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Sabellaria species are among the most important frame-builders in temperate, shallow marine areas. These polychaetes are suspension feeders able to build bioconstructions using sand and shell fragments cemented with a sticky mucous. Such feature makes these invertebrates “unusual bioconstructors”, as they do not produce calcium carbonate. Sabellaridae reefs are widespread in the Mediterranean and along the Atlantic coast of Europe, but their sedimentological aspects are still poorly known. Over short time intervals, these bioconstructions can rapidly alternate between phases of growth, stasis and destruction during different seasons. In this paper, we compare reefs of two Sabellaria species (S. alveolata—Ostia, Roma and Tyrrhenian Sea, S. spinulosa—Torre Mileto, Foggia and Adriatic Sea) found at two different sites along the Italian coast. We describe the morphology of worm tubes at the macro- and microscale. Similarities and differences are discussed based on eco-biological features and physical environmental conditions. This work shows a measurement and observation scheme for this type of bioconstructions that has been verified at both the macro- and microscale and which was shown to be useful for defining evolutionary trends of sabellarian bioconstructions. The monitoring parameters were identified and verified over a long period.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T01:09:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-01-02 A new species of ghost shrimp, Neocallichirus pinheiroi, is described based on specimens collected in subtidal habitats of Saquaira beach, northeastern coast of Brazil. This new species resembles N. lemaitrei Manning, 1993, but differs from it primarily in having a third maxilliped propodus expanded ventrally, and in the case of males, a large subtriangular tooth on the cutting edge of the major cheliped dactylus. Diagnostic features of the new species include: (i) frontal margin of carapace with rounded lateral projections not exceeding rostrum distal margin, (ii) third maxilliped carpus with row of sclerotized setae on median internal surface, (iii) minor cheliped with cutting edge of dactylus microscopically pectinate, (iv) endopod of male second pleopod with appendices interna and masculina. This is the seventh described species of the genus Neocallichirus from the western Atlantic and the fourth report of this genus in Brazil. A key for identification of western Atlantic species belonging to the genus is provided. Universidade Estadual Paulista–UNESP Instituto de Biociências Grupo de Pesquisa em Biologia de Crustáceos–CRUSTA Facultad de Ciencias Centro de Estudios Marinos y Limnológicos Universidad de Tarapacá–UTA National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Laboratório de Sistemática Zoológica Universidade do Sagrado Coração Universidade Estadual Paulista–UNESP Instituto de Biociências Grupo de Pesquisa em Biologia de Crustáceos–CRUSTA

As praias arenosas podem ser divididas em dois ecossistemas praiais: os autossustentáveis e os de interface, que respondem de forma diferente ao controle mofordinâmico e climático sobre a biodiversidade. Os principais fatores que atuam sobre a biodiversidade das praias arenosas são a energia das ondas e a ação dos ventos, que são responsáveis pela movimentação do sedimento e a determinação do relevo da praia. As variações climáticas, a exemplo das tempestades, também influenciam de forma significativa a dinâmica dos ecossistemas praiais. Mesmo possuindo um equilíbrio ecológico delicado, as praias arenosas não têm sido reconhecidas como áreas prioritárias para conservação, talvez pela ausência de uma cobertura vegetal exuberante ou pela pouca percepção da sua biodiversidade. Para boa parte da população que frequenta as zonas costeiras, as praias arenosas aparentam ser um sistema biologicamente pobre e valorizado apenas pelos aspectos paisagísticos e de recreação. O uso recreativo intenso e a ocupação desordenada do pós-praia aumentam os impactos sobre esses ambientes, alterando a deposição de sedimentos, dificultando o deslocamento da biota e aumentando os processos erosivos, comprometendo a funcionalidade ecossistêmica. Diante deste contexto, se faz necessário realizar estudosde indicadores que possam fomentar estratégias adequadas para a gestão costeira, preservando o equilíbrio dos ecossistemas e a manutenção dos seus serviços, inclusive os considerados essenciais para a espécie humana. A presente revisão tem como objetivo principal discutir como os processos geoambientais, a exemplo dos morfodinâmicos e climáticos, atuam sobre a biodiversidade das praias arenosas e como estes fenômenos podem influenciar o equilíbrio ecossistêmico e a oferta dos seus serviços. Dentro desse cenário também foi discutido as possíveis interferências das alterações climáticas, a ocupação desordenada dos ambientes costeiros e suas implicações para conservação das praias arenosas.

The dispersion of commercial plastics in the marine environments is a major threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services of the last decades. The lower density of the plastics with respect to marine water density determines their floating, transferring, and accumulation in sandy beaches. Sandy beaches represent a natural sink ecosystem for marine plastics, where the latter are fragmented and photo-degraded in relation to the kind of polymer. Here, we propose an accurate and cost-effective method, the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), to identify different polymers from plastic samples collected on the Aquatina di Frigole beach (Apulia Region, Southeast of Italy), included in the NATURA 2000 Site coded as IT9150003. Our results reveal the exclusive presence of thermoplastic polymers in the beach plastic samples, mostly belonging to the polyolefin family. They appear to be remnants of larger plastic fragments, which could impact biodiversity and ecosystem services such as beach recreation activities and tourism.

Simple Summary The presence of dogs on sandy beaches is a concern when it comes to protecting the breeding and migratory stop-over sites of shorebirds. To manage this threat, it is necessary to understand the factors that explain the presence of dogs at sandy beaches. To address this, we conducted a study in southern Chile where we surveyed dogs and their tracks at 14 beaches. Dogs were present on all of them, and we found that their abundance was higher when more people were on the beach and at beaches surrounded by more houses. Furthermore, we detected that, given the opportunity, dogs frequently harassed whimbrels, a long-distance migratory shorebird. Dogs at beaches were often not supervised, and only 13% were on a leash. Although our study shows the association between dogs and people, it identifies that this relationship is not simply one of dogs and their owners; instead, it is free-ranging dogs that are associated with beach-goers and human settlements. Therefore, we suggest that to reduce dog harassment of shorebirds, it is fundamental to reduce the number of unsupervised and unleashed dogs at beaches. Abstract Dogs on sandy beaches are a threat to shorebirds. Managing this problem requires understanding the factors that influence the abundance of dogs in these ecosystems. We aimed to determine the proportion of beaches used by dogs and the effects of human presence on dog abundance on sandy beaches of southern Chile. We conducted dog counts and recorded the presence of tracks on 14 beaches. We used zero-inflated generalized linear mixed models to determine if the number of people, number of households, and other covariates were associated with dog abundance. We detected dog tracks on all the beaches, and dog sightings on most of them. Dogs were frequently not supervised (45%) and only 13% of them were leashed. The number of people on the beach and the number of houses near the beach were positively associated with the number of dogs on beaches. Finally, when dogs co-occurred with whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus), the probability of dog harassment was high (59%). Our work reveals that human presence determines the abundance of dogs on sandy beaches. Therefore, our study suggests that any strategy aiming at reducing dog harassment of shorebirds requires changes in those human behaviors that favor the presence of free-ranging dogs at beaches.

