consuming. The main objective is to create models that systematically interprets mineralogy and porosity from images acquired of optical microscopic analysis using machine learning algorithms, standardizing descriptions and reducing subjectivity and human errors during thin sections analysis. Image segmentation models are created with representative classes of the rocks' mineralogy and porosity. Datasets were selected from images originated from thin sections of carbonate rocks, which are prepared from sidewall core samples of oil wells, specifically from the pre-salt reservoirs of Santos Basin, on the southeast coast of Brazil. These models use discrete convolutional filters followed by artificial neural networks and random forest classifiers. A number of configurations were tested, using different convolutional filters and classifier's parameters. Five models were created: 1. mineralogical model using artificial neural network; 2. mineralogical model using random forest; 3. mineralogical model using random forest validated by chemical measurements; 4. porosity model using artificial neural networks; and 5. porosity model using random forest. They were evaluated through the use of 10-fold cross-validation tests and by correlation with chemical microanalysis. Correlation between the two technique's relative occurrences for each mineral phase shows a root mean square error of 8.99% and a coefficient of determination of 0.82. That demonstrates how well models can generalize.

Natural factors and chemical contamination control the structure of macrobenthic communities in the Santos Estuarine System (SP, Brazil)

The Santos Estuarine System (SES) is a complex of bays, islands, estuarine channels, and rivers located on the Southeast coast of Brazil, in which multiple contaminant sources are situated in close proximity to mangroves and other protected areas. In this study, the composition and structure of the macrobenthic communities of SES were described and ninety-nine species were identified, with the predominance of polychaetes and bivalve mollusks. The benthic assemblages also showed strong signs of stress, as indicated by the low abundance, richness and diversity, and the dominance of opportunistic species. Integrated analysis including sediment characteristics related to natural and anthropogenic factors (e.g., sediment chemistry, and toxicity) indicated that benthic fauna from the inner portions of the SES and vicinities of the SSOS diffusers as Santos Bay were affected. Some locations at the mouths of Santos and Sao Vicente estuaries exhibited moderate disturbance. In other sites from the mouth of São Vicente and Bertioga channels, and Santos Bay, the benthic fauna were considered not degraded. Our results suggest that a combination of both environmental factors and contaminants were responsible for the benthic community structure.

Proposal of a methodology to use offshore wind energy on the southeast coast of Brazil

The electric energy matrix in Brazil mostly comprises energy from hydroelectric power plants, approximately 60.8%. This large participation presents some vulnerability in periods of drought and often the country’s electric energy matrix is complemented by the use of other energy sources, such as thermoelectric. Even though it is currently among the largest onshore wind power producers in the world, Brazil has not yet started developing this energy source in the offshore segment. However, this study shows that offshore wind energy can be a complementary energy source for the country’s electric energy matrix, and thus replace other energy sources which have more impact on the environment. Therefore, this study sought to develop a methodology that can be easily replicated using free access tools, aiming to contribute to the development of offshore wind technology and future research in the country. The results show a large production of offshore wind energy in the southeastern region of Brazil. The "Cabo Frio 2″ data collection point presented the highest annual production of offshore wind energy. However the study opted for the "Arraial do Cabo-A606″ collection point located in the state of Rio de Janeiro and at ocean depths that can be reached by fixed foundations.

First measurements of the ocean-atmosphere CO2 fluxes at the Cabo Frio upwelling system region, Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

This study presents novel results about ocean-atmosphere CO2 exchanges based upon novel direct in situ measurements of turbulent fluxes using the eddy covariance (EC) methodology. This study was carried out on the Southeast coast of Brazil and the adjacent open ocean during two days of the austral winter of 2015, on board the RV Vital de Oliveira. This is the first time that the EC technique was used in this region for CO2 flux studies. The results presented illustrate contrasting magnitudes of CO2 fluxes measured on the open sea region (1.22 ± 2.08 μmol m−2 s−1), the Brazil Current (−2.92 ± 1.25 μmol m−2 s−1) and the coastal region (−3.11 ± 1.67 μmol m−2 s−1). The main cause of negative CO2 fluxes, indicating a mean CO2 sink behavior of this region, is due to the occurrence of the coastal upwelling phenomenon and the atmospheric conditions. We found that lower atmosphere local modulation due to sea surface temperature (SST) variations along the study region combined with the large-scale atmospheric synoptic conditions contributed to the flux behavior.

