Geographic potential distribution modeling of aquatic macrophyte communities in the Itanhaém River Basin, South Coast of São Paulo

• Grant number: 12/03507-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: June 01, 2012
• End date: May 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Fernando Monteiro Camargo
• Grantee: Leonardo Farage Cancian
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Knowledge about spatial distribution of organisms and the variables that influence this distribution are of great importance for understanding species ecology as well as biodiversity conservation and environmental management strategies. In recent years, modeling algorithms and software have been widely employed in order to model the potential geographic distribution of different organisms providing important information about species ecology contributing to more efficient species management and conservation strategies. However this approach is very scarce in relation to aquatic plant communities. Thus the aim of this study is to develop potential distribution models of submerged rooted macrophytes species in a coastal basin of the southern coast of São Paulo, and to identify predictors of this distribution. The hypothesis that in addition of the limnological variables, the spatial distribution of macrophytes in aquatic environments is also related to landscape variables will be tested. The species to be modeled are Egeria densa, Cabomba furcata and Potamogeton sp, abundant species of the basin rivers. The MAXENT modeling algorithm will be used to develop potential geographical distribution models. The models obtained will be evaluated and validated through statistical protocols and through field validation. The relationship between the presence of aquatic macrophytes in rivers and chemical, physical and landscape variables will also be evaluated statistically using Generalized Linear Models (GLM).

Scientific publications

(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)

ATHAYDE, EDUARDO A.; CANCIAN, LEONARDO F.; VERDADE, LUCIANO M.; MORELLATO, LEONOR PATRICIA C.. Functional and phylogenetic diversity of scattered trees in an agricultural landscape: Implications for conservation. AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT, v. 199, p. 272-281, JAN 1 2015. (12/03507-6, 06/60954-4)