Article
Environmental Sciences
Barbara Rani-Borges, Erandy Gomes, Guilherme Maricato, Luis Henrique Franca de Carvalho Lins, Beatriz Rocha de Moraes, Gislaine Vanessa Lima, Luis Guilherme Franca Cortes, Marcos Tavares, Pedro Henrique Cipresso Pereira, Romulo Augusto Ando, Lucas Goncalves Queiroz
Summary: The widespread presence of marine microplastics is a concern for marine biodiversity and ecosystems. This study investigated the distribution and characteristics of microplastics in Brazilian corals and found a high concentration of ingested and adhered microplastics in all coral species evaluated. The research shows that microplastic contamination is equally distributed in the region.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fernanda Andreoli Rolim, Tim Langlois, Fabio dos Santos Motta, Guilherme Malagutti de Castro, Emily Lester, Maria Luiza Abieri, Otto Bismarck Fazzano Gadig, Rodrigo Leao de Moura
Summary: The effects of fishing on coral reefs were studied using no-take marine reserves as control sites. It was found that well-managed reserves have positive impacts on fish biomass and functional diversity, while direct fisheries effects were observed on target fish species and carnivores. The presence of large mobile predators and higher biomass of carnivores inside the reserves indicate the exclusion of fishing activities.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Caroline B. Randi, Ana Clara Becker, Maria Julia Willemes, Chris T. Perry, Leonardo Tavares Salgado, Rodrigo Tomazetto de Carvalho, Fabio S. Motta, Rodrigo Leao de Moura, Fernando Coreixas de Moraes, Guilherme H. Pereira-Filho
Summary: Recent research indicates that the well-known South Atlantic coral reefs have ceased vertical growth and are dominated by non-coral calcifying organisms. In the southernmost subtropical Atlantic reef, calcareous algae and bryozoans play a key role in limiting erosion and maintaining the stability of the reef structure.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Jianguo Liu, Li Cao, Weihai Xu, Gang Li, Rong Xiang, Xiang Su, Yun Luo, Jun Cheng, Xudong Xu, Zhongxian Zhao, Wen Yan
Summary: This study reconstructed the formation and evolution history of the coral reef in Meiji Reef, Nansha Islands, South China Sea based on various analyses. The results revealed that the coral reef developed on a volcanic basement under the influence of regional tectonic movement and long-term climatic change. Multiple exposures and erosion events were found on the island. The development of the coral reef can be explained by a phased erosion deposition model.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Giulia B. Braz, Carlos H. F. Lacerda, Heitor Evangelista, Arthur Z. Guth, Anelize M. B. Rumbelsperger, Katia C. C. Capel, Paola L. Dall'Occo, Miguel Mies
Summary: Reefs are diverse environments with complex structures built by coral. However, they are sensitive to global warming and other stressors, leading to bleaching and mortality. This study shows that Brazilian reefs experienced severe erosion after a bleaching event in 2019. The findings also suggest a connection between bleaching, mortality, and erosion processes.
Article
Microbiology
Pedro Henrique F. Pereira, Luanny Fernandes, Hugo E. Jesus, Patricia G. Costa, Carlos H. F. Lacerda, Miguel Mies, Adalto Bianchini, Henrique F. Santos
Summary: The largest oil spill in tropical oceans occurred in Brazil in 2019. The spill's oil was used in an exposure experiment with endangered reef-building coral Mussismilia harttii. The experiment showed that while the oil had a small impact on corals, it significantly affected their microbiomes, with potentially pathogenic bacteria being transmitted from the oil to the corals.
Article
Oceanography
Maria Laura Zoffoli, Robert Frouin, Rodrigo L. Moura, Thais Andrade Galva de Medeiros, Alex C. Bastos, Milton Kampel
Summary: Managers and scientists can benefit from satellite-derived bottom type maps of coral reefs. In this study, a map of the coral reefs within the Abrolhos National Marine Park was generated using a high-resolution image and field observations. The map can guide management strategies, provide a background for connectivity studies, and help address the evolution of the unique reef structures.
