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Novel tests of semantic memory (SM)—for example, memory for news events (NE; news facts) or famous personalities—are useful for estimating the severity of retrograde amnesia. Individuals with mild cognitive impairment exhibit relatively intact SM/language on traditional neuropsychological tests but exhibit consistent impairment on novel tests of SM, suggesting novel SM tests are dissimilar from traditional SM tests. To identify the relationship between NE memory and traditional cognitive measures, older adults (N = 51) completed a traditional neuropsychological battery and the Retrograde Memory News Events Test (RM-NET; a new test that robustly measures NE memory across the adult life span with high temporal resolution), and the relationship between performance on these tests was examined. Total RM-NET scores were more closely aligned with episodic memory scores than SM scores. The strength of the association between NE scores and episodic memory scores decreased as the age of NE memory increased. Tests of news events appear to reflect performance on traditional tests of episodic memory rather than SM, especially when recent news events are tested.

The central hypothesis of the genotype–phenotype relationship is that the phenotype of a developing organism (i.e., its set of observable attributes) depends on its genome and the environment. However, as we learn more about the genetics and biochemistry of living systems, our understanding does not fully extend to the complex multiscale nature of how cells move, interact, and organize; this gap in understanding is referred to as the genotype-to-phenotype problem. The physics of soft matter sets the background on which living organisms evolved, and the cell environment is a strong determinant of cell phenotype. This inevitably leads to challenges as the full function of many genes, and the diversity of cellular behaviors cannot be assessed without wide screens of environmental conditions. Cellular mechanobiology is an emerging field that provides methodologies to understand how cells integrate chemical and physical environmental stress and signals, and how they are transduced to control cell function. Biofilm forming bacteria represent an attractive model because they are fast growing, genetically malleable and can display sophisticated self-organizing developmental behaviors similar to those found in higher organisms. Here, we propose mechanobiology as a new area of study in prokaryotic systems and describe its potential for unveiling new links between an organism's genome and phenome.

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The genotype-to-phenotype problem (G2P) for multicellular development asks how genetic inputs control collective phenotypic outputs. It is a difficult problem even to observe. On the genotype side, the phenotypic impact of mutation is often subtle due at least partly to gene redundancy and myriad other factors. On the phenotype side, biological and even technical developmental replicates can display significant phenotypic variation due at least in part to stochasticity, again with other factors. We attempt to partially resolve the G2P inputs and outputs from the obfuscating effects of factors like redundancy and stochasticity. As a model organism, we selected the biofilm-forming speciesMyxococcus xanthus, a motile self-organizing bacterium that forms three-dimensional cell aggregates that grow and mature into spore-filled fruiting bodies when under starvation stress. We developed data acquisition tools and analysis and visualization methods that can produce a topological map ofM. xanthusdevelopment. We demonstrate that even subtle effects on developmental dynamics caused by mutation can be identified, discriminated, characterized, and given statistical significance.

Estuaries along the Amazonian coast are subjected to both a macrotidal regime and seasonally high fluvial discharge, both of which generate complex circulation. Furthermore, the Amazon River Plume (ARP) influences coastal circulation and suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs). The Gurupi estuary, located south of the mouth of the Amazon River, is relatively unstudied. This study evaluates how the Gurupi estuary dynamics respond to seasonal discharge and the varying influence of the ARP using cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys of morphology, hydrodynamics, and sediment transport. The Gurupi was classified as a tide-dominated estuary based on morphology and mean hydrodynamic conditions. However, the estuary was only partially mixed during both the wet and dry seasons. The tides propagated asymmetrically and hypersynchronously, with flood dominance during the dry season and ebb dominance during the rainy season. Seasonal variations of the ARP did not significantly affect the hydrodynamic structure of the lower Gurupi estuary. Estuarine turbidity maxima (ETM) were observed in both seasons, although the increase in fluvial discharge during the wet season attenuated and shifted the ETM seaward. Little sediment was delivered to the estuary by the river, and the SSCs were higher at the mouth in both seasons. Sediment was strongly imported during the dry season by tidal asymmetry. The morphology, hydrodynamics, and sediment dynamics all highlight the importance of considering both fluvial discharge and coastal influences on estuaries along the Amazon coast.