Understanding swash zone dynamics is of crucial importance for coastal management as the swash motion, consisting of the uprush of the wave on the beach face and the subsequent downrush, is responsible for driving changes in the beach morphology through sediment exchanges between the sub-aerial and sub-aqueous beach. Improved understanding of the probabilistic characteristics of these motions has the potential to allow coastal engineers to develop improved sediment transport models which, in turn, can be further developed into coastal management tools. In this paper, novel descriptors of swash motions are obtained by combining field data and statistical modelling. Our results indicate that the probability distribution function (PDF) of shoreline height [CES]timeseries (p(ζ)) and trough-to-peak swash heights (p(ρ)) measured at a high energy, sandy beach were both inherently multimodal. Based on the observed multimodality of these PDFs, Gaussian mixtures are shown to be the best method to statistically model them. Further, our results show that both offshore and surf zone dynamics are responsible for driving swash zone dynamics, which indicates unsaturated swash. The novel methods and results developed in this paper, both data collection and analysis, could aid coastal managers to develop improved swash zone models in the future.

The biodiversity of the coastal ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico is threatened by anthropogenic activities of various kinds. The predominant portion of the land-sea margin in the State of Yucatán consists of exposed sandy beaches. This ecosystem is threatened by several activities that vary in spatial scales, at a local: cargo/fishing ports, touristic facilities, maritime traffic, and domestic pollution; and at a larger scale: the forthcoming development of the oil industry. In the absence of information about the biodiversity of the beaches of Yucatán, we implement the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) Pole to Pole sampling protocol to (1) Quantify the spatial patterns of diversity of macrofauna along the beaches; (2) quantify current levels of pollution by hydrocarbons (aromatic and aliphatic); (3) estimate sampling effort for future environmental impact assessments. During November 2018, six localities along the coastline of Yucatán State were sampled following a spatial hierarchical design that included three sites at each locality, and 9–18 core samples in the intertidal strata of each site. As a result, 31 species of invertebrates were registered. The patterns of distribution and abundance of species showed that there was a base community structure along the entire coast dominated by four species. In general, the density of species was relatively low (2–4 species/0.01 m3) and the density of individuals was high (20–200 ind./0.01 m3). The beta diversity was higher between localities with good environmental health, but the estimated alpha diversities did not show a pattern regarding the health of the coast. Lastly, the overall number of species reported suggest that gamma diversity of the macrofauna in the beaches of Yucatán is within the highest known worldwide. Levels of hydrocarbons detected in this study are exceptionally low compared to those reported for other coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico and are several orders of magnitude lower than those considered as lower-threshold values for marine sediments. The biological and chemical patterns reported here indicated that it is an appropriate moment to start long-term monitoring. The sampling design we suggest is based on statistical precision and internationally recognized protocols for assessment of marine diversity on sandy beaches.

Beach profile evolution under storm sequence forcing presents an emerging research topic that has only been investigated at a limited number of sites. The occurrence and effects of storm sequencing on beach profile evolution are studied at Hasaki Beach, Japan, using weekly beach profile and two-hourly offshore wave measurements. During the 25-year study period, the supratidal beach at Hasaki is subjected to long-term accretion and steepening while the shoreline shows a long-term oscillation. In addition, oscillations of the supratidal beach volume and the shoreline at semi-annual and annual intervals are identified, which are largely controlled by the variability of the wave height. Hasaki Beach is subjected to frequent storms that often cluster in sequences, especially during the extra-tropical cyclone season (January to March). The majority of storms and sequences generate erosion of the beach above the low water level but some also lead to recovery. Despite a tendency for storms and storm sequences with larger power to cause more erosion, the present data does not demonstrate increased beach erosion by storm sequences. Following these findings, the tendency of the beach to evolve towards equilibrium and the importance of the antecedent beach morphology are demonstrated. We gratefully acknowledge the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of the Japanese Government and the Marine Information Group of the Port and Airport Research Institute (PARI) for providing the offshore wave data and the staff from the Hazaki Oceanographical Research Station (HORS) for performing the beach profile measurements. SE acknowledges funding from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London. HK acknowledges the support by the UK Research Councils under Natural Environment Research Council award NE/N013573/1, Title CoastWEB: Valuing the contribution which COASTal habitats make to human health and WEllBeing, with a focus on the alleviation of natural hazards. Finally, we would like to thank the two reviewers for their comments that helped to improve the manuscript.

Sandy beaches are dynamic ecosystems with strong interaction of sediments, waves and tidal energy, with marked effects on benthic assemblages. Although there are numerous efforts in understanding spatial-temporal variation of benthic macrofauna on sandy beaches along the southern and southeastern Marine Ecoregions in Brazil, there is poor sampling along beaches of the Eastern Marine Ecoregion (EME). Here we examined spatial and temporal scales of variability in benthic macrofauna (> 500 µm) through a hierarchical sampling of two dissipative sandy beaches within the EME between two seasons (winter 2011 and summer 2012). We tested the hypothesis that spatial changes (i.e., meters to hundreds of meters scales) in the structure of benthic assemblages will be more pronounced compared to the weak seasonal fluctuations at this tropical region. We found weak temporal and spatial changes in sediment grain size and beach slope, but differences in macrofaunal assemblages were evident. Contrary to our hypothesis, hierarchical sampling indicated significant changes in macrofaunal composition and density at multiple local scales (meters to hundreds of meters) and on seasonal scales. The macrofauna density and composition was directly related to changes on the sediment organic matter and grain size. Resumo Praias arenosas são ambientes dinâmicos com interação entre sedimento, energia de ondas e marés, com marcantes efeitos sobre assembléias bentônicas. Existem numerosos esforços no entendimento da variação espaço-temporal da macrofauna bentônica em praias no Brasil, sendo a maioria concentrados na Ecorregião Marinha Sudeste e Rio Grande (20oS a 35oS), mas limitada amostragem em praias tropicais na Ecoregião Marinha Leste (EML). Este estudo examinou as escalas de variabilidade espaço-temporal da macrofauna bentônica (> 500 µm) através de amostragem hierárquica em duas praias dissipativas dentro da EML em duas estações (inverno de 2011/verão de 2012). Testou-se a hipótese que mudanças espaciais (escala de metros a centenas de metros) na estrutura das assembléias bentônicas são menos pronunciadas em comparação com as fracas flutuações sazonais nesta região tropical. Foram encontradas pequenas mudanças espaço-temporais na granulometria e perfil de praia, mas com evidentes diferenças nas assembléias macrofaunais. Contrariando a hipótese deste estudo, a amostragem hierárquica indicou mudanças significativas na composição e densidade da macrofauna em múltiplas escalas locais (metros a centenas de metros) e em escalas temporais. A densidade e composição da macrofauna está relacionada com mudanças no teor de matéria orgânica do sedimento e tamanho do grão.

The main objectives of this study were (i) to provide an updated age-length key for D. trunculus from Atlantic waters, and (ii) to evaluate population dynamics, the timing of recruitment and production parameters of the wedge clam Donax trunculus in two moderately exposed sandy beaches (the protected area of Donana National Park and the tourist destination of Isla Canela) along the littoral of Huelva (SW Spain). First an in-depth analysis of the shell and updated estimation of growth parameters of the intertidal D. trunculus population were performed between January 2014 and July 2015 using two different methods i) thin-layer cross section (TL) (ii) length-frequency distributions (LFD). Von Bertalanffy growth functions provided an asymptotic length of 46 mm (LFD) and 46.7 mm (TL) and growth constants of 0.48 (LFD) and 0.47 yr(-1) (TL) in Donana beach. In addition, several deformities as well as signs of shell repair were observed. Population dynamics analyses through length frequency distribution clarified the timing of recruitment (February-March and July). The mean annual biomass ((B) over bar) of intertidal populations of D. trunculus ranged between 3.03 (Donana) and 3.31 g ash-free dry mass (AFDW) m(-2) yr(-1) (Isla Canela). Individual production showed the highest value at 27 mm length (0.117 g AFDW m(-2) yr(-1)) and annual production (P) ranged between 3.40 (Donana) and 4.91 g (Isla Canela), resulting in renewal rate (P/(B) over bar) values between 1.03 and 1.61, respectively. The present results, together with information on environmental parameters, revealed clear differences in population dynamics and production between beaches related to the presence or absence of a protection figure. European Fisheries Fund info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

International audience; One of the current major scientific challenges to sustain social-ecological systems is to improve our understanding of the spatial and temporal dynamics of the relationships between biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services. Here, we analyze the bundles of ecosystem services supplied by three coastal ecosystems (coastal lagoons, coral reefs and sandy beaches) along a gradient of eutrophication. Based on a state-and-transition model, we analyses the dynamic responses of ecological communities to environmental change and management actions. Although few exceptions are highlighted, increasing eutrophication in the three ecosystem types leads to a degradation of the ecosystem service bundles, particularly for nutrient and pathogen regulation/sequestration, or for the support of recreational and leisure activities. Despite few obstacles to their optimal use, state-andtransition models can be very powerful frameworks to integrate multiple functions and services delivered by ecosystems while accounting for their temporal dynamics.