CONTINENTAL SHELF RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pedro H. C. Pereira, Gislaine V. Lima, Antonio V. F. Pontes, Luis G. F. Cortes, Erandy Gomes, Claudio L. S. Sampaio, Taciana Kramer Pinto, Ricardo J. Miranda, Andrei Tiego Cunha Cardoso, Julia Caon Araujo, Jose Carlos Sicoli Seoane
Summary: Thermal stress is the main cause of coral reef degradation, and its effects on Southwestern Atlantic (SWA) reefs have been under-studied. The SWA is a hotspot for coral endemism, with a high risk of extinction due to low-functional redundancy. Previous studies have suggested the possibility of a thermal refuge in the SWA, but our findings indicate a different trend. We report an unprecedented coral mortality event in the largest coastal Brazilian Marine Protected Area (MPA) following the worst thermal stress event since 1985.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Wanderson Valente, Andrea Giannotti Galuppo, Danilo Pedro Streit Jr, Jener Alexandre Sampaio Zuanon, Leandro Godoy
Summary: In this study, the composition and arrangement of gametes within bundles in the coral Mussismilia harttii were investigated using histological and ultrastructural analyses. The distribution of gametes in the bundle was found to be random, with regions of higher concentration. After dissociation, oocytes undergo significant morphological changes, while spermatozoa are located within hexagonal-shaped structures. These findings contribute to a better understanding of hermaphrodite broadcasting coral fertilization and support future studies on coral conservation reproductive biotechnologies.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kurt Schmid, Jose Amorim Reis-Filho, Miguel Loiola, Euan Sinclair Harvey, Ruy Kenji Papa de Kikuchi, Tommaso Giarrizzo
Summary: While marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasing worldwide, there is a need to assess the effectiveness of existing MPAs by understanding the ecological and managerial status of different reef habitat types. Through the use of Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) technique, fish assemblages were used as a proxy to evaluate the biodiversity and management effectiveness of MPAs in Abrolhos Bank. The study found distinct responses in fish fauna between shallow and deep habitats of pinnacle reef formations, emphasizing the importance of not selectively focusing on a single habitat type or depth zone for MPA effectiveness assessment.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lauren T. Toth, Travis A. Courtney, Michael A. Colella, Rob R. Ruzicka
Summary: SCTLD has had an unprecedented impact on the western Atlantic coral-reef ecosystems, causing a decline in reef-accretion potential and altering the composition of coral assemblages. The loss of reef-building corals has significantly decreased carbonate production, leading to a decline in their capacity for growth.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Meixia Zhao, Yu Zhong, Shuqi Zhang, Haiyang Zhang, Hongqiang Yang, Qi Shi, Hongqiang Yan, Haoya Tong, Weihai Xu, Wen Yan
Summary: This study analyzed the NK-1 core from Meiji Reef in the South China Sea, revealing the development model of Holocene coral reefs and the impact of coral community diversity on reef growth. Acropora corals were identified as the main reef builders during the Holocene, with their growth rate and dispersion method playing a crucial role in the vertical accumulation of reefs.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Marcelo Soares, Sergio Rossi, Anne Gurgel, Caroline Lucas, Tallita Tavares, Beatriz Diniz, Caroline Feitosa, Emanuelle Rabelo, Pedro Pereira, Ruy de Kikuchi, Zelinda Leao, Igor Cruz, Pedro de Macedo Carneiro, Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip
Summary: The peculiar shallow-water reefs of the Tropical Southwestern Atlantic Ocean grow in suboptimal conditions and face pressures from natural and anthropogenic impacts, especially with worsening climate change. Bleaching events and human activities have severely affected these coral reefs, exacerbating species-specific negative impacts.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Physiology
Juliana da Silva Fonseca, Laura Fernandes de Barros Marangoni, Joseane Aparecida Marques, Adalto Bianchini
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of elevated temperature and copper exposure on the antioxidant defense system of coral Mussismilia harttii, finding that stressors caused reductions in glutathione levels and inhibition of antioxidant enzyme activity. Prolonged exposure continued to decrease these levels, with glutamate cysteine ligase activity remaining inhibited after 12 days. Interestingly, long-term exposure stimulated antioxidant defense proteins, suggesting a beneficial counteracting response in the oxidative state of M. harttii.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Juliana da Silva Fonseca, Miguel Mies, Alana Paranhos, Satie Taniguchi, Arthur Z. Guth, Marcia C. Bicego, Joseane Aparecida Marques, Laura Fernandes de Barros Marangoni, Adalto Bianchini
Summary: This study investigated the combined effects of thermal stress and copper exposure on the trophic behavior and oxidative status of the reef-building coral Mussismilia harttii. The findings showed that the trophic behavior remained mostly autotrophic under individual and combined stressors, while the 12-day experiment revealed changes in heterotrophy markers. Additionally, different responses were observed in LPO and TAC levels for both coral and symbiont under the combined stressors, highlighting the differential physiological responses of host and symbionts to global and local stressors.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Tooba Varasteh, Lidilhone Hamerski, Diogo Tschoeke, Arthur Silva Lima, Gizele Garcia, Carlos Alberto Nunes Cosenza, Cristiane Thompson, Fabiano Thompson
Summary: The study found a diversity of pigmented bacterial symbionts in corals from Abrolhos Bank, Brazil, which exhibited strong antioxidant activity and had similar pigment patterns and carotenoid gene clusters. This suggests that the bacterial symbionts may play important roles in the antioxidant capacity of Montastraea and Mussismilia holobionts.
