Evaluation of the current and future potential for Marine Protected Areas (MPa) to safeguard the biodiversity, function and resilience of subtidal rocky seascapes in subtropical Brazil

• Grant number: 16/26064-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2018
• End date: October 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Daniel Gorman
• Grantee: Daniel Gorman
• Host Institution: Centro de Biologia Marinha (CEBIMAR). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Sebastião , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alexander Turra ; Augusto Alberto Valero Flores ; Flávio Augusto de Souza Berchez
• Associated scholarship(s): 18/06162-6 - Evaluation of the current and future potential for marine protected areas (MPa) to safeguard the biodiversity, function and resilience of subtidal rocky seascapes in subtropical Brazil, BP.JP

Abstract

Conservation of the world's coastal resources requires practical information on the biodiversity, function and resilience of its subtidal seascapes. Across the globe, dramatic declines in important habitats such as algal forests and coral reefs have occurred due to a failure to protect vulnerable areas from a growing number of anthropogenic stressors. One approach to safeguarding marine habitats has been the designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) which limit the activities permitted within unique or vulnerable coastal zones. This project will expand our knowledge of the current and future value of MPAs as effective tools for preserving the biodiversity, function and resilience of rocky seascapes within the Litoral Norte region of São Paulo. Specifically, the project will: (1) develop and test methods for multi-scale habitat mapping programs to link patterns of historical, current and future exploitation (e.g., coastal development, pollution and fishing) with the overall health of rocky reefs; (2) undertake laboratory and field experiments to better understand the mechanisms underlying resistance and resilience with an emphasis on 'top-down' vs. 'bottom-up' regulation of these subtidal systems; and (3) pool this information to evaluate MPAs as a means of safeguarding biodiversity, functioning and ecosystem services within subtropical Brazil. Overall the project will provide and archive data of direct relevance for public policy and management of MPAs that can help to reconcile nature conservation with the sustainable use of Brazilian marine and coastal seascapes. (AU)

Scientific publications

(6)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GORMAN, DANIEL; PAVONE, CARLA B.; FLORES, V, AUGUSTO A.. Changes to the structure of tropical seagrass meadows (Halophila decipiens) in the warm-temperate waters of the southwest Atlantic. Aquatic Botany, v. 161, FEB 2020. (18/06162-6, 16/26064-3)

BALTHAZAR-SILVA, DANILO; TURRA, ALEXANDER; MOREIRA, FABIANA TAVARES; CAMARGO, RITA MONTEIRO; OLIVEIRA, ANDREA LIMA; BARBOSA, LUCAS; GORMAN, DANIEL. Rainfall and Tidal Cycle Regulate Seasonal Inputs of Microplastic Pellets to Sandy Beaches. FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, v. 8, AUG 6 2020. (16/26064-3, 18/06162-6)

PAVONE, CARLA B.; GORMAN, DANIEL; FLORES, AUGUSTO A. V.. Evidence of surplus carrying capacity for benthic invertebrates with the poleward range extension of the tropical seagrass Halophila decipiens in SE Brazil. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH, v. 162, DEC 2020. (16/26064-3, 18/06162-6, 18/11044-2)

GORMAN, DANIEL; SUMIDA, PAULO Y. G.; FIGUEIRA, RUBENS C. L.; TURRA, ALEXANDER. Improving soil carbon estimates of mudflats in Araca Bay using spatial models that consider riverine input, wave exposure and biogeochemistry. ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE, v. 238, JUN 5 2020. (16/26064-3, 18/06162-6, 11/50317-5)

GORMAN, DANIEL; HORTA, PAULO; FLORES, AUGUSTO A. V.; TURRA, ALEXANDER; DE SOUZA BERCHEZ, FLAVIO AUGUSTO; BATISTA, MANUELA B.; LOPES FILHO, EURO S.; MELO, MARIANA S.; IGNACIO, BARBARA L.; CARNEIRO, IVAN M.; et al. Decadal losses of canopy-forming algae along the warm temperate coastline of Brazil. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, v. 26, n. 3, JAN 2020. (18/06162-6, 16/26064-3)

GORMAN, DANIEL; GUTIERREZ, ALINA R.; TURRA, ALEXANDER; MANZANO, ARUANA B.; BALTHAZAR-SILVA, DANILO; OLIVEIRA, NATALIA R.; HARARI, JOSEPH. Predicting the Dispersal and Accumulation of Microplastic Pellets Within the Estuarine and Coastal Waters of South-Eastern Brazil Using Integrated Rainfall Data and Lagrangian Particle Tracking Models. FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, v. 8, OCT 15 2020. (18/06162-6, 16/26064-3)