Sandy beaches are severely under-represented in the literature on climate-change ecology, yet different lines of evidence suggest that the macrofauna inhabiting these narrow and dynamic environments located at the land-sea interface is being reorganized under the influence of this large scale and long-lasting stressor. This is reflected in macrofaunal sensitivity to increasing sea surface temperature, sea-level rise, extreme events and erosion of the narrow physical habitat. However, evidence of behavioral responses by sandy beach macrofauna that are consistent with expectations under climate change is scarce and fragmentary. In this paper, specific hypotheses are formulated for how behavioral adaptations in sandy beach macrofauna are predicted to respond to climate change impacts. Firstly, a conceptual framework and an overview of macrofauna behavioral adaptation features are provided. Secondly, the effects of main climate change drivers on sandy beaches are summarized. Thirdly, a conceptual framework is developed giving behavioral adaptations of sandy beach macrofauna under climate change pressure. The degree to which observations on behavioral adaptations of beach animals conform to expectations under specific climate change drivers (sea level rise, sea surface temperature, winds and storminess, rainfall, acidification and eutrophication) is explored. Taking into account the empirical evidence and the theoretical framework detailed in the paper, emergent hypotheses/predictions are proposed. Climate change drivers are expected to impact habitat features and consequently the behavioral expression of macrofauna as active responses to habitat changes. Behavioral adaptations are expected to be impaired, more variable or disrupted, thus decreasing fitness, causing local population extirpations and potentially triggering a range of cascading effects of ecological change in the beach ecosystem. Biodiversity loss will be the outcome of the negative pressures driven by climate change. The specificity of sandy beaches as narrow ecotones between sea and land may be lost under climate change pressure, adversely affecting fine-tuned macrofaunal adaptations and therefore ecosystem functioning. Strictly adapted endemic sandy beach fauna will be especially subjected to local extirpations, while species with a large reaction norm (i.e. phenotypic and behavioral plasticity) may face changes by dispersal and exploitation of new niches. Under climate change impacts, biodiversity loss is predicted, which would hamper beach ecosystem resilience. The limits to which sandy beach macrofauna responds and can behaviorally adapt to environmental change are worthy of exploration, in view of the increasing influence of the long-lasting climate driven stressors threatening these ecosystems at risk.

Forecasting shoreline evolution for sandy coasts is important for sustainable coastal management, given the present-day increasing anthropogenic pressures and a changing future climate. Here, we evaluate eight different time-series forecasting methods for predicting future shorelines derived from historic satellite-derived shorelines. Analyzing more than 37,000 transects around the globe, we find that traditional forecast methods altogether with some of the evaluated probabilistic Machine Learning (ML) time-series forecast algorithms, outperform Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) predictions for the majority of the sites. When forecasting seven years ahead, we find that these algorithms generate better predictions than OLS for 54% of the transect sites, producing forecasts with, on average, 29% smaller Mean Squared Error (MSE). Importantly, this advantage is shown to exist over all considered forecast horizons, i.e., from 1 up to 11 years. Although the ML algorithms do not produce significantly better predictions than traditional time-series forecast methods, some proved to be significantly more efficient in terms of computation time. We further provide insight in how these ML algorithms can be improved so that they can be expected to outperform not only OLS regression, but also the traditional time-series forecast methods. These forecasting algorithms can be used by coastal engineers, managers, and scientists to generate future shoreline prediction at a global level and derive conclusions thereof.

International audience; This paper applies and extends the concept of Littoral Active Zone (LAZ) of sandy beaches as a relevant dimension to observe and manage this socio ecological system. The LAZ is a dynamic zone where exchanges across land and sea occur, and this concept was initially proposed on a geomorphological background only. However, to achieve full relevance and timely address management choices tied to the functioning of soft sediment shores, it became appropriate to extend its consideration to both the ecological and social templates co-existing on the same physical unit. Current paradigms around the concept of LAZ were used as a background to organize information from different disciplines and extend the concept to different soft sediment shores (mostly sandy beaches and salt marshes), towards a global, integrated relevance of the concept. As a test for this approach, we 1) struabctured information on the biophysical and social templates around the concept of LAZ, 2) extended it to salt marshes and 3) applied it to the case of the Breton coast for a practical test on information organization. Such an exercise highlighted key characteristics of the LAZ using a multidisciplinary approach, but also gaps to be filled when targeting research, perception, communication, sustainable use and management of the LAZ as a functional unit.

A total of 298 species of polychaetes have been recorded from Colombia. However, only the family Protodrilidae has been reported from the marine interstitial realm. We here aim at identifying the interstitial annelids inhabiting the sandy beaches in Santa Marta region to the most accurate taxonomic level based on light microscopy examinations. Our samples, collected from the intertidal zone at three touristic beaches in the department of Magdalena (Santa Marta Bay, Rodadero Bay, and Taganga Bay), yielded a total of 83 specimens, which we assigned to five families, ten genera and nine species. From those, two families, eight genera, and the species Hesionides gohari, Neogyptis mediterranea, Neopetitia amphophthalma, Westheidesyllis gesae, and Syllis beneliahuae represent new records for the Colombian fauna. This survey should be considered as a first step towards a complete knowledge of the Colombian diversity of interstitial annelids, and our results significantly contribute to fill the gap of our current knowledge, suggesting a high diversity of species comparable to this in better-known areas of the Caribbean and the Atlantic coasts of Brazil. A brief diagnosis, comments on distribution and ecology, and remarks are provided for each record, in order to facilitate the re-identification of the species. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(2): 658-673. Epub 2018 June 01.

