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Global marine conservation remains fractured by an imbalance in research efforts and policy actions, limiting progression towards sustainability. Rhodolith beds represent a prime example, as they have ecological importance on a global scale, provide a wealth of ecosystem functions and services, including biodiversity provision and potential climate change mitigation, but remain disproportionately understudied, compared to other coastal ecosystems (tropical coral reefs, kelp forests, mangroves, seagrasses). Although rhodolith beds have gained some recognition, as important and sensitive habitats at national/regional levels during the last decade, there is still a notable lack of information and, consequently, specific conservation efforts. We argue that the lack of information about these habitats, and the significant ecosystem services they provide, is hindering the development of effective conservation measures and limiting wider marine conservation success. This is becoming a pressing issue, considering the multiple severe pressures and threats these habitats are exposed to (e.g., pollution, fishing activities, climate change), which may lead to an erosion of their ecological function and ecosystem services. By synthesizing the current knowledge, we provide arguments to highlight the importance and urgency of levelling-up research efforts focused on rhodolith beds, combating rhodolith bed degradation and avoiding the loss of associated biodiversity, thus ensuring the sustainability of future conservation programs.

Submitted by Vitor Silverio Rodrigues (vitorsrodrigues@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2014-05-27T11:24:33Z No. of bitstreams: 0Bitstream added on 2014-05-27T14:41:12Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 2-s2.0-77953770171.pdf: 113158 bytes, checksum: 829e94c71cae8d9961dfdc296b3bec05 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-27T11:24:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-12-01 Data on the reproductive and feeding biology of elasmobranchs from Manoel Luís Reefs, Maranhão State, Brazil. Nine species were recorded and evidences that the area is important for the reproduction and feeding activity of sharks and rays were obtained. Programa Costa Atlântica Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica, Rua Manoel da Nóbrega 456, 04001-001 São Paulo, SP Programa Marinho, Conservaçáo Internacional, Rua das Palmeiras, 451, Caravelas, BA Universidade Estadual da Paraíba Departamento de Biologia, Avenida das Baraúnas 351, 58109-753 Campina Grande, PB Universidade Estadual Paulista Campus Experimental do Litoral Paulista, Praça Infante Dom Henrique s/n, São Vicente, SP Universidade Estadual Paulista Campus Experimental do Litoral Paulista, Praça Infante Dom Henrique s/n, São Vicente, SP

Acesso restrito: Texto completo. p. 1008-1014 Submitted by JURANDI DE SOUZA SILVA (jssufba@hotmail.com) on 2012-06-28T18:17:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 CONFIG~1....0-S0025326X08000799-main.pdf: 425631 bytes, checksum: 701c2b94647a74cc2531d1e385a42f10 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2012-06-28T18:17:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 CONFIG~1....0-S0025326X08000799-main.pdf: 425631 bytes, checksum: 701c2b94647a74cc2531d1e385a42f10 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 Although reef corals worldwide have sustained epizootics in recent years, no coral diseases have been observed in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean until now. Here we present an overview of the main types of diseases and their incidence in the largest and richest coral reefs in the South Atlantic (Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil). Qualitative observations since the 1980s and regular monitoring since 2001 indicate that coral diseases intensified only recently (2005–2007). Based on estimates of disease prevalence and progression rate, as well as on the growth rate of a major reef-building coral species (the Brazilian-endemic Mussismilia braziliensis), we predict that eastern Brazilian reefs will suffer a massive coral cover decline in the next 50 years, and that M. braziliensis will be nearly extinct in less than a century if the current rate of mortality due to disease is not reversed.2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Submitted by Santiago Fabio (fabio.ssantiago@hotmail.com) on 2012-01-12T19:00:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.pdf: 4376107 bytes, checksum: 96eb1868861d25cf010bf3239eee5573 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2012-01-12T19:00:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.pdf: 4376107 bytes, checksum: 96eb1868861d25cf010bf3239eee5573 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 Parrotfishes (Perciformes: Scaridae) represent a critical functional group on coral reefs because their intense herbivory activity helps in avoiding coral overgrowth by algae. Although feeding preferentially on algae and detritus, some parrotfish species also consume live corals, leading to detrimental effects that may offset the benefits of removing competitive seaweeds. Parrotfish species differ markedly in terms of jaw morphology, foraging activity and extent of substratum excavation, and are typically divided into three functional groups: browsers, scrapers and excavators. The recognition of species within each functional group helps to understand their relative effects in terms of bioerosion, coral fitness and survival, habitat alteration and ecosystem dynamics. Here we report on live coral predation by the Brazilian endemic parrotfishes Scarus trispinosus and Sparisoma amplum in the largest coral reefs of the South Atlantic (Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil) and comment on their classification into functional groups based on direct behavioral observations. Scarus trispinosus and Sp. amplum allocated 0.8% and 8.1% of their bites to live corals respectively. Sparisoma amplum fed at lower rates, took shorter feeding forays and larger bites than Sc. trispinosus. Bite rates and foray size were negatively correlated to body size for Sc. trispinosus, but not for Sp. amplum. Our results indicate that Sp. amplum may be primarily recognized as an excavating species, as well as the most specialized parrotfish coral predator in Brazil, while Sc. trispinosus may be recognized as a scraper or excavator depending on its body size. This functional classification corresponds to the classification used for the putative sister taxa of Sc. trispinosus (Sc. coeruleus) and the sister taxa of Sp. amplum (Sp. viride) in the Caribbean, indicating that these two congeneric species pairs play similar ecological roles in different geographic regions. Porto Alegre

Texto completo: acesso restrito. p. 283-293 Submitted by Suelen Reis (suziy.ellen@gmail.com) on 2013-11-26T10:35:44Z No. of bitstreams: 1 10.3354meps07511.pdf: 459313 bytes, checksum: 068b02717d1178935641c43b5cd2c571 (MD5) Approved for entry into archive by Rodrigo Meirelles (rodrigomei@ufba.br) on 2013-11-26T12:53:48Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 10.3354meps07511.pdf: 459313 bytes, checksum: 068b02717d1178935641c43b5cd2c571 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2013-11-26T12:53:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 10.3354meps07511.pdf: 459313 bytes, checksum: 068b02717d1178935641c43b5cd2c571 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 Our aim was to devise visual sampling protocols to estimate densities in a morphologically and behaviorally diverse assemblage of reef fishes. The focus was on a design that is cost-effective and produces relatively accurate and precise density estimates for the largest number of species. We evaluated the 2 most widely used shapes of sampling units (strip transects and stationary cylinders) of several dimensions on a fringing reef at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, tropical West Atlantic. Small sampling units produced the best density estimates for small fishes, while large ones produced the best estimates for large fishes, regardless of sampling unit shape. The sampling unit with the lowest cost was the stationary cylinder. We further compared accuracy and precision of density and richness estimates from several combinations of stationary cylinders and fish size. A simple improvement in stationary censuses, i.e. a sampling unit composed of 2 nested cylinders (2 m and 4 m radii, respectively), enhanced the accuracy and precision of estimates. Counts of small fish (≤10 cm) were made in the smaller cylinder and counts of larger fish (>10 cm) were made in the larger. Such nested cylinders reduce the bias towards large and conspicuous species and allow for separate density estimates for adults and juveniles of large species.