Robustness to the impact of mutation can mitigate phenotypes that have the potential to inform gene function. This robustness is often encoded into the genome through gene duplication, among other mechanisms. Duplication is a source of structurally similar genes that can retain some functional overlap as they diverge, and as such contribute to functional redundancy in the face of mutation. While redundancies have been explored in groups of two or three paralogs by generating double and triple mutants, it is unclear to what extent larger homologous gene families contribute to robustness through functional redundancy. Here, we used phenotypic similarity as an indicator of functional redundancy to explore the extent to which homologous gene families contribute to redundancy in function. We hypothesize that, since functional redundancy is more likely to occur within gene families where genes are structurally similar, mutant strains within the same gene families would be more phenotypically similar. We generated 265 single-gene disruptions in four homologous gene families of Myxococcus xanthus, used time-lapse microscopy to generate time series of multicellular development, and developed an image analysis pipeline to compare phenotypic characteristics among different strains. We show that mutant strains cluster by gene family in the phenotypic feature space with principal component analysis, demonstrating that families of homologs can contain extensive functional redundancy networks.

The ability of bacteria to colonize and grow on different surfaces is an essential process for biofilm development. Here, we report the use of synthetic hydrogels with tunable stiffness and porosity to assess physical effects of the substrate on biofilm development. Using time-lapse microscopy to track the growth of expanding Serratia marcescens colonies, we find that biofilm colony growth can increase with increasing substrate stiffness, unlike what is found on traditional agar substrates. Using traction force microscopy-based techniques, we find that biofilms exert transient stresses correlated over length scales much larger than a single bacterium, and that the magnitude of these forces also increases with increasing substrate stiffness. Our results are consistent with a model of biofilm development in which the interplay between osmotic pressure arising from the biofilm and the poroelastic response of the underlying substrate controls biofilm growth and morphology.

The present work describes a methodology to compute equivalent volumes representing the microstructure of 3D-printed continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, based on a statistical characterization of the fiber distribution. In contrast to recent work, the methodology herein presented determines the statistically equivalent fiber distribution directly from cross-section micrographs, instead of generating random fiber arrangements. For this purpose, several regions, with different sizes and from different locations, are cropped from main cross-section micrographs and different spatial descriptor functions are adopted to characterize the microstructures in terms of agglomeration and periodicity of the fibers. Detailed information about the adopted spatial descriptors and the algorithm implemented to identify the fiber distribution, as well as to define the location of cropped regions, are given. From the obtained statistical characterization results, the minimum size of the equivalent volume required to be representative of the fiber distribution, which is found in the cross-section micrographs of 3D-printed composite materials, is presented. To support the findings, as well as to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, the homogenized properties are also computed using representative equivalent volumes obtained in the statistical characterization and the results are compared to those experimentally measured, which are available in the literature.

This study investigates the viability of implementing multifunctional structural power composites in a four-seater air taxi, the CityAirbus. For a given specific energy of the power source, the cruise endurance can be approximately doubled by using structural power composites as opposed to conventional batteries. Replacing all the eligible composite mass and batteries with structural power composites can reduce the CityAirbus weight by 25%. To achieve the current design performance, the minimum required elastic modulus, strength, specific energy and power for the structural power composite are 54 GPa, 203 MPa, 74 Wh/kg and 376 W/kg, respectively: current state-of-the-art structural power composites are now approaching this level of performance. Hence, structural power composites are considered feasible for adoption in the urban air mobility sector and have the potential to improve endurance and facilitate commercialization. This paper also discusses several key challenges that must be addressed to realize the adoption of structural power composites in future electric air taxis.