Two pocket beaches, Ramírez and Pocitos (Montevideo, Uruguay) are analyzed to assessing their evolution (erosion/accretion) associated with human interventions and climatic forcings from 1927-2008. A multitemporal study was conducted using GIS, long series of aerial photos, satellite imagery, survey of historical background, and statistical analysis. Qualitative indicators of the stability of the beach area are proposed. The relevance of this methodology is analyzed on beaches whose fluctuations tend to mask their long-term evolution. Both beaches remain relatively stable but fluctuating since 1927, with slight loss of surface, especially in Ramírez. The influence of the following factors is discussed: i) human interventions; ii) ENSO events; iii) storm surges; iv) changes in beach area according to the Bruun rule and rising sea level in Montevideo. Although the four of them appear to have acted in different periods, the evidence is not conclusive regarding their relative quantitative importance. This article highlights the importance of using long series of remote sensing and historical analysis to interpret processes linked to inertia of the past in environments that have been modified from longstanding. The trend analysis of these two urban pocket beaches allows to infer that their resilience has not been affected yet, which would allow them to face not extreme climatic stressors. For the purpose of better management it is recommended to: i) conduct continuous monitoring; ii) minimize the actions of mechanized cleaning and sand losses by leakage or removal; iii) implement the reconstruction of natural structures such as primary dunes; and iv) apply the methodology explained in this paper in other Montevideo urban beaches to better understand the climate forcings. Duas praias de bolso, Ramírez e Pocitos (Montevideo, Uruguai) foram analisados para avaliar a sua evolução (erosão / acreção) associado a intervenções humanas e forçantes climáticas durante o período 1927-2008. Para tal, desenvolveu-se estudo multitemporal utilizando GIS, uma série longa de fotos aéreas, imagens de satélite, exame dos antecedentes históricos, e análise estatística. São propostos indicadores qualitativos da estabilidade da praia. A relevância da metodologia utilizada é analisada em praias cujas variações tendem a mascarar a sua evolução a longo prazo. Ambas as praias permaneceram, desde 1927, relativamente estáveis, embora com variações e ligeira perda de superfície, especialmente a praia de Ramirez. Neste artigo é discutida a influência dos seguintes fatores: i) intervenções humanas; ii) eventos de El Niño; iii) temporais; iv) mudanças na praia de acordo com a regra Bruun e elevação do nível do mar, em Montevidéu. Embora os quatro fatores referidos tenham atuado em diferentes períodos, as evidências não são conclusivas quanto à sua importância quantitativa relativa. O artigo destaca a importância da utilização de séries longas de sensoriamento remoto e da análise histórica na interpretação dos processos ligados à inércia do passado em ambientes que foram modificados desde há muito. A análise de tendências destas duas praias urbanas de bolso permite inferir que a sua resistência ainda não foi afetada, o que lhes permitiria enfrentar os estressores climáticos extremos. Com o objetivo de conseguir uma melhor gestão, recomenda-se: i) realizar monitoramento contínuo; ii) minimizar as ações de limpeza mecanizada e as perdas de areia por vazamento ou remoção; iii) implementar a reconstrução de estruturas naturais, como dunas primárias; e iv) aplicar a metodologia apresentada neste artigo noutras praias urbanas de Montevidéu para compreender melhor as forçantes climáticas.

The behaviour of talitrids, being a local adaptation to beaches, is known to be related to environmental stability. The use of behavioural responses of resident populations as bioindicator of shoreline stability has been tested under various conditions, including after soft and hard engineering actions to stabilise eroded beaches. Port structures likely have impact on sediment longshore transportation and shoreline stability. The question was whether talitrid orientation behaviour could be proposed as bioindicator of impacts also for sandy bays of limited extension and highly used for recreation, such as those in the vicinity of touristic port structures. Orientation experiments were carried out on a set of sandy beaches of different extension and morphology, each of them in the vicinity of a touristic port, across the Mediterranean coasts. The protocol included field orientation tests of populations of talitrids, then analysed in terms of orientation precision seawards (considering sun compass orientation as the most locally adapted behavioural mechanism) in different seasons (before and after the touristic season) and times of day. The populations from more protected (either naturally or artificially) headland-bays showed a higher precision of orientation with respect to the shoreline direction than those from extended beaches, more subject to changes in longshore sedimentary transport as consequence of natural and human activities. The distance from the port and touristic pressure had no influence on talitrid orientation. An important stabilising factor for the sandy beach ecosystems, including talitrid populations and their behavioural adaptation, appeared to be the presence of seagrass banquette. The behavioural data point out that biotic information proceeding from local animal populations linked to beach sediments may complement sedimentology data and allow scaling the impacts occurring on a developed coastline. This becomes particularly relevant when considering interdisciplinary approaches to monitoring strategies.

Sandy beaches are natural dynamic ecosystems, which are becoming worldwide increasingly disturbed by intensive human direct use, coastal development and erosive evolution. In this study, we have examined whether ten years of potential increased human pressures have resulted in significant changes in the macrofaunal assemblages’ structure and composition of two mesotidal sandy beaches (Cabedelo – urban beach, and Quiaios – rural beach) on the European Atlantic coast (Portugal). Seasonal macrofauna collections were performed at both beaches in two different periods, one in 1999–2000 and another in 2010–2011. The physical variables did not change significantly in both beaches throughout the studied periods, however, the urban beach was subject to an increase of human pressures (tourism and shoreline modifications) over the 10-years interval considered when compared with the rural beach. The univariate community descriptors (total density, species richness and diversity) did not differ significantly among periods for the rural beach. In contrast, temporal differences were found at the most urbanised beach, principally regarding the abundances of the amphipod Talitrus saltator and the isopod Tylos europaeus, two of the most abundant species at both beaches. PERMANOVA tests enhanced these temporal variations and the SIMPER analysis attributed to these species the main differences found between periods in this beach. Since the physical environment was similar in both periods, the ecological changes were most likely attributed to the increased human pressures observed at the urban beach. Nevertheless, this study highlights the need of further robust and effective impact assessments and long-term studies to better discern between natural and human induced changes on sandy beaches. This research was supported by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) through a PhD Grant awarded to Ana Filipa Bessa (SFRH/BD/64929/2009), and by the project PEst-C/MAR/UI0284/2011, funded by FCT.

This paper presents a first assessment of the global effects of climate-induced sea-level rise on the erosion of sandy beaches, and its consequent impacts in the form of land loss and forced migration of people. We consider direct erosion on open sandy coasts and indirect erosion near selected tidal inlets and estuaries, using six global mean sea-level scenarios (in the range of 0.2-0.8m) and six SRES socio-economic development scenarios for the 21st century. Impacts are assessed both without and with adaptation in the form of shore and beach nourishment, based on cost-benefit analysis that includes the benefits of maintaining sandy beaches for tourism. Without nourishment, global land loss would amount to about 6000-17,000km2 during the 21st century, leading to 1.6-5.3million people being forced to migrate and migration costs of US$ 300-1000billion (not discounted). Optimal beach and shore nourishment would cost about US$ 65-220billion (not discounted) during the 21st century and would reduce land loss by 8-14%, forced migration by 56-68% and the cost of forced migration by 77-84% (not discounted). The global share of erodible coast that is nourished increases from about 4% in 2000 to 18-33% in 2100, with beach nourishment being 3-4 times more frequent than shore nourishment, reflecting the importance of tourism benefits. In absolute terms, with or without nourishment, large countries with long shorelines appear to have the largest costs, but in relative terms, small island states appear most impacted by erosion. Considerable uncertainty remains due to the limited availability of basic coastal geomorphological data and models on a global scale. Future work should also further explore the effects of beach tourism, including considering sub-national distributions of beach tourists.