Paraclostridium is the Main Genus of Anaerobic Bacteria Isolated from New Species of the Marine Sponge Plakina in the Brazilian Southeast Coast.

Despite the broad assessment of sponge bacterial diversity through cultivation-independent and dependent strategies, the knowledge focusing on cultivable anaerobes from this holobiont is still incipient. Plakina is a genus with the highest number of described species from the smallest of poriferan classes, Homoscleromorpha. The Brazilian Atlantic coast has been presenting itself as a hotspot for the discovery of new plakinidae species, with initial surveys just now concerning to characterize their microbiome. The current study aimed to isolate and identify strict anaerobes from recently described species of Plakina collected at the coast of Cabo Frio, RJ. Samples of four sympatric morphotypes of Plakina cyanorosea and Plakina cabofriense were collected on the coast of Cabo Frio, RJ. Using five different culture media, a total of 93 bacterial isolates were recovered, among which 60 were strict anaerobes and, ultimately, 34 remaining viable. A total of 76.5% from these strains were mostly identified as Clostridium bifermentans by mass spectrometry and 82.4% identified by 16S rRNA sequencing, almost all of them affiliated to the genus Paraclostridium, and with one isolate identified as Clostridium butyricum by both techniques. None of the anaerobic bacteria exhibited antimicrobial activity by the adopted screening test. The present work highlights not only the need for cultivation and characterization of the anaerobic microbiota from marine sponges but also adds the existing scarce knowledge of culturable bacterial communities from Homoscleromorph sponges from Brazilian coast.

The role of atmospheric-tropospheric rivers in partitioning coastal habitats and limiting the poleward expansion of mangroves along the southeast coast of Brazil

The role of atmospheric-tropospheric rivers in partitioning coastal habitats and limiting the poleward expansion of mangroves along the southeast coast of Brazil

Population and reproductive biology of two caprellid species (Crustacea: Amphipoda) associated to Sargassum cymosum (Phaeophyta: Fucales) on the southeast coast of Brazil

Abstract Caprellid amphipods are common crustaceans at Sargassum beds of southeastern Brazil and constitute an important link between primary producers and marine consumers. The goal of this study is to evaluate population and reproductive biology of two caprellid species: Paracaprella tenuis Mayer, 1903 and Pseudaeginella montoucheti Quitete, 1971. Sargassum cymosum Agardh, 1820 samples were collected monthly between October 2010 and September 2011 in a rock shore in southeastern Brazil. The caprellids were identified, counted, measured and classified as males, immature females, sexually mature females, ovigerous females and juveniles. Eggs were counted and measured. Higher densities of P. tenuis and P. montoucheti were found mainly in winter and lower densities in fall and summer. Density variation is probably related to organic matter supply and substrate availability. Both species showed continuous reproduction with reproductive peaks. Pseudaeginella montoucheti larger egg volume indicates a longer incubation period. The egg volume was directly related to female size. The number of eggs was weakly related to female size, indicating that fecundity may be driven by other factors, such as the physiological conditions. Sex ratio deviated for males suggests a higher longevity of males. The present study highlighted important data of two caprellids species that occur in algal beds of different regions.

