Microbiota of rocky shores of Ubatuba (SP): COMPOSITION, AND DIVERSITY EFFECT OF ORGANIC CONTAMINATION

• Grant number: 11/22781-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): April 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Ana Julia Fernandes
• Grantee: Aline Bartelochi Pinto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB-CLP). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus Experimental do Litoral Paulista. São Vicente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The intertidal biofilm consists of a three-dimensional structure, consisting mainly of bacteria, cyanobacteria, diatoms, protozoa and spores of macroalgae, embedded in a mucopolysaccharide matrix. In this sense, the biofilm is an important source of food for some species, having strong influence in the community structure of rocky shores, although it received little attention by the difficulties associated with their sampling and quantification. This project aims to evaluate the influence of organic contamination on the composition and diversity of the microbiota (cyanobacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, microfitoplâncton (diatoms and nanoheterótrofos)) from rocky shores with different impact by organic effluents, as well as the seasonal diferences of microbial predominant species according to the zonation (supralittoral, intertidal and sublittoral) and degree of wave exposure (exposed, semi-protected and sheltered). Sampling will be performed every two months in six rocky shores (3 exposed and 3 semi-sheltered) in the city of Ubatuba (SP), obtaining three rocky fragments of each, during low tide, geo-referenced points in the three zonation areas above cited, aimed at the isolation and quantification of microorganisms. The samples for quantification by epifluorescence will be packaged in bottles with formaldehyde to a final concentration of 5%, for the fixation of microorganisms, while those for isolation will be placed in containers with seawater filtered and sterilized with subsequent agitation and plating technique "spread plate". In each sample point will be recorded salinity, temperature and water pH, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) and photosynthetic pigment (chlorophyll a). The density of each organism is confronted by two factors ANOVA, while the diversity index will be evaluated by Simpson's Diversity and Dominance.