Durante los años 2010 y 2011, estudiamos los efectos del levantamiento costero producto del terremoto del 27F sobre el paisaje físico y la macrofauna de playas arenosas, ubicadas frente a defensas costeras artificiales en la península de Arauco y alrededores. El ancho promedio de las playas durante el periodo posterior al 27F fue hasta 12,5 veces mayor que los anchos observados antes del terremoto y la pendiente de las playas levantadas disminuyó. En playas que tenían defensas costeras ubicadas cerca del nivel de marea alta, el espacio restaurado en los niveles superiores y medios del intermareal (previamente ocupados por murallas y revestimientos rocosos), fue rápidamente colonizado por crustáceos que habitan niveles intermareales similares en playas sin defensas costeras artificiales. Estudios llevados a cabo luego de la ocurrencia de grandes perturbaciones, son relevantes para aumentar el conocimiento sobre las interacciones entre fenómenos naturales de gran escala y la infraestructura costera artificial. During 2010 and 2011, we studied the effects of the continental uplift that resulted from the earthquake of 27F on the physical landscape and the macrofauna of sandy beaches located in front of coastal armoring along Península de Arauco and nearby areas. The mean width of uplifted beaches during the period following 27F was up to 12,5 times higher than beach widths observed before the earthquake and the beach face slope of uplifted beaches decreased. At those beaches that had coastal armoring located closer to high tides before the earthquake, the restored upper and mid shore beach levels (previously occupied by seawalls and rocky revetments) were rapidly colonized by crustacean species, which typically inhabit at similar intertidal levels of unarmored beaches of Chile. Field samplings carried out promptly after large scale disturbances have occurred, are relevant to increase knowledge on the interaction between that natural phenomenon's and coastal artificial infrastructure.

WOS:000257093900015; International audience; Sandhoppers orient towards the shoreline using a sun compass when they are subject to dry conditions. In this study we analysed the orientation of populations from two sandy beaches with wide tidal excursions (Brittany, France): at Damgan (sea to the South) and at Le Verger (sea to the North). At Le Verger beach Talitrus saltator was found together with Deshayesorchestia deshayesii (former Talorchestia deshayesii). The results of the experiments on sun and landscape orientation showed that the Damgan T. saltator oriented better with ebbing tides than with rising tides, while the Le Verger T. saltator showed the opposite trend as a response to tides. This is probably related to the differing risk of being swept away by tides at the two localities. D. deshayesii was found to be more scattered in orientation than T. saltator, probably because it is a recent colonizer of that beach.

Sandy beaches line most of the world’s oceans and are highly valued by society: more people use sandy beaches than any other type of shore. While the economic and social values of beaches are generally regarded as paramount, sandy shores also have special ecological features and contain a distinctive biodiversity that is generally not recognized. These unique ecosystems are facing escalating anthropogenic pressures, chiefly from rapacious coastal development, direct human uses — mainly associated with recreation — and rising sea levels. Beaches are increasingly becoming trapped in a ‘coastal squeeze’ between burgeoning human populations from the land and the effects of global climate change from the sea. Society’s interventions (e.g. shoreline armouring, beach nourishment) to combat changes in beach environments, such as erosion and shoreline retreat, can result in severe ecological impacts and loss of biodiversity at local scales, but are predicted also to have cumulative large-scale consequences worldwide. Because of the scale of this problem, the continued existence of beaches as functional ecosystems is likely to depend on direct conservation efforts. Conservation, in turn, will have to increasingly draw on a consolidated body of ecological theory for these ecosystems. Although this body of theory has yet to be fully developed, we identify here a number of critical research directions that are required to progress coastal management and conservation of sandy beach ecosystems.

In the current study, the macroinfauna communities inhabiting 12 sandy beaches along the Spanish coast of the Gulf of Cadiz were describe in order to characterize their unexplored biodiversity, their zonation patterns and their environmental features. A total of 66 macroinfauna taxa were recorded on 12 sandy beaches, ranging from 4 to 33 species. Density reached 848 individual per m2. The individual zonation pattern ranged from two to three zones, regardless of the morphodynamic state. A common zonation pattern of the whole set of beaches was established, comprising three across-shore biological zones. Generally, the supralittoral zone was typified by the air-breathing amphipod Talitrus saltator and coleopterans; the middle zone was dominated by true intertidal species, such as Haustoriidae amphipods (Haustorius arenarius), Cirolanidae isopods (Eurydice affinis), Spionidae polychaetes (Scolelepis spp.) and nemerteans; and the lower or sublittoral zone was typified by Pontoporeiidae amphipods, mysids and spionid polychaetes. Sediment moisture, average grain size, organic matter content and elevation were the main predictor variables of zonation patterns. We used the conservation and recreation potential indices to show how this information can be useful for coastal management. Most beaches studied show a score above 5 on the conservation index, so the beaches have a reasonable potential for conservation management. En el presente estudio, se describen las comunidades de macroinfauna de doce playas arenosas de la costa española del Golfo de Cádiz con el objetivo de caracterizar su biodiversidad, sus patrones de zonación, y sus características ambientales. Un total de 66 taxones de macroinfauna fueron registrados en las playas de estudio, oscilando entre 4 y 33 especies, mientras que la densidad total fue de 848 individuos por m2. El patrón de zonación individual varió de dos a tres zonas, independientemente del estado morfodinámico de la playa. Se estableció un patrón de zonación común de todo el conjunto de playas, formado por tres zonas biológicas. En general, la zona supralitoral fue tipificada por el anfípodo Talitrus saltator y diversas familias de coleópteros. La zona media fue dominada por verdaderas especies intermareales, como anfípodos de la famila Haustoriidae (Haustorius arenarius), isópodos cirolánidos (Eurydice affinis), poliquetos (Scolelepis spp.) y nemertinos. La zona sublitoral se caracterizó por anfípodos de la familia Pontoporeiidae, misidáceos y poliquetos espiónidos. La humedad del sedimento, el tamaño medio de grano, el contenido en materia orgánica y la elevación fueron las principales variables influyentes en los patrones de zonación. Por último, toda esta información fue integrada para la aplicación de los índices de Conservación y Recreación, para mostrar cómo esta información puede ser útil para la gestión costera. La mayoría de las playas mostraron una puntuación superior a 5 en el Índice de Conservación, indicando un razonable potencial para la conservación. Gobierno de Andalucía P09- HUM-4717 Ministerio de Educación AP-2009-3906

Demographic and life-history attributes of the yellow clam, Mesodesma mactroides, were analyzed along exposed sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast of South America, from Brazil (32ºS) to Argentina (41ºS), covering most of its geographical range (24?41ºS). Population features varied markedly within this range and exhibited systematic geographical patterns of variation. Abundance and growth/mortality rates significantly decreased from northern (Brazil and Uruguay) to southern (Argentina) populations. Snapshot information at the edge of its northern geographical range suggests a large-scale unimodal distribution pattern. Northern populations also had an extended or quasi-continuous recruitment season, whereas Argentinean populations had seasonal recruitment that became negligible at the southernmost edge of the range (41ºS). Maximum individual sizes increased nonlinearly with latitude. This result, when considered together with density patterns, provided the second large-scale evidence of scaling of population density to body size in a sandy-beach population. Lifespan increased with latitude, ranging between 3 and 7 years. Length frequency distribution analysis revealed marked intra-annual growth patterns for two populations located 7 grades latitude apart. Variations in water temperature explained large-scale differences in the demography and population dynamics of the yellow clam, and the high plasticity over latitudinal gradients leads to an adjustment of the phenotype environment relationship. Long-term studies in Uruguayan beaches suggest that wide population fluctuations are the result of intertwined forces of environmental, density-dependent, and human-induced factors operating together at different spatiotemporal scales. As this species with planktonic larvae is structured as a metapopulation, future studies should incorporate a number of hierarchical scales to better understand macroscale variations in demographic patterns and life-history traits Fil: Fiori, Sandra Marcela. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina Fil: Defeo, Omar. Instituto Politécnico Nacional Unidad Merida; México. UNDECIMAR Facultad de Ciencias Igua; Uruguay

International audience; The potential effects of the mineralogical composition of sediment on the degradation of oil buried on sandy beaches were investigated. Toward that purpose, a laboratory experiment was carried out with sandy sediment collected along NW Iberian Peninsula beaches, tar-balls from the Prestige oil spill (NW Spain) and seawater. The results indicate that the mineralogical composition is important for the physical appearance of the oil (tar-balls or oil coatings). This finding prompted a reassessment of the current sequence of degradation for buried oil based on compositional factors. Moreover, the halo development of the oil coatings might be enhanced by the carbonate concentration of the sand. These findings open new prospects for future monitoring and management programs for oiled sandy beaches.