Article
Microbiology
Gustavo P. R. Azevedo, Hannah K. Mattsson, Grasiele R. Lopes, Livia Vidal, Mariana Campeao, Luciane A. Chimetto Tonon, Gizele D. Garcia, Diogo A. Tschoeke, Bruno S. Silva, Koko Otsuki, Bruno Gomez-Gil, Jean Swings, Fabiano L. Thompson, Cristiane C. Thompson
Summary: This study describes a novel bacterial strain obtained from the skin of a pufferfish, which belongs to a new species of the genus Vibrio. Genomic analysis revealed that this strain contains gene clusters encoding various bioactive compounds, suggesting potential ecological roles in the pufferfish host.
ARCHIVES OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
A. W. Silva-Lima, A. M. Froes, G. D. Garcia, L. A. C. Tonon, J. Swings, C. A. N. Cosenza, M. Medina, K. Penn, J. R. Thompson, C. C. Thompson, F. L. Thompson
Summary: Infectious diseases, such as white plague-like disease, have been identified as a major factor contributing to coral reef decline globally. The study on the gene expression profiles of Mussismilia braziliensis affected by WPL revealed repression of immune system and cellular defense processes in WPL samples, as well as seasonal variation in transcription. Analysis of active bacterial rRNA indicated dysbiosis in WPL-affected M. braziliensis, with the loss of potentially symbiotic bacteria and proliferation of opportunistic microbes.
Article
Ecology
Leonardo Bacha, Rodrigo Ventura, Maria Barrios, Jean Seabra, Diogo Tschoeke, Gizele Garcia, Bruno Masi, Larissa Macedo, Jose Marcus de O. Godoy, Carlos Cosenza, Carlos E. de Rezende, Vinicius Lima, Adacto B. Ottoni, Cristiane Thompson, Fabiano Thompson
Summary: The Guandu River, a major water source for over nine million people in Rio de Janeiro, has been heavily polluted for more than two decades, leading to high levels of phosphorus, cyanobacteria, and enteric bacteria. The use of Phoslock has proven ineffective in reducing phosphorus levels, and water extracted from the river has unpleasant odors and tastes. Proposed solutions include constructing sewage treatment plants, implementing strict water quality monitoring, environmental recovery efforts, and establishing protected areas to improve water quality.
