Ecophysiology and trophic relationships of elasmobranchs: biomarkers as tools for conservation

• Grant number: 17/25273-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: April 01, 2018
• End date: August 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Physiology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Renata Guimarães Moreira Whitton
• Grantee: Bianca de Sousa Rangel
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/16320-7 - Impacts of climate/environmental change on the fauna: an integrative approach, AP.PFPMCG.TEM

Abstract

Throughout the life cycle, the animals deal with changes in nutritional status associated with changes in the diet, growth, reproduction and migration. Given the diversity in life-history, elasmobranchs become interesting models for the study of relationship between physiology and ecological interactions in the marine environment. Despite recent studies on ecological patterns and physiological differences in elasmobranchs, related to habitat use and phylogeny, very little is known about the effects of seasonal variations, reproduction and ontogeny in trophic interactions. Alternative methods, non-lethal, using trophic markers, as the fatty acids (FA) and stable isotope (SI), are well established to investigate trophic and metabolic aspects in consumers, enabling the integration of temporal information. This project will characterize the FA profile, associated with the isotopic signature and the sex steroid hormones in elasmobranchs from different life history strategies, in two regions of biological importance: (1) nursery area, in the coastal region of Bertioga, SP, Brazil, and (2) feeding area, on the southern coast of Florida, USA. Due to the scarcity of some species and the logistic difficulties, part of the samples will be incorporated into the monitoring and marking program of the University of Miami. The composition of FA and SI signature of nitrogen (´15N) and carbon (´13C) will be analyzed in tissue and plasma, checking individual and interspecific nutritional status. We intend, with these biomarkers, to identify resource partitioning among sympatric species over time, relating with the biological traits of each species (reproduction and habitat use), providing information of mesopredator and top predators for monitoring studies and evaluation of potential anthropic impacts. (AU)

Scientific publications

(10)

(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)

RANGEL, BIANCA DE SOUSA; HAMMERSCHLAG, NEIL; SULIKOWSKI, JAMES A.; MOREIRA, RENATA GUIMARAES. Dietary and reproductive biomarkers in a generalist apex predator reveal differences in nutritional ecology across life stages. MARINE ECOLOGY-PROGRESS SERIES, v. 664, p. 149-163, APR 15 2021. (17/25273-0, 14/16320-7)

DE SOUSA RANGEL, BIANCA; DE CASTRO RIBEIRO, DOUGLAS; CHAGAS, JUMMA M. A.; SPADA, LUCAS; MOREIRA, RENATA G.; DA SILVA RIBEIRO, CRISTIELE. Effects of biological traits on capture-induced parturition in a freshwater stingray and perspectives for species management. Journal of Fish Biology, v. 97, n. 2, JUL 2020. (17/25273-0, 14/16320-7, 16/11736-6)

RANGEL, BIANCA S.; AFONSO, ANDRE S.; GARLA, RICARDO. Female wound records suggest mating periods for the Caribbean reef shark at an insular marine protected area from the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean. Journal of Fish Biology, v. 101, n. 6, p. 4-pg., 2022-09-19. (17/25273-0)

BETTCHER, VANESSA B.; BUCAIR, NAYARA; GRANVILLE, MARTA; GOES, AMANDA; MENDES, LIANA DE FIGUEIREDO; DI DARIO, FABIO; DE MOURA, RODRIGO LEAO; GARLA, RICARDO; RANGEL, BIANCA S.. First record of mating behaviour and induced parturition of the Brazilian endemic Lutz's stingray Hypanus berthalutzae. Journal of Fish Biology, v. 102, n. 1, p. 6-pg., 2022-10-28. (17/25273-0)

RANGEL, BIANCA DE SOUSA; MOREIRA, RENATA GUIMARAES; NIELLA, YURI VIEIRA; SULIKOWSKI, JAMES A.; HAMMERSCHLAG, NEIL. Metabolic and nutritional condition of juvenile tiger sharks exposed to regional differences in coastal urbanization. Science of The Total Environment, v. 780, AUG 1 2021. (17/25273-0, 14/16320-7)

RANGEL, BIANCA DE SOUSA; HAMMERSCHLAG, NEIL; MOREIRA, RENATA GUIMARAES. Urban living influences the nutritional quality of a juvenile shark species. Science of The Total Environment, v. 776, JUL 1 2021. (17/25273-0, 14/16320-7)

RANGEL, BIANCA DE SOUSA; SALMON, THIERRY; POSCAI, ALINE NAYARA; KFOURY, JR., JOSE ROBERTO; GRASSI RICI, ROSE ELI. Comparative investigation into the morphology of oral papillae and denticles of four species of lamnid and sphyrnid sharks. ZOOMORPHOLOGY, v. 138, n. 1, p. 127-136, MAR 2019. (17/25273-0, 16/09095-2)

RANGEL, BIANCA S.; HAMMERSCHLAG, NEIL; SULIKOWSKI, JAMES A.; MOREIRA, RENATA GUIMARAES. Physiological markers suggest energetic and nutritional adjustments in male sharks linked to reproduction. Oecologia, v. 196, n. 4, JUL 2021. (14/16320-7, 17/25273-0)

RANGEL, BIANCA S.; AFONSO, ANDRE S.; BETTCHER, VANESSA; BUCAIR, NAYARA; ANDRES, NAUTHER; VERAS, LEONARDO B.; HAZIN, FABIO HISSA VIEIRA; GARLA, RICARDO. Evidence of mating scars in female tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) at the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazilian Equatorial Atlantic. ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES, v. N/A, p. 9-pg., 2022-12-19. (17/25273-0)

RANGEL, BIANCA S.; MOREIRA, RENATA G.; RIDER, MITCHELL J.; SULIKOWSKI, JAMES A.; GALLAGHER, AUSTIN J.; HEITHAUS, MICHAEL R.; COOKE, STEVEN J.; KAUFMAN, LES; HAMMERSCHLAG, NEIL. Physiological state predicts space use of sharks at a tourism provisioning site. ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR, v. 191, p. 15-pg., 2022-08-13. (14/16320-7, 17/25273-0)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

RANGEL, Bianca de Sousa. Ecophysiology and trophic relationships of elasmobranchs: biomarkers as tools for conservation. 2023. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB) São Paulo.