This study was performed in the intertidal zone of Barra Velha, Perequê, and Engenho d'Água beaches, located on São Sebastião Island (São Paulo State, Brazil), to assess the composition, abundance, and zonation of the polychaete community in the intertidal zone. Four structurally different sectors were established, two on Barra Velha (I and lI), one on Perequê, and one on Engenho d'Água. Each sector was divided into 3 tidal levels (lower, middle, and upper), in which 5 or 6 random samples were taken seasonally using a corer of 0.01 m2 in area. Laeonereis acuta, Capitella capitata, and Heteromastus filiformis dominated in the upper tidal levels, and Scoloplos (Leodamas) sp. and Cirriformia tentaculata in the lower levels. The structural complexity of Engenho d'Água, caused by rocky fTagments mixed with sand, supported the richest and most diverse polychaete fauna of ali the sectors. The salinity of the interstitial water and the organic matter content were the principal factors related to the zonation patterns at these sites.Este trabalho foi realizado na região entremarés das praias Barra Velha, Perequê e Engenho d'Água, situadas na Ilha de São Sebastião (Estado de São Paulo, Brasil), com o objetivo de estudar a composição, abundância e zonação da taxocenose dos poliquetas. Quatro setores estruturalmente diferentes foram delimitados, sendo dois na Barra Velha (I e II), um no Perequê e um no Engenho d'Água. Cada setor foi dividido em 3 níveis entremarés (inferior, intermediário e superior), nos quais 5-6 amostras aleatórias foram tomadas sazonalmente utilizando um delimitador com 0,01 m2 de área. Laeonereis acuta, Capitella capitata e Heteromastus filiformis ocorreram predominantemente nos níveis superiores e Scoloplos (Leodamas) sp. e Cirriformia tentaculata nos inferiores. A complexidade estrutural do Engenho d' Água, caracterizado por fragmentos rochosos misturados ao sedimento, sustentou a fauna de poliquetas mais rica e diversificada dentre os setores. A salinidade da água intersticial e o teor de matéria orgânica foram os principais parâmetros determinantes da zonação nestes locais.

The state of the art of the studies on the production of Brazilian sandy beach macrofauna was analyzed on the basis of the data available in the literature. For this purpose, the representativeness of the production dataset was examined by latitudinal distribution, degree of exposure and morphodynamic state of beaches, taxonomic groups, and methods employed. A descriptive analysis was, further, made to investigate the trends in production of the more representative taxonomic groups and species of sandy beach macrofauna. A total of 69 macrofauna annual production estimates were obtained for 38 populations from 25 studies carried out between 22º56'S and 32º20'S. Production estimates were restricted to populations on beaches located on the southern and southeastern Brazilian coast. Most of the populations in the dataset inhabit exposed dissipative sandy beaches and are mainly represented by mollusks and crustaceans, with a smaller number of polychaetes. The trends in production among taxonomic groups follow a similar pattern to that observed on beaches throughout the world, with high values for bivalves and decapods. The high turnover rate (P/B ratio) of the latter was due to the presence of several populations of the mole crab Emerita brasiliensis, which can attain high values of productivity, in the dataset. Most of the studies focus on the comparison of production and, especially, of P/B ratio according to life history traits in populations of the same species/taxonomic group. Despite the importance of life history-production studies, other approaches, such as the effect of man-induce disturbances on the macrofauna, should be undertaken in these threatened environments.O estado da arte dos estudos de produção da macrofauna de praias arenosas brasileiras foi analisado a partir de informações disponíveis na literatura. Para essa finalidade, a representatividade dos dados de produção foi examinada de acordo com a distribuição latitudinal, grau de exposição e estado morfodinâmico das praias, grupos taxonômicos e métodos empregados. Além disso, foi realizada uma análise descritiva para investigar tendências da produção dos grupos taxonômicos e das espécies mais representativas da macrofauna de praias arenosas. Um total de 69 estimativas de produção referentes a 38 populações da macrofauna foi obtido a partir de 35 estudos realizados entre 22º56'S e 32º20'S. Estimativas de produção foram restritas a populações de praias situadas no sul e sudeste da costa brasileira. A maior parte das populações estudadas habita praias arenosas expostas dissipativas e é representada principalmente por moluscos e crustáceos, com um número menor de poliquetas. As tendências da produção entre os grupos taxonômicos seguiram um padrão similar ao observado em praias ao longo do mundo, com altos valores para bivalves e decápodes. A alta taxa de renovação (razão P/B) dos decápodes foi devido à presença de diversas estimativas para populações do caranguejo Emerita brasiliensis, as quais alcançam altos valores de produtividade. A maior parte dos estudos aborda a comparação da produção e, especialmente, da razão P/B, de acordo com características da história de vida de populações da mesma espécie e/ou com grupo taxonômico. Apesar da importância de estudos com esse enfoque, outras abordagens, tais como o efeito de distúrbios induzidos pelo homem sobre a macrofauna, deveriam ser empregadas nesses ambientes ameaçados.

Fish assemblages are an important element of sandy beaches, as they are fundamental for these ecosystems' balance of energy. Descriptions of the structure of fish assemblages in the sandy beaches of northeastern Brazil are scarce; this is especially true for the state of Rio Grande do Norte, which northern coast is poorly studied. This study aimed to identify the fish fauna of São Cristóvão Beach and to determine their assemblage structure. Three trawlings, considered as replicates, were undertaken monthly, in the same day, during 10 minutes each time, parallel to the coastal line, and in the direction of current, from February 2010 to January 2011. To describe the general pattern of the fish assemblage, the abundance, frequency and trophic categories of each species were estimated. On São Cristóvão Beach, 8894 individuals were captured, belonging to 58 species, 48 genera and 28 families. The most abundant and frequent species were Pomadasys corvinaeformis (Steindachner, 1868), Cathorops spixii (Agassiz, 1829), Stellifer rastrifer (Jordan, 1889), Pellona harroweri (Fowler, 1917), Stellifer stellifer (Bloch, 1790), Chirocentrodon bleekerianus (Poey, 1867), Larimus breviceps Cuvier, 1830, Menticirrhus americanus (Linnaeus, 1758)and Conodon nobilis (Linnaeus, 1758). The most abundant trophic category was first order carnivores. The ichthyofauna of São Cristóvão Beach is diversified and the most representative families match those observed in sandy beach ecosystems from other Brazilian regions. The results presented here reflect the basic knowledge necessary to conduct further research in the region.

21 páginas, 8 figuras, 1 tabla., Psammogammarus wallacei sp. n. is described from the shallow marine interstitial of a sand and coral rubble beach on the Gura Ici islands (North Moluccas; Indonesia). This is the first record of this circum-tropical genus from SE Asia, with the geographically closest relative inhabiting the Ryukyu archipelago in Japan. The new species is highly distinctive by the display of sexual dimorphism on pleopod II, with the medial margin of the male proximal article of exopod provided with a comb of short, blunt curved spinules; no other representative of the genus is known to display sexually-dimorphic appendages aside of the gnathopods. The new species is also noteworthy by the outline of the palm margin of male gnathopod II, hardly excavated, and by showing a carpus broader than long. An overview of the genus Psammogammarus with 14 species to date is provided., Proyecto CGL2009-08256 del Ministerio de España de Ciencia e Innovación, financiado parcialmente por el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional.

