Latitudinal distribution of mollusks associated with macroalgae on the Brazilian and Caribbean coasts

• Grant number: 23/16683-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Flávio Dias Passos
• Grantee: Luca Castrezana
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/10313-0 - Build-up of scientific collections of marine invertebrates: strategies for biodiversity conservation, AP.BTA.TEM

Abstract

The macroalgae, in the marine environment, act as foundation species, because they provide habitat and influence positively in the local organisms assemblages. They provide protection against biotic and abiotic stressors, and also perform as food provisor for the associated organisms. Among the associated organisms, the malacofauna is one of the groups with more abundance and diversity, with gastropods, bivalves, and polyplacophorans being recorded. These organisms are at the base of the trophic chain and any change in their abundance and diversity can result in a bottom-up effect on the ecosystem. In the last decades, the anthropogenic marine pollution causes have been rising significantly and the macroalgae are intimately affected. Furthermore, fluctuations at the macroalgae population caused by pollution directly affect the marine invertebrates associated with them. Therefore, the taxonomic study of the macroalgae associated species is necessary, as well as knowledge on the latitudinal distribution pattern of these species, information yet little-known for the Brazilian coast, but essential for the establishment of effectives conservation measures for these species and macroalgal beds. Finally, this Project aims to investigate in detail the knowledge of molluscan taxonomy, exploring the patterns of latitudinal distribution of its macroalgae associated species at the Brazilian coastline and the islands of the Caribbean coast.