| Grant number: | 15/50325-9 |
| Support type: | Regular Research Grants |
| Duration: | December 01, 2015 - November 30, 2017 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology |
| Cooperation agreement: | Bangor University |
| Mobility Program: | SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade |
| Principal researcher: | Gustavo Muniz Dias |
| Grantee: | Gustavo Muniz Dias |
| Principal researcher abroad: | Katherine Margareth Griffith |
| Institution abroad: | Bangor University, Wales |
| Home Institution: | Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil |
| Associated research grant: | 13/11286-2 - How microspatial diferences of abiotic conditions affect the recruitment and predation on the encrusting community and the fitness of the bryozoan Schyzoporella errata?, AP.R |
Abstract
The relative importance of the ecological processes behind community organization and invasion susceptibility is affected by local, regional and historical processes. In tropical communities the large number of species and the functional redundancy of species suggest that stochastic processes play a fundamental role on the final organization of sessile communities, while in temperate areas, community succession seems to be more deterministic. In the last years the number of marine facilities on the coast and intercontinental traffic of vessels has increased, providing additional space for sessile organisms but exposing native communities to extensive physical and biological disturbances, which can cause both ecological as economic issues. An indirect harmful effect of marine facilities is the reduction of predation to which communities are exposed. Because marinas and harbours are frequently exposed to strong fishing effort, the removal of predators can facilitate the monopolization of space by good competitors and facilitate the introduction of exotic species. In this project, we propose to compare the relative importance of predation on sessile communities from urbanized coastal areas in two different regions: Brazil and UK. Understanding how the communities are assembled and how anthropic activities change directly and indirectly the organization of those would help us to deal with the impacts of such activities. (AU)