Otolith chemistry as a tool to infer about the population structure of the bigtooth corvina (Isopisthus parvipinnis) in the Southeast Brazilian coast

Otolith chemistry as a tool to infer about the population structure of the bigtooth corvina (Isopisthus parvipinnis) in the Southeast Brazilian coast

Bigtooth corvine, Isopisthus parvipinnis, population structure in Southeast Brazilian coast inferred from otolith shape analysis

Event Abstract Back to Event Bigtooth corvine, Isopisthus parvipinnis, population structure in Southeast Brazilian coast inferred from otolith shape analysis Natasha T. Hoff1, 2, June F. Dias3, Maria De Lourdes Zani-Teixeira3 and Alberto T. Correia2, 4* 1 Graduate Program in Oceanography, Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo, Brazil 2 Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR), Portugal 3 Department of Biological Oceanography, Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo, Brazil 4 Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, Portugal Isopisthus parvipinnis (Cuvier, 1830), commonly known as “bigtooth corvina” (in Portuguese: tortinha or pescadinha), is one of the main species of extractive fisheries in Brazil, primarily in Southeast and Southern regions. The aim of this work was to investigate the population structure and temporal stability of I. parvipinnis in SW Atlantic Ocean, between São Paulo and Paraná (Brazil), through otolith shape analysis. Individuals with 80 to 140 mm total length were obtained from historical samples (1975, Nectonic Fauna – Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo) and commercial catches (2018, artisanal fleets) in the shallow waters of the Brazilian Southeast and South coast, between São Paulo (North - NSP, Central - CSP, and South – SSP) and Paraná (PR). After photographed, each otolith was described using otolith shape indices (SIs) and elliptical Fourier descriptors (EFDs). ANCOVA was used to length-detrend SIs. Variations between locations were tested using univariate analysis, while variation between locations and years were analyzed with multivariate analysis. Data showed differences in the otolith shape analysis for the tested years. Fish sampled in 1975 showed an overall low re-classification rate (33%) because of a high overlap of individuals within sampling locations. However, samples from 2018 allowed the discrimination of three distinct spatial groups with a good overall correct re-classification (73%): group 1 with samples from the NSP; group 2 with samples from the CSP; and group 3 with samples from SSP and PR. The hereby data suggests temporal and spatial changes in the population dynamics of this species. Further studies, using other complimentary tools, are however need to corroborate these findings. Acknowledgements This work was supported by a PhD scholarship funded by CNPq (163116/2015-6) and PDSE - CAPES (88881.189862/2018-01), and partially supported by the Strategic Funding UID/Multi/04423/2019 through national funds provided by Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), in the framework of the programme PT2020. Authors thank to Marcelo Soeth (CEM - UFPR) and Rafael Shroeder (UFSC) for sampling support. Keywords: Sciaenidae, sagittae, Otolith shape indices, Elliptic Fourier descriptor (EFD), Population units Conference: XVI European Congress of Ichthyology, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2 Sep - 6 Sep, 2019. Presentation Type: Poster Topic: OTOLITHS AS A TOOL TO STUDY FISH LIFE CYCLES Citation: Hoff NT, Dias JF, Zani-Teixeira M and Correia AT (2019). Bigtooth corvine, Isopisthus parvipinnis, population structure in Southeast Brazilian coast inferred from otolith shape analysis. Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: XVI European Congress of Ichthyology. doi: 10.3389/conf.fmars.2019.07.00161 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 23 Jul 2019; Published Online: 14 Aug 2019. * Correspondence: Prof. Alberto T Correia, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR), Matosinhos, Portugal, atcorreia.ciimar@gmail.com Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Natasha T Hoff June F Dias Maria De Lourdes Zani-Teixeira Alberto T Correia Google Natasha T Hoff June F Dias Maria De Lourdes Zani-Teixeira Alberto T Correia Google Scholar Natasha T Hoff June F Dias Maria De Lourdes Zani-Teixeira Alberto T Correia PubMed Natasha T Hoff June F Dias Maria De Lourdes Zani-Teixeira Alberto T Correia Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Larval and early post-larval shell of three deep-sea Scaphopoda (Mollusca) from the southwest Atlantic

ABSTRACTThe larval shells of Antalis circumcincta (Watson, 1879) (order Dentaliida), Pertusiconcha callithrix (Dall, 1889) (order Gadilida) and of an undetermined species of uncertain systematic position are described. The material studied comprises mainly samples from deep waters, collected by expeditions along the southeast coast of Brazil. The larval shell of the three taxa matches other types previously described in the literature. Antalis circumcincta and P. callithrix have four regions (protoconch A, protoconch B, teleoconch A, teleoconch B), but differ in dimensions and sculpture from each other, while the undetermined species has three regions (protoconch A, protoconch B, teleoconch B). A morphometric approach combined with a discriminant analysis also indicates that the three taxa are significantly distinct. This study confirms patterns of larval shells at the taxonomic rank of orders but other supraspecific patterns remain uncertain.