Information on the three previously described species of Halocoryza Alluaud is updated and a new species for the genus from Isla Carmen, Sea of Cortés, Baja California Sur, México is described. Halocoryza whiteheadiana sp. n. was found at UV light on a beach of that island. This species does not fit the profile of the other three species, i.e., living on coralline beach sands, or in the Mangrove intertidal zone. Two alternative possibilities as to why this is so are suggested and a study plan for testing these possibilities is proposed.

7 páginas, 5 figuras, 1 tabla., Understanding the relationships between beach morphodynamics and macrofauna assemblages has been critical in theoretical evolution of sandybeach ecology. However, macroscale studies that consider the concurrent effects of large-scaleestuarine and morphodynamicgradients have been exceptional. The present study evaluates the combined effects of large-scale (>400 km) salinity and morphodynamics on the distribution of Excirolanaarmata. Along a salinity gradient (from 0.10 to 34.30) generated by the Río de la Plata estuary (SW Atlantic Ocean), sixteen Uruguayan sandybeaches were analyzed over a two-year period. A conditional two-step procedure using a General Additive Model (2-step GAM) was performed in order to model occurrence (1st-step) and abundance (2nd-step) of E. armata, in relation to salinity, grain size, sand moisture, compaction and organic matter of the sand, slope, beach and swash width, and water and sediment temperature. The 1st-step GAM retained 6 physical descriptors in the model (decreasing order): mean grain size, organic matter, salinity, beach width, sand moisture and water temperature. The 2nd-step GAM showed that mean grain size, salinity, sand moisture, beach width, sand compaction and organic matter were the most important explanatory variables (in decreasing order) of abundance. Mean grain size was the main predictor in both models, suggesting an important substrate specificity of E. armata towards smallest grain sizes. A meta-analysis concerning large-scale variation in abundance of E. armata in sandybeaches of the Rio Grande ecoregion (28°S–35°S) of the Warm-Temperate Southwestern Atlantic Province gave compelling evidence of this high-substrate specificity of the E. armata. Salinity was also a key factor shaping patterns in occurrence and abundance, which increased from low to intermediate/high salinities (>20), reinforcing the notion of E. armata as a marine species with relatively high tolerance to estuarine conditions. The potential role that internal brooding gives for protection of offspring to osmotic stress is discussed., JPL thanks AECID for the financial support (Mutis PhD Grant) and especially Cate for continuous encouragement. Financial support from CONICYT (project n° 1018 and 4034), PDT (project S/C/OP/07/49) and DINARA (UTF/URU/025/URU) is acknowledged.

WOS:000272957600008; International audience; The aim of the present study was to test sun orientation and rhythmic activity of two sandhopper populations from two Atlantic macro-tidal beaches. A population from Le Verger beach (orientated to 346 degrees, Ille et Vilaine, Brittany, France) and a population from Damgan (orientated to 195 degrees, Morbihan, Brittany, France), were tested on the beach under clear sky discriminating for landscape vision. For both populations locomotor activity rhythm was recorded in the laboratory. The two beaches differed for climatic features, tidal range and for human use. Both talitrid populations resulted very well orientated toward the shoreline, and both used solar position and landscape vision to orient. However the multiple regression analysis of orientation with climatic features showed a different use of local cues by the two populations and a slight influence of tidal regime (ebbing and rising tide), in spite of the supralittoral zonation of sandhoppers. In the laboratory they showed a well defined rhythmic behaviour as well as a bimodal rhythmicity, explained as a tidal one. These results are a new brick in the complex picture of orientation and rhythm studies on sandy beach invertebrates. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temporal variations of the macrofauna of sandy beaches have been related to variations in the beach morphodynamics and also to the population dynamics of dominant species. The aim of this article is to describe the temporal variation of the intertidal macrofauna at two sites with distinct environmental condition on Cassino Beach, extreme southern Brazil. At each site three transect lines 50 m apart were defined perpendicular to the shore line, from which samples were collected monthly in triplicate at 4 intertidal levels (10 m apart) from June 2004 to May 2005. During winter a generally low density was observed, due to the absence of recruitments and to the mud deposition, which occurred just before sampling (in April 2004), and to low intensity stranding events. Spring witnessed a population explosion of Scolelepis gaucha, a migration of Mesodesma mactroides adults from the subtidal zone, and a strong stranding event. In the summer, recruitment of M. mactroides,Donax hanleyanus and Emerita brasiliensis was observed. Fall was characterized by low densities, except for D. hanleyanus recruitment. The macrofauna at both sites showed a striking seasonal variation in density and diversity, perhaps attributable to the recruitment of numerically dominant species and physical disturbances (stranding and mud deposition). Variações sazonais da macrofauna bentônica de praias arenosas têm sido relacionadas com variações da morfodinâmica da praia e também aos recrutamentos das espécies dominantes. Este trabalho objetiva avaliar a variabilidade temporal da macrofauna da zona entremarés de dois locais com distintas características ambientais na praia do Cassino, extremo sul do Brasil. Em cada local foram demarcadas três transversais (separadas por 50m) perpendiculares à linha de água, nas quais amostras foram coletadas em triplicata em 4 níveis entremarés (separados por 10 m), entre junho/2004 e maio/2005. Durante o inverno ocorreram baixas densidades da macrofauna, que foram relacionadas à ausência de recrutamentos, à deposição de lama no mês de abril e à embancamentos de baixa intensidade. Na primavera foi registrada a explosão populacional de Scolelepis gaucha, migração de adultos de Mesodesma mactroides do infralitoral e um evento de embancamento. Durante o verão destacaram-se os recrutamentos dos migradores mareais M. mactroides, Donax hanleyanus e Emerita brasiliensis. O outono foi caracterizado por baixas densidades, exceto pelo recrutamento de D.hanleyanus. A macrofauna bentônica nos dois locais mostrou variações sazonais na densidade e diversidade, que podem ser atribuídas ao recrutamento das espécies dominantes e a ocorrência de perturbações físicas (embancamento e depósito de lama).

Sandy beaches constitute a key ecosystem and provide socioeconomic goods and services, thereby playing an important role in the maintenance of human populations and in biodiversity conservation. Despite the ecological and social importance of these ecosytems, Brazilian sandy beaches are significantly impacted by human interference, chemical and organic pollution and tourism, as well as global climate change. These factors drive the need to better understand the environmental change and its consequences for biota. To promote the implementation of integrated studies to detect the effects of regional and global environmental change on beaches and on other benthic habitats of the Brazilian coast, Brazilian marine researchers have established The Coastal Benthic Habitats Monitoring Network (ReBentos). In order to provide input for sample planning by ReBentos, we have conducted an intensive review of the studies conducted on Brazilian beaches and summarized the current knowledge about this environment. In this paper, we present the results of this review and describe the physical, biological and socioeconomics features of Brazilian beaches. We have used these results, our personal experience and worldwide literature to identify research projects that should be prioritized in the assessment of regional and global change on Brazilian sandy beaches. We trust that this paper will provide insights for future studies and represent a significant step towards the conservation of Brazilian beaches and their biodiversity. RESUMO As praias brasileiras fornecem bens e serviços ecossistêmicos fundamentais, desempenhando papel importante para a manutenção de populações humanas e para a conservação da biodiversidade. Entretanto, apesar da sua importância ecológica e social, essas praias são amplamente impactadas por alterações humanas, turismo, poluição química e orgânica e mudanças climáticas globais. Esses fatores tornam urgente a melhor percepção e compreensão das mudanças ambientais nas praias brasileiras, assim como de suas consequências na biota. Com o objetivo de promover estudos integrados que possam detectar variações nas características das praias e de outros habitats bentônicos do litoral do Brasil, foi estabelecida a Rede de Monitoramento de Habitats Bentônicos Costeiros (ReBentos). Para fornecer subsídios para o planejamento amostral da ReBentos, realizamos um intenso levantamento sobre os estudos conduzidos nas praias brasileiras e sintetizamos o atual conhecimento relativo a esse ambiente. Os resultados do levantamento são apresentados no presente trabalho e demonstram as principais características físicas, biológicas e socioeconômicas dessas praias. A partir das informações, assim como de nossa experiência e de pesquisas realizadas em diversos países, apontamos estudos e medidas que devem ser considerados prioritários para a avaliação dos efeitos das mudanças regionais e globais sobre as praias brasileiras. Esperamos que esse trabalho possa fornecer subsídios para futuros estudos e que constitua um importante passo em direção à conservação das praias do Brasil e de sua biodiversidade.

