Influence of shading on biological community in subtropical rocky shores

• Grant number: 13/19122-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Gustavo Muniz Dias
• Grantee: Andre Luiz Pardal Souza
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 11/50317-5 - Biodiversity and functioning of a subtropical coastal ecosystem: a contribution to integrated management, AP.BTA.TEM

Abstract

Environmental and biotic factors are fundamental in structuring patterns and dynamics of biological communities in natural habitats, which have been strongly modified by human action. Studies highlight impacts of shading on autotrophs and animal community in different ecosystems. In particular, such investigations focus on coastal environments, due to the excessive and increasing occupation of these regions throughout the world, where several human constructions have promoted and intensified the disturbance. This project aims to investigate the influence of shading on biological community in intertidal rocky shores, on the northern coast of São Paulo State. First, we will perform a description of rocky intertidal community under influence of the factor 'shading' caused by human structures already established at least three years, whose data will be compared with adjacent unshaded areas. This step will include the evaluation of diversity and abundance of the macrobenthic community, biofilm and seaweeds biomass, as well as the body size of sedentary grazers. Subsequently, an experiment will be performed in situ, in which areas will be artificially shaded to study the influence of this factor in upper intertidal focusing in the barnacle-biofilm system. In this case, the abundance dynamics of the barnacle Chthamalus bisinuatus and biofilm biomass will be followed for 36 weeks. Still, in both steps, descriptive and manipulative, the biofilm biomass will be quantified using a novel method across remote sensing.

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)

PARDAL-SOUZA, ANDRE LUIZ; DIAS, GUSTAVO MUNIZ; JENKINS, STUART REES; CIOTTI, AUREA MARIA; CHRISTOFOLETTI, RONALDO ADRIANO. Shading impacts by coastal infrastructure on biological communities from subtropical rocky shores. JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, v. 54, n. 3, p. 826-835, JUN 2017. (13/11594-9, 11/50317-5, 13/19122-9, 13/50199-8)