SISBIOTA MAR

PROJECT 1 | ECOLOGY

ECOLOGY AND THE FUNCTIONAL ROLE OF BRAZILIAN REEF FISH, ALGAE AND CORALS

Reef fish are a key group that structure both coral and rocky reef communities. Unfortunately, large shifts in community composition in most reef
ecosystems occurred during the last two centuries, mainly driven by overfishing. In face of such exploitation pressure, most fishery stocks are in
decline, and reef ecosystems urge for a baseline reference. Brazil, however, is far behind this goal. However, recent and ongoing research suggest
that both artisanal and industrial fisheries, along with ornamental trading, are the main drivers of shifts in community composition (e.g. richness and
abundance) along the Brazilian coast.

Habitat destruction and fragmentation result in important changes for fish community structure, where most of its diversity is associated with
tridimensional complex environments. Therefore, studying the benthic community as an indicator of the environments ‘health state’ becomes pivotal
because this community ultimately (1) determines the maintenance of the coastal biota (being mostly sessile organisms) and (2) reflects changes in
primary production as a consequence of increase and/or decrease in nutrients and toxicity, reduction of visibility, higher sedimentation, and
biological interactions. The lack of ecological knowledge on subtidal benthic communities in rocky reefs is notorious, and combined with human
impacts, may lead to the irreversible loss of biological information. The lack of data from the past hinders both the detection and prevention of
impacts and their related consequences. Therefore, describing a baseline of reef communities along the Brazilian coast should allow better
monitoring of patterns and processes in the future.

GOALS

01 Describe a baseline of both reef fish and benthic community along the Brazilian coast;
02 Evaluate biological interactions between fish and benthic community in order to understand the functional roles of reef fish;
03 Provide a standardized baseline of reef communities along the Brazilian coast, for future National monitoring of the marine biota;
04 Generate a latitudinal database of trophic interactions, which will allow multiple macroecological analyses in the future;
05 Provide solid background for future actions of management and conservation of ecosystem processes critical for the maintenance of marine biodiversity;

Mapa dos pontos amostrados em expedições realizadas entre 2011 e 2014 ao longo da costa brasileira e ilhas oceânicas e os Núcleos Executores da
Rede (Sul – UFSC, Sudeste – UFF, UFRJ, UFES, Nordeste – UFC). Azul = Pontos Costa Sudeste-Sul, Vermelho = Pontos Costa Nordeste, Laranja = Pontos
Ilhas Oceânicas. Siglas: PML = Parcel de Manuel Luís, CEA = Ceará, RGN = Rio Grande do Norte, CCO = Costa dos Corais, BTS = Baía de Todos os
Santos, ABR = Arquipélago dos Abrolhos, ESA = Espírito Santo, ARR = Arraial do Cabo, ILB/ALC = Ilhabela e Alcatrazes, SCN = Santa Catarina, ASP =
Arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo, ROC = Atol das Rocas, NOR = Fernando de Noronha, TRI = Trindade.

EQUIPE