In Brazil, meiofauna studies began in the middle of last century, but they adopted a purely taxonomical approach, describing species from various zoological groups. After this first step, this benthic group was largely neglected until the end of the 20th century when ecological studies began. We here provide a brief review of present knowledge of the meiofauna found on Brazilian sandy beaches to provide information for ReBentos (Coastal Benthic Habitats Monitoring Network). Our methodology consisted of a bibliographic survey undertaken using different datasets (Web of ScienceTM, SCOPUS, Google Scholar and Lattes Plataform). For the survey, we considered only those studies published till early 2015. Our analysis showed that the number of meiofauna studies has increased over the last two decades, though they are mainly still concentrated on the Southeast of Brazil. These studies aim to explain the distribution pattern of the meiofauna of the intertidal region of sandy beaches. Based on the results, we presented a discussion of three main topics, i.e., (a) current knowledge of Brazilian sandy beach meiofauna, (b) sampling strategies for monitoring of the meiofauna, and (c) use of the meiofauna as a tool to assess climate change. We trust that this brief review will be useful as a starting point for the delineation of further climate change investigations into sandy beach meiofauna. Resumo No Brasil, os estudos da meiofauna iniciaram em meados do século passado, com enfoque puramente taxonômico e voltado para a descrição de espécies de diferentes grupos zoológicos. Após essa fase inicial, a biota foi de certa forma esquecida até o final do século XX, quando os estudos ecológicos foram iniciados. Neste trabalho apresentamos uma breve revisão do conhecimento sobre a meiofauna de praias arenosas brasileiras, com o objetivo de fornecer subsídios para a ReBentos (Rede de Monitoramento dos Habitats Bentônicos Costeiros). Para isto, nossa metodologia envolveu um levantamento bibliográfico realizado a partir de diferentes bases bibliográficas (Web of Science(r), SCOPUS, Google Scholar e Plataforma Lattes), considerando artigos publicados até o início de 2015. As análises mostraram que o número de estudos da comunidade da meiofauna se intensificou nas últimas duas décadas, concentrando-se, principalmente, na região Sudeste do Brasil. Esses estudos visaram explicar os padrões de distribuição dos organismos na região intermareal. Com base nisso, apresentamos uma discussão desses resultados em relação a três principais temas: (a) conhecimento atual da meiofauna nas praias arenosas brasileiras, (b) estratégias amostrais para o monitoramento/estudo da meiofauna e (c) as perspectivas do uso da meiofauna na avaliação das mudanças climáticas. Espera-se que esta breve revisão possa ser usada como um estágio inicial para o delineamento de estudos que abordem o impacto das mudanças climáticas sobre a meiofauna de praias arenosas.

Birds were censused weekly from January 1999 to January 2001 along Ilha Comprida beach, a barrier island off São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. To evaluate the similarity in the bird's species composition among the weekly surveys, species counts data were arranged on a data matrix with 144 weekly surveys, analyzed following a multivariate analysis protocol. We counted a total of 205,399 individuals and 52 species. Migratory birds were an important component of the avifauna (maximum N = 21,294 individuals and 14 species). The largest numbers of birds were observed during summer, when Nearctic migrants arrive. All 14 of the most common species were migrants, including Calidris alba, Sterna maxima, Charadrius semipalmatus, Sterna hirundo, Thalasseus maximus, Pluvialis dominica and Calidris fuscicollis. The most common residents were Thalasseus s. eurrygnathus, Larus dominicanus, Coragyps atratus, Fregata magnificens and Sterna hirundinacea. Recently, most of the peripheral area adjacent to the beach has been urbanized and rapid habitat change is progressing. In this paper, we establish a reference that will allow future comparisons to assess the impact of such urbanization on the composition of bird populations on Ilha Comprida. As aves foram contadas semanalmente de janeiro 1999 a janeiro 2001 ao longo da praia de Ilha Comprida, sendo esta, uma ilha de barreira localizada ao sul do estado de São Paulo. Para se avaliar a similaridade da composição das aves, os dados das espécies foram arranjados numa matrix com 144 amostras semanais, estudados seguindo um protocolo de análise multivariada. Contou-se um total de 205.399 indivíduos de 52 espécies diferentes. As aves migratórias foram um componente importante da avifauna na ilha (máximo N = 21.294 indivíduos e 14 espécies). O maior número de aves foram observadas durante o verão, quando as migrantes nearticas chegaram. Dentre as 14 espécie migrantes identificadas as mais comuns foram: Calidris alba, Thalasseus maximus, Charadrius semipalmatus, Sterna hirundo, Pluvialis dominica and Calidris fuscicollis. Já as espécies residentes mais comuns foram: Thalasseus s. eurrygnathus, Larus dominicanus, Coragyps atratus, Fregata magnificens and Sterna hirundinacea Recentemente, a maior parte das áreas periféricas junto à praia estão sendo urbanizadas provocando mudanças rápidas do habitat. Neste trabalho, nós pretendemos estabelecer uma referência que permita futuras comparações, para se poder avaliar o impacto da urbanização na composição das populações das aves que são encontradas na praia da Comprida.

The present study analysed the megabenthic diversity in subtidal soft bottoms and assessed the main environmental drivers of megabenthic community organisation along the Algarve coast (southern Portugal). We tested the hypothesis that megabenthic communities respond to the same environmental drivers than macrofauna. We found that similar to macrofauna, megafaunal communities were organised in relation to the depth of closure, light reaching the bottom, and the hydrodynamic conditions related with exposure within the shallower areas. The influence of the main river outflow prevailed over other drivers, but only up to 9 m depth. We found that seven different spatial units should be considered, each characterised by different indicator species. Additionally, among a total of 412 taxa collected between 4 and 50 m depth, we provide the characteristics of the 64 commonest species in terms of occurrence, frequency, distribution, abundance, bathymetric and sedimentary preferences, which constitutes most valuable information for ecosystem modelling. Megabenthic alpha diversity decreased with depth, contrary to evenness and was higher in the proximity of the river Guadiana and in highly exposed shores. We conclude that the megafauna, which is significantly quicker to collect and analyse, can provide an accurate alternative to macrofauna sampling, as their communities are shaped by the same drivers. IPMA, within the EU project SAFI [FP7-SPACE-2013-1, 607155] Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT - Portugal) [SFRH/BPD/26348/2006] info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion