Paleobiology of Conservation in Gastropods from Ubatuba Bay

• Grant number: 24/03993-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: October 01, 2024
• End date: September 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Paleozoology
• Principal Investigator: Renato Pirani Ghilardi
• Grantee: Gabriel Ferreira Silvério
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Conservation Paleobiology is characterized by the application of theories and analytical tools from paleontology, especially Atualistic Taphonomy, to solve problems involving the conservation of biodiversity. In this context, the analysis of the compositional fidelity of living and dead assemblages of molluscs, when associated with factors intrinsic and extrinsic to the bioclastic material, has proven useful for formulating conservation and restoration measures. Such analyses, based on the temporal mixture of the dead assemblage, allow us to identify traces of pristine communities and distinguish between natural and anthropogenic environmental disturbances. Therefore, the present study aims to analyze and interpret the compositional fidelity of living and dead assemblages of gastropods in Ubatuba Bay, north coast of the state of São Paulo. The material was collected seasonally between July 2021 and June 2022, at four collection points using a shrimp vessel equipped with two trawl nets. In total, 750 specimens were obtained, with 193 of these collected dead, indicating a predominance of the living assemblage. The specimens are identified and, among them, Strombus pugilis showed a large discrepancy in abundance fidelity, with only 1.2% of organisms found alive, suggesting a possible population decline. To achieve the proposed objective and combine with the standards of Conservation Paleobiology, characterizations of the region, the ecology of the species and the taphonomic degree of the shells will be carried out, considering their physical, chemical and biological signatures. In addition, statistical analyzes of the material's morphometry and fidelity in terms of community composition and structure will be conducted.