Soft-bottom benthic fauna of Araçá Bay, northern coast of São Paulo

Author(s)

Guilherme Nascimento Corte

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia
• Defense date: 2016-05-16

Examining board members

Antonia Cecília Zacagnini Amaral; Paulo Cesar de Paiva; Ronaldo Adriano Christofoletti; Maikon Di Domenico; André Rinaldo Senna Garraffoni

• Advisor: Antonia Cecília Zacagnini Amaral

Abstract

Coastal ecosystems provide essential goods and services and help maintain a large biodiversity. However, despite their importance, these ecosystems are among the most threatened around the globe. To preserve these ecosystems it is essential to understand the processes that determine their ecological characteristics. In this regard, this thesis aimed to investigate the macro- and meiofaunal benthic communities inhabiting the soft-bottom of Araçá Bay, São Sebastão, SP, as well as their relationship with the environment. Different sampling methods were used and fauna was collected from the intertidal zone to more than 20 m deep. It was observed that large-scale events related to climate change can cause significant changes in the ecological features of the bay (Chapter 1). It was also observed that the influence of spatial processes can be predominant in these communities, and that this influence is dependent on the dispersal abilities of species (Chapter 2). The analysis of macro- and meiofauna showed that the two groups have similar patterns and are structured by similar environmental variables (Chapter 3). Their patterns of species richness and abundance, however, were contrasting, which highlights that conservation and management strategies should not be based on only one of these groups. Overall, the findings of this thesis complement several works that highlighted the influence of physical and chemical variables in the marine benthic fauna inhabiting soft-bottom coastal ecosystems, and demonstrate that spatial processes and extreme events can exert great influence on the assemblage and maintenance of these communities (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/10130-3 - Macrobenthic communities of soft-bottom sediments at Araçá bay, Northern coast of São Paulo
• Grantee: Guilherme Nascimento Corte
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate