Functional diversity of mesograzers associated with marine macroalgal beds

• Grant number: 18/11803-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2019
• End date: November 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Tânia Marcia Costa
• Grantee: Glauco Barreto de Oliveira Machado
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB-CLP). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus Experimental do Litoral Paulista. São Vicente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Biodiversity plays a key role on the functioning of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Studies about the biodiversity effects on ecosystems have been carried out in response to the growing rate of species loss. In marine environments, the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning has been mainly investigate on systems of macrophytes associated with epiphytic algae, such as seagrasses. Such systems harbor a high diversity of species, including mesograzers that use macrophytes as habitat and food. However, in contrast to seagrass systems, the role of the diversity of mesograzers is not well understood in host algae systems with associated epiphytes, which is common on hard substrates, such as rocky shores. In this sense, this project aims to investigate the effects of mesograzer diversity on the properties of an ecosystem represented by host algae and their epiphytes. For that, this project will be carried out in two stages: (1) description of the functional diversity (a biodiversity component) of mesograzers associated to a marine macroalgal bed; (2) investigation of the effects of the diversity of mesograzers on ecosystem properties, such primary and secondary production of this system. To achieve both goals, sampling and experiments at laboratory will be carried out throughout the project. This study will contribute to the knowledge about the functional diversity of mesograzers and its effects on a host algae-epiphyte system, as well as it can contribute to predict how the loss of consumer species will influence the functioning of some coastal ecosystems.

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)

PAULA, CAIO A. A.; BORGES, DALILA J. J.; ANDRADE, AYNARA R. R.; LEITE, FOSCA P. P.; COSTA, TANIA M.; MACHADO, GLAUCO B. O.. Contrasting host use and feeding behavior by sympatric mesograzers. MARINE ECOLOGY-AN EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE, v. N/A, p. 9-pg., 2023-07-11. (13/17629-9, 20/03171-4, 18/11803-0)