Article
Ecology
Tooba Varasteh, Vinicius Salazar, Diogo Tschoeke, Ronaldo B. Francini-Filho, Jean Swings, Gizele Garcia, Cristiane C. Thompson, Fabiano L. Thompson
Summary: The study investigated the symbiotic relationships between Madracis coral and Symbiodiniaceae in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, finding that a single colony can host different symbiont types. It suggests that Madracis may be a generalist coral host, capable of harboring multiple genera/clades of Symbiodiniaceae for broader environmental tolerance.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Caio Ribeiro Pimentel, Hudson T. Pinheiro, Tommaso Giarrizzo, Ronaldo B. Francini-Filho, Jose Amorim Reis-Filho, Luiz A. Rocha, Carlos Eduardo L. Ferreira, Moyses Cavichioli Barbosa, Jean-Christophe Joyeux
Summary: Geographic isolation, low species richness, and high endemism create ideal conditions for studying fish assemblages in oceanic islands. The Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Archipelago, located in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean, provides valuable insights into the taxonomic, trophic, and size structures of fish communities in pelagic and mesophotic reef ecosystems. The presence of steep reef walls facilitates the study of ecological connections between these two ecosystems.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Carine O. Fogliarini, Guilherme O. Longo, Ronaldo B. Francini-Filho, Loren McClenachan, Mariana G. Bender
Summary: This study reconstructs the historical changes of coral reefs in Abrolhos Bank, Brazil by compiling and assessing historical records. It reveals a 28% loss in the overall spatial extent of inshore reefs over the past 160 years, with some areas experiencing declines of up to 49%. The most significant changes were observed in reefs closest to the coast, where local impacts such as coral extraction and coastal deforestation have concentrated. This historical information provides valuable insights for updating conservation and restoration goals for the Abrolhos reefs.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
L. O. Vidal, T. Lambert, L. C. Cotovicz Jr, M. C. Bernardes, R. Sobrinho, F. Thompson, G. D. Garcia, B. A. Knoppers, P. Gatts, C. R. Regis, G. Abril, C. E. Rezende
Summary: This study investigated the sources and transformations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Paraiba do Sul River and mangrove waters, and found that river discharge and salinity gradient affect the composition and contribution of DOM. Tidal fluctuations were also found to impact carbon input and DOM composition in the mangrove creek.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Andre L. Luza, Anaide W. Aued, Diego R. Barneche, Murilo S. Dias, Carlos E. L. Ferreira, Sergio R. Floeter, Ronaldo B. Francini-Filho, Guilherme O. Longo, Juan P. Quimbayo, Mariana G. Bender
Summary: This study investigated how similar responses of reef fish, corals, and algae to the environment produce spatially correlated functional diversity patterns. The results showed that sea surface temperature, species richness, and region played a major role in determining functional diversity across Brazilian reefs. However, different taxa responded differently to environmental variables, and the correlations between functional diversity metrics were low.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Aline Cristina Alves, Carlos Eduardo Leite Ferreira, Ricardo de Souza Rosa, Hudson Tercio Pinheiro, Ronaldo Bastos Francini-Filho
Summary: We studied the spawning ecology of the endemic damselfish Stegastes sanctipauli in the St Peter and St Paul's Archipelago, aiming to determine the main factors influencing reproductive success. Predation by heterospecifics, particularly Halichoeres radiatus, was the main cause of egg losses, while filial cannibalism had little effect. Larger nests with higher initial egg density experienced the highest predation pressure. Most nests were located in shallow reefs (<16 m depth), where both main food resources for adults and abundance of egg predators, especially H. radiatus, were concentrated. These findings suggest that the spawning activity of S. sanctipauli is influenced by the trade-offs between food accessibility and predation risk.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Marcos Rogerio Rosa, Erika Flavia Crispim de Santana, Gabriel Malta De Farias, Paulo Yukio Gomes Sumida, Ronaldo Bastos Francini-Filho
Summary: In this study, the distribution, abundance, and habitat use of Hermodice carunculata were investigated across a euphotic-mesophotic gradient in the Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Archipelago. The results showed that the abundance of H. carunculata increased significantly in the mesophotic zone below 50 meters and it was closely associated with black-corals and Madracis decactis. The abundance of black-corals was found to be the main driver of H. carunculata abundance.
OCEAN AND COASTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rafael A. Magris, Micheli D. P. Costa, Carlos E. L. Ferreira, Ciro C. Vilar, Jean-Christophe Joyeux, Joel C. Creed, Margareth S. Copertino, Paulo A. Horta, Paulo Y. G. Sumida, Ronaldo B. Francini-Filho, Sergio R. Floeter
Summary: This study combines cumulative impact assessment and conservation planning approach to provide support for an ecological approach to strengthening marine protected areas. Results show widespread impacts to habitats and species, with hot spots of cumulative impacts in coastal areas. The systematic approach in this study outperforms the MPAs proposed by local stakeholders in selecting priority sites.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2021)