The study is a result of a contribution between ReefSYN and partners! The study published in the journal "Marine Environmental Research" was led by Dr. Erika Santana from the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB) and Prof. Dr. Ronaldo Francini Filho (Cebimar - USP) with the collaboration of researchers from the Oceanographic Institute - University of São Paulo (IO - USP), Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Coral Vivo Institute, Federal University of Santa Catarina ( LabAR and LBMM) and Federal University of Santa Maria.
The researchers combined large-scale benthic cover data and environmental data from Brazil to assess how environmental variables shape shallow benthic reef communities across the Brazilian province. The study showed that Brazilian benthic reef communities are largely dominated by algal turf, leafy macroalgae, crusted calcareous algae, scleractinian corals, Palythoa spp., sponges and cyanobacterial mats. The authors pointed out seven unique reef communities within the Brazilian province, and the main division of the benthic communities was given by the turbidity that discriminated two groups, one with clear waters and the other with turbid waters. Seven of the 14 species of scleractinian corals were more abundant in the cloudy group, corroborating the photophobic nature of some Brazilian corals. Since shallow and muddy reefs can function as climate refuges, the results of this article have important implications for delimiting potential climate refuges in Brazil, in addition to highlighting the need to avoid local threats (such as overfishing and pollution) to these important habitats. Click here to access the article.
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Marcelo Crivellaro and collaborators simulated the dispersal of the invasive coral Tubastraea coccinea on the surroundings of Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Early detection of invasive marine species is crucial for simpler and cheaper management! Our results indicate the most likely locations for emerging sun coral invasions in the region. We hope to strengthen the current monitoring program for the species, carried out by ICMBio and LabAR teams. Furthermore, our methods can be easily replicated to other locations! This work is the result of a joint effort between LabAR and ReBio Arvoredo. This work was supported by ICMBio, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), UFSC Post-graduate Program in Ecology and CAPES. Marcelo Schuler Crivellaro, Davi Volney Candido, Thiago Cesar Lima Silveira, Adriana Carvalhal Fonseca, Bárbara Segal. A tool for a race against time: Dispersal simulations to support ongoing monitoring program of the invasive coral Tubastraea coccinea, Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2022. Want to know more ? Click here or tap the image to check it out! Promoted by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), the event to discuss biodiversity monitoring strategies in reef environments was held between June 19 and 22, 2022, at the National Center for Research and Conservation of Marine Biodiversity in Northeast (Cepene), in the city of Tamandaré (PE). The discussion included contributions from researchers on the structuring of the Coastal Marine Subprogram, executed by ICMBio in the Conservation Units.
Prof. Dra. Bárbara Segal was one of the UFSC specialists who was involved in the Recifal Environment Component Workshop. At the Workshop, technical and practical knowledge on reef environments and oceanography was shared, in the definition and prioritization of biodiversity and habitat indicators for the evaluation and long-term monitoring of reef environments within the scope of ICMBio's marine-coastal Conservation Units. labar receives outstanding certificate at the scientific exposition of the environment week 20227/5/2022 The Reef Systems Ecology Lab participated in the scientific exposition of the Environment Week, which took place at the Federal University of Santa Catarina between the 20th and 24th of June 2022. The work entitled "Temporal dynamics of benthic reef communities: a case study in two Brazilian oceanic islands" was carried out by the undergraduate student Leticia Voltolini, under the supervision of PhD candidate Vitor Picolotto. Leticia and Vitor received an outstanding certificate from the scientific exhibition. The realization of this work was only possible thanks to the partnership between LabAR and PELD-ILOC along all these years of research, with the support of ICMBio and the UFSC's Post Graduate Program in Ecology.
Click here to check out the video that explains the importance of monitoring