Artisanal fisheries and artificial reefs on the southeast coast of Brazil: Contributions to research and management

This work aims to analyse the contribution of artificial reefs (ARs) to marine biota based on fishers’ local ecological knowledge (LEK) of the species associated with ARs. Data were collected from November 2016 to May 2017 through 60 ethnographic interviews with artisanal fishers at the northern coast of Rio de Janeiro. Local fishers use seven methods to catch fish, with trawl nets being the most frequent (32.5%, n = 41). Some fishers use more than one gear of fish equipment, allowing the capture of several species throughout the year and to alternate the target species. The fishers reported 25 species associated with the ARs, although 15 species appeared after the installation of the artificial complex. The most frequent were the sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus 43.3%, n = 26), black margate (Anisotremus surinamensis 41.7%, n = 25), spiny lobster (Panulirus sp. 33.3%, n = 20), caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus 31.7%, n = 19), and smooth puffer (Lagocephalus laevigatus, 31.7%, n = 19). The fishers described several ecological functions of the ARs, acting as a species reproduction site (25.93%, n = 21), increasing fish weight (18.5%, n = 15), attracting fish (16.0%, n = 13) and reducing industrial fishery (8.6%, n = 7). The interviewees had consistent LEK about local marine biota, especially species associated with the ARs. They maintained a positive perception of the ARs and pointed to the need for public policies when installing new artificial structures that can increase fish stocks in the region.

Differences in diversity and habitat use of avifauna in distinct mangrove areas in São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil

Mangroves are an important ecosystem for many bird species for breeding, roosting and feeding, but habitat use depends on the area and vegetation structure. Avifaunal diversity studies are essential to establish baseline knowledge, identify impacts on communities, and for the effective management of ecosystems, especially in coastal areas under intense anthropogenic pressure. In this study, we: 1) characterized the mangrove vegetation structure on a former landfill (Ferry's site) from the expansion of São Sebastião Port, on the southeast coast of Brazil, 2) compared bird richness, abundance, and seasonal diversity of waterbirds and terrestrial birds at Ferry's site, with four sites located on natural land at Araçá Bay, a small semi-enclosed coastal bay, and 3) analyzed birds' habitat use. Ferry's site and Araçá Bay both border the port in the São Sebastião municipality. Overall, 52 bird species were detected in Ferry's site and 78 species in Araçá Bay. The waterbird community showed a higher average richness, abundance, and diversity in Ferry's site (A1) than in the Araçá sites (A2-A5). There were significant differences in these variables among sites, but not among seasons. For terrestrial birds, average richness and diversity were higher at Ferry's site, but average abundance was higher at Araçá Bay. These differences may be explained by habitat heterogeneity in the areas, however no pattern in these variables was found among A2-A5, because A5 has less human traffic and has more edge vegetation, which attracts birds. Ferry's site was used mainly for roosting throughout the year and as a breeding site for four heron species in summer, whereas Araçá Bay was used mainly as a foraging ground for waterbirds. Differences in habitat use were probably due to the higher density and maximum height of mangrove vegetation at Ferry's site, even though mangroves of Araçá Bay had a greater structural development. Furthermore, Araçá Bay has a large tidal plain, with high invertebrate diversity, which could explain why waterbirds used it mainly for foraging. This study highlights the importance of mangrove in the life cycle of several bird species and their aggregation. Therefore, protection of these coastal habitats should be prioritized in conservation measures.