Lateral fluxes (i.e., outwelling) of dissolved organic (DOC) and inorganic (DIC) carbon and total alkalinity were estimated using radium isotopes at the groundwater, mangrove creek, and continental shelf scales in the Amazon region. Observations of salinity and radium isotopes in the creek indicated tidally driven groundwater exchange as the main source of carbon. Radium‐derived transport rates indicate that mangrove carbon is exported out of the continental shelf on timescales of 22 ± 7 d. Bicarbonate was the main form (82% ± 11%) of total dissolved carbon in all samples, followed by DOC (13% ± 12%) and CO2 (5% ± 4%). DIC (18.7 ± 15.7 mmol m−2 d−1) exceeded DOC (3.0 ± 4.1 mmol m−2 d−1) outwelling at all spatial scales. The interpretation of outwelling across the mangrove‐ocean continuum is related to the spatial and temporal scales investigated. At all scales, outwelling represented a major coastal carbon pathway driving bicarbonate storage in the ocean.

The Great Amazon Reef (GARS) is an extensive mesophotic reef ecosystem between Brazil and the Caribbean. Despite being considered as one of the most important mesophotic reef ecosystems of the South Atlantic, recent criticism on the existence of a living reef in the Amazon River mouth was raised by some scientists and politicians. The region is coveted for large-scale projects for oil and gas exploration. Here, we add to the increasing knowledge about the GARS by exploring evolutionary aspects of the reef using primary and secondary information on radiocarbon dating from carbonate samples. The results obtained demonstrate that the reef is alive and growing, with living organisms inhabiting the GARS in its totality. Additional studies on net reef growth, habitat diversity, and associated biodiversity are urgently needed to help reconcile economic activities and biodiversity conservation.

The existence of a reef system composed by crustose coralline algae and scleractinian corals, under the influence of the world's largest freshwater plume, led us to investigate how much light is available for reef-building organisms at the bottom of the Amazon shelf. We analyzed ocean color data from MODIS Aqua to assess the plume dynamics and estimate the benthic light availability over the Amazon shelf. These methods may be applied to other river-dominated shelves. Four zones were detected regarding the bottom light regime. The seasonal changes of the dynamic forcing over the shelf reflect little in the light parameters over the Amazon shelf. Three zones presented constant light regimes along the year: dark coastal zone under the permanent influence of the plume; dim-light zone in the deeper northern shelf; and high-light zone in the shallower southern shelf. Only one zone presented a seasonally changing benthic light regime, and it was located under the seasonally variable edge of the plume over the northern mid-to-outer shelf. The minimum light level estimated in the deeper dim-light zone was ∼2 μE m−2 s−1 which is sufficient for reef-building organisms to thrive. The cause of the incipient living coverage and low vitality of crustose coralline algae, previously reported in the northern shelf, cannot be attributed to a lack of light, but might be related to sedimentation processes associated to the plume. Thus, the potential, in terms of light, for reef builders to develop along this and other river-influenced margins is much greater than previously anticipated.

Almost all models of visual working memory—the cognitive system that holds visual information in an active state—assume it has a fixed capacity: Some models propose a limit of three to four objects, where others propose there is a fixed pool of resources for each basic visual feature. Recent findings, however, suggest that memory performance is improved for real-world objects. What supports these increases in capacity? Here, we test whether the meaningfulness of a stimulus alone influences working memory capacity while controlling for visual complexity and directly assessing the active component of working memory using EEG. Participants remembered ambiguous stimuli that could either be perceived as a face or as meaningless shapes. Participants had higher performance and increased neural delay activity when the memory display consisted of more meaningful stimuli. Critically, by asking participants whether they perceived the stimuli as a face or not, we also show that these increases in visual working memory capacity and recruitment of additional neural resources are because of the subjective perception of the stimulus and thus cannot be driven by physical properties of the stimulus. Broadly, this suggests that the capacity for active storage in visual working memory is not fixed but that more meaningful stimuli recruit additional working memory resources, allowing them to be better remembered.

In tide-dominated estuaries, maximum-turbidity zones (MTZs) are common and prominent features, characterized by a peak in suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) associated with estuarine processes. The Brazilian Amazon coast includes many estuaries, experiencing macrotidal conditions. MTZs are expected to occur and are crucial for sediment delivery to the longest continuous mangrove belt of the world. The area is under influence of the Amazon River plume (ARP), the main SSC source, as local rivers do not deliver substantial sediment supply. To assess the processes that allow the ARP to supply sediment to the estuaries and mangrove belt along the Amazon coast, the results from previous individual studies within five Amazon estuaries (Mocajuba, Taperaçu, Caeté, Urumajó and Gurupi) were compared with regards to SSC, salinity, morphology and tidal propagation. This comparison reinforces that these estuaries are subject to similar regional climate and tidal variations, but that their dynamics differ in terms of distance from the Amazon River mouth, importance of the local river sediment source, and morphology of the estuarine setting. The Urumajó, Caeté and Gurupi are hypersynchronous estuaries where perennial, classic MTZs are observed with SSC &gt, 1 g·L−1. This type of estuary results in transport convergence and MTZ formation, which are suggested to be the main processes promoting mud accumulation in the Amazonian estuaries and therefore the main means of mud entrapment in the mangrove belt. The Mocajuba and the Taperaçu estuaries showed synchronous and hyposynchronous processes, respectively, and do not present classic MTZs. In these cases, the proximity to the ARP for the Mocajuba and highly connected tidal channels for the Taperaçu estuary, assure substantial mud supply into these estuaries. This study shows the strong dependence of the estuaries and mangrove belt on sediment supply from the ARP, helping to understand the fate of Amazon River sediments and providing insights into the mechanisms providing sediment to estuaries and mangroves around the world, especially under the influence of big rivers.

Sediment transfer from land to ocean begins in coastal settings and, for large rivers such as the Amazon, has dramatic impacts over thousands of kilometers covering diverse environmental conditions. In the relatively natural Amazon tidal river, combinations of fluvial and marine processes transition toward the ocean, affecting the transport and accumulation of sediment in floodplains and tributary mouths. The enormous discharge of Amazon fresh water causes estuarine processes to occur on the continental shelf, where much sediment accumulation creates a large clinoform structure and where additional sediment accumulates along its shoreward boundary in tidal flats and mangrove forests. Some remaining Amazon sediment is transported beyond the region near the river mouth, and fluvial forces on it diminish. Numerous perturbations to Amazon sediment transport and accumulation occur naturally, but human actions will likely dominate future change, and now is the time to document, understand, and mitigate their impacts.

This paper presents the first aquatic CO2 and CH4 flux estimates from a macro-tidal mangrove creek located in the 0–5° latitude band, where ∼30% of the world’s mangroves occur. High resolution dissolved CO2, CH4 and 222Rn (a natural pore-water tracer) concentrations were measured over a spring-neap tidal cycle from a mangrove tidal creek located in North Brazil (∼0.8°S). Surface water pCO2, CH4 and 222Rn ranged from 592 to 15,361 μatm, 58 to 1469 nM, and 585 to 16,583 dpm m−3 with considerable temporal variability observed semi diurnally (i.e. hourly) and over the spring-neap cycle (i.e. weekly). Tidally-driven pore-water exchange (tidal pumping) drove surface water pCO2 and CH4, leading to high concentrations at low-tide (semi-diurnal variability). Higher pCO2 and CH4 were also observed after the inundation of the upper inter-tidal flat, with peak values coinciding with the “first flush” of aged pore-waters. We hypothesise that additional pore-water exchanges occur during forest inundation in macro-tidal mangrove systems, controlling mangrove creek water pCO2 and CH4 over spring-neap cycles. Estimated CO2 and CH4 water-atmosphere fluxes were 174 ± 129 mmol m−2 d−1 and 855 ± 406 μmol m−2 d−1, respectively. These emissions are amongst the highest reported for mangrove systems worldwide and suggests that the most recent global estimates based mostly on data from higher latitudes may have underestimated the role of mangroves in greenhouse gas emissions.

We investigate tidal propagation and suspended-sediment dynamics in the Caete river estuary, Southeastern Amazonian Coastal Zone, addressing gaps in knowledge about sources and mechanisms of sediment entrapment in well mixed, tropical estuaries. Bathymetric and sedimentologic surveys were undertaken during high- and low-discharge periods, and longitudinal and cross-sectional hydrodynamic measurements were made for a range of tide and fluvial discharge conditions. Results show that, from geomorphologic and hydrodynamic perspectives, the lower Caete River is a typical tide-dominated estuary. There is a sediment-transport convergence in the middle estuary, forming an Estuarine Turbidity Maximum (ETM), and there are substantial displacements of the ETM on lunar and seasonal time scales. Superimposed variations of suspended-sediment concentrations (SSC) related to rainfall and local fluvial discharge (landward end), and the seasonal dynamics of the shelf (seaward end), result in complex suspended-sediment dynamics in the estuary. The source of mud to the estuary is likely the Amazon River plume and its shelf deposits. During the dry season and transitional periods, the estuary imports mud from the shelf and tidal processes accrete it on the mangrove flats. Our results indicate that sediment entrapped within the ETM can accumulate in adjacent mangrove forests, and that fluvial sediment might be of secondary relevance to development of coastal zone morphology on mangrove coasts.

Mangroves under macro-tidal regimes are global carbon sequestration hotspots but the microbial drivers of biogeochemical cycles remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the drivers of mangrove microbial community composition across a porewater-creek-estuary-ocean continuum. Observations were performed on the Amazon region in one of the largest mangrove systems worldwide with effective sequestration of organic carbon buried in soils and dissolved carbon via outwelling to the ocean. The potential export to the adjacent oceanic region ranged from 57 to 380 kg of dissolved and particulate organic carbon per second (up to 1368 tons C per hour). Macro tides modulated microbial communities and their metabolic processes, e.g., anoxygenic phototrophy, sulfur, and nitrogen cycling. Respiration, sulfur metabolism and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels were linked to functional groups and microbial cell counts. Total microbial counts decreased and cyanobacteria counts peaked in the spring tide. The microbial groups driving carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and methane cycles were consistent across all spatial scales. Taxonomic groups engaged in sulfur cycling (Allochromatium, Desulfovibrio, and Thibacillus) within mangroves were abundant at all scales. Tidally-driven porewater exchange within mangroves drove a progressive increase of sulfur cycle taxonomic groups and their functional genes both temporally (tidal cycles) and spatially (from mangrove porewater to continental shelf). Overall, we revealed a unified and consistent response of microbiomes at different spatial and temporal scales to tidally-driven mangrove porewater exchange.

In this paper, electrode laminae consisting of carbon fibres embedded in structural battery electrolyte (CF-SBE electrodes) are characterized with respect to their multifunctional (i.e. combined electrochemical and mechanical) performance utilizing experimental and numerical techniques. The studied material is made from commercially available polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibres and a porous SBE matrix/electrolyte, which is composed of two continuous phases: a solid polymer skeleton (vinyl ester-based) and a Li-salt containing liquid electrolyte. Experimental and numerical studies are performed on CF-SBE electrode half-cells, whereby a coupled electro-chemo-mechanical finite element model is exploited. Results show that, similar to traditional batteries, electrode thickness, transport properties of the electrolyte and applied current significantly affect electrochemical performance. For example, increasing the electrode thickness of the studied CF-SBE electrode from 50 μm to 200 μm results in a reduction in specific capacity of approximately 70/95% for an applied current of 30/120 mA g􀀀 1 of fibres, respectively. Further, Li-insertion induced longitudinal expansion of carbon fibre electrodesare video microscopically recorded during charge/discharge conditions. In liquid electrolyte the total/reversible longitudinal expansion are found to be 0.85/0.8% while for the CF-SBE electrode the reversible expansion is found to be 0.6%. The fibre expansion in the CF-SBE electrode gives rise to residual strains which is demonstrated numerically. We expect that the utilized computational framework and experimental data open a route to develop high-performing, both mechanically and electrochemically, carbon fibre based battery electrode laminae for future lightweight structural components with energy storage ability.

Living systems are composed of molecules that are synthesized by cells that use energy sources within their surroundings to create fascinating materials that have mechanical properties optimized for their biological function. Their functionality is a ubiquitous aspect of our lives. We use wood to construct furniture, bacterial colonies to modify the texture of dairy products and other foods, intestines as violin strings, bladders in bagpipes, and so on. The mechanical properties of these biological materials differ from those of other simpler synthetic elastomers, glasses, and crystals. Reproducing their mechanical properties synthetically or from first principles is still often unattainable. The challenge is that biomaterials often exist far from equilibrium, either in a kinetically arrested state or in an energy consuming active state that is not yet possible to reproduce de novo. Also, the design principles that form biological materials often result in nonlinear responses of stress to strain, or force to displacement, and theoretical models to explain these nonlinear effects are in relatively early stages of development compared to the predictive models for rubberlike elastomers or metals. In this Review, we summarize some of the most common and striking mechanical features of biological materials and make comparisons among animal, plant, fungal, and bacterial systems. We also summarize some of the mechanisms by which living systems develop forces that shape biological matter and examine newly discovered mechanisms by which cells sense and respond to the forces they generate themselves, which are resisted by their environment, or that are exerted upon them by their environment. Within this framework, we discuss examples of how physical methods are being applied to cell biology and bioengineering.

Continental margin sedimentation represents the terrestrial-marine geological transition. Coarser coastal sediments usually transition to fine-grained sediments across the shelf as the energy level decreases. As the distance from the continental source of terrigenous sediments increases, the mid-shelf mud belt transitions to a seaward organic/carbonatic sedimentation domain. However, this general pattern might change depending on the terrigenous sediment load. This is the case for the Amazon continental shelf, where the Amazon River empties and builds up the large Amazon River plume (ARP). The ARP promotes an inverse pattern with muddy nearshore prodelta sediments and siliciclastic sands offshore. This study investigates water and bottom characteristics to the east of the Amazon River mouth to understand the complex interplay that leads to simultaneous massive river plume spread and mesophotic reef development. Three cross-self profiles were performed, including physical-chemical water column measurements and bottom sample collection. The profiles were approximately 150 km apart, comprising a longitudinal gradient off of the ARP. The results reassure that there is enough light for mesophotic reefs to grow at the outer shelf and that at the mid-shelf, large-scale sand movement is likely to be the major limiting control on reef accretion. Also, mesophotic conditions (i.e., low light levels) occur in shallower waters, where a trend of reef expansion was identified, but high-energy levels and the lack of hard substrates hinder reef expansion.

Rhodolith beds can contribute large amounts of CaCO3 to coastal environments, playing an important role in Carbon sequestration. The spatial distribution of rhodoliths is a consequence of their sensitivity to light intensity, currents, wave action, sedimentation rates, and salinity, whereas mesophotic, low sedimentation quiescent conditions are optimal. Although there is evidence of a clear relationship between hydrodynamics and rhodolith morphology and mobility, there are few studies relating wave action and rhodolith mobility. We aim to assess the mobility potential by waves, of the rhodoliths of the Abrolhos Shelf (Brazil), that contains the largest rhodolith field in the world. Based on the local wave climate and its propagation through the shelf, the rhodolith mobility potential was evaluated. Rhodolith mobility potential distribution is directly related to shelf morphology and incoming waves characteristics. Despite being restricted to deeper areas of the shelf (>20 m), rhodoliths in the area are mobilized by wave action, especially from the more energetic waves associated with storms. Waves can mobilize rhodoliths in the area, with mobility potential distribution being controlled by shelf morphology and seasonal wave climate. Largest areas of mobilization are observed during energetic waves conditions associated to the passage of cold fronts.

The Amazon River is the largest fluvial source of freshwater and sediment to the global ocean and has the longest tidally influenced reach in the world. Two major rivers, the Tapajos and Xingu, enter the Amazon along its tidal reach. However, unlike most fluvial confluences, these are not one-way conduits through which water and sediment flow downstream toward the sea. The drowned river valleys (rias) at the confluences of the Tapajos and Xingu with the Amazon River experience water-level fluctuations associated not only with the seasonal rise and fall of the river network, but also with semidiurnal tides that propagate as far as 800 km up the Amazon River. Superimposed seasonal and tidal forcing, distinct sediment and temperature signatures of Amazon and tributary waters, and antecedent geomorphology combine to create mainstem–tributary confluences that act as sediment traps rather than sources of sediment. Hydrodynamic measurements are combined with data from sediment cores to determine the distribution of tributary-derived and Amazon-derived sediment within the ria basins, characterize the sediment-transport mechanisms within the confluence areas, and estimate rates of sediment accumulation within both rias. The Tapajos and Xingu ria basins trap the majority of the sediment carried by the tributaries themselves in addition to ca 20 Mt yr−1 of sediment sourced from the Amazon River. These findings have implications for the interpretation of stratigraphy associated with incised-valley systems, such as those that dominated the transfer of sediment to the oceans during lowstands in sea level. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The cephalopod fauna of the southwestern Atlantic is especially poorly-known because sampling is mostly limited to commercial net-fishing operations that are relatively inefficient at obtaining cephalopods associated with complex benthic substrates. Cephalopods have been identified in the diets of many large marine species but, as few hard structures survive digestion in most cases, the identification of ingested specimens to species level is often impossible. Samples can be identified by molecular techniques like barcoding and for cephalopods, mitochondrial 16S and COI genes have proven to be useful diagnostic markers for this purpose. The Amazon River estuary and continental shelf are known to encompass a range of different substrates with recent mapping highlighting the existence of an extensive reef system, a type of habitat known to support cephalopod diversity. The present study identified samples of the cephalopod fauna of this region obtained from the stomachs of red snappers, Lutjanus purpureus, a large, commercially-important fish harvested by fisheries using traps and hook-and-line gear that are capable of sampling habitats inaccessible to nets. A total of 98 samples were identified using molecular tools, revealing the presence of three squid species and eight MOTUs within the Octopodidae, representing five major clades. These include four known genera, Macrotritopus, Octopus, Scaeurgus and Amphioctopus, and one basal group distinct from all known octopodid genera described here as Lepidoctopus joaquini Haimovici and Sales, new genus and species. Molecular analysis of large predatory fish stomach contents was found to be an incredibly effective extended sampling method for biodiversity surveys where direct sampling is very difficult.

The Xingu River is an important tributary of the Amazon River, contributing 5% of its total water discharge. Nevertheless, it does not contribute substantially to the sediment load. The lower reach of the Xingu River forms a ria, a result of the Holocene sea-level rise. The Xingu is also classified as a tidal river, with tides >1 m at its confluence with the Amazon River. This study evaluated the morphology and sedimentology of the area, correlating both with hydrodynamics to understand the infilling process of the Xingu ria. The study area encompasses a stretch of ~160 km, between the Xingu–Amazon confluence and the narrowing of the fluvial channel. During the season of maximum sediment-discharge of the Amazon River (i.e., Feb 2016), 109 bottom sediment samples were collected. Eleven of the sampling sites were re-sampled during the minimum water-discharge period of both rivers (i.e., Nov 2016). During the maximum water-discharge period of the Amazon River (i.e., Jun 2018), additional water-level measurements were undertaken simultaneously at several locations along the Xingu River. The ria morphology was evaluated on the basis of the bathymetric surveys of the Brazilian Navy (DHN). The results show that the infilling process of the ria has taken place from both the upstream and downstream directions. From upstream, the Xingu River is forming a prominent bayhead delta. From the Xingu-Amazon River confluence, tides have transported Amazon River sediments into the Xingu Ria. There is a central portion of the ria lake with a large cross-sectional area, where relatively small amounts of muddy sediments are accumulating in a quiescent environment. Sands prevail along the lateral margins, where wave action causes bluff erosion and limits fine-sediment deposition. Sands are also common in the bayhead delta and the confluence areas. Results suggest that the sediment input from the Amazon River into the Xingu ria has been reduced over time, likely as result of a reduction in tidally driven flux from the Amazon River into the Xingu River, which has occurred with a gradual increase in the constriction of the confluence as Amazon floodplains prograde.

Sediment transport in the southeastern Amazon coastal zone (SACZ) is substantially affected by tidal asymmetry, seasonal variation of the wind and wave regime and especially rainfall (i.e., river discharge). The regional climate and geological configuration have resulted in numerous estuaries and large mangrove-covered coastal plains that partially divide the estuarine basins, which are connected by tidal channels. Based on the investigation of the Furo Grande tidal channel, we assess the relevance of connectivity on the sediment transport and evolution of the ~8000 km2 SACZ mangrove belt. Extensive sedimentologic and bathymetric surveys, as well as hydrodynamic measurements including water level, water and sediment flow, and physical-chemical characteristics of the water, were undertaken at different seasonal periods. Water-level variation along the channel shows that sediment-transport convergence (STC) tends to be formed within the connecting channel, as the tide propagates from both ends. Morphologic and sedimentologic results show the accumulation trend of fine sediments within the STC zone, and this is relevant for mud retention and further delivery to the mangrove plains, which may eventually lead to channel-connection closure. Despite the STC, results also show that there is an important net flux of suspended sediments between estuaries through the studied channel. However, the connected estuaries of Taperacu and Caete have substantial differences regarding riverine discharge, and thus estuarine processes, tidal propagation and sediment transport. Bottom sediments and morphology reflect long-term trends and show STC migration towards the Taperacu as a result of substantially smaller fluvial discharge in that estuary, and therefore higher sediment accumulation rates, compared to the Caete estuary. The migration of the STC prevents the closure of the connection, and its maintenance preserves these channels as sediment-flow conduits between estuaries. The connectivity is a key process to redistribute mainly muddy sediments along this coastal sector, which helps to explain the evolution and maintenance of the relatively homogeneous and widespread progradation of mangroves along the SACZ, with uneven mud supply.

Here we provide a broad overview of the Great Amazon Reef System (GARS) based on the first-ever video surveys of the region. This footage supports four major hypotheses: (1) the GARS area may be six times larger than previously suggested (up to 56,000 km2); (2) the GARS may extend deeper than previously suggested (up to 220 m); (3) the GARS is composed of a greater complexity and diversity of habitats than previously recognized (e.g., reef platforms, reef walls, rhodolith beds, and sponge bottoms); and (4) the GARS represents a useful system to test whether a deep corridor connects the Caribbean Sea to the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. We also call attention to the urgent need to adopt precautionary conservation measures to protect the region in the face of increasing threats from extractive oil and gas practices. With less than 5% of the potential area of the GARS surveyed so far, more research will be required to inform a systematic conservation planning approach and determine how best to establish a network of marine protected areas. Such planning will be required to reconcile extractive activities with effective biodiversity conservation in the GARS.

The tide-dominated eastern sector of the Brazilian Amazonian coast includes large mangrove areas and several estuaries, including the estuary associated with the Urumajo River. There, the dynamics of suspended sediments and delivery mechanisms for mud to the tidal flats and mangroves are complex and were investigated in this study. Four longitudinal measuring campaigns were carried out, encompassing spring/neap tides and dry/rainy seasons. During spring tides, water levels were measured simultaneously at 5 points along the estuary. Currents, salinity, and suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) were measured over the tidal cycle in a cross section at the middle sector of the estuary. Results show a marked turbidity maximum zone (TMZ) during the rainy season, with a 4-km upstream displacement from neap to spring tide. During dry season, the TMZ was conspicuous only during neap tide and dislocated about 5 km upstream and was substantially less apparent in comparison to that observed during rainy season. The results show that mud is being concentrated in the channel associated with the TMZ especially during the rainy season. At this time, a substantial amount of the mud is washed out from mangroves to the estuarine channel and hydrodynamic/salinity conditions for TMZ formation are optimal. As expected, transport to the mangrove flats is most effective during spring tide and substantially reduced at neap tide, when mangroves are not being flooded. During the dry season, mud is resuspended from the bed in the TMZ sector and is a source of sediment delivered to the tidal flats and mangroves. The seasonal variation of the sediments on the seabed is in agreement with the variation of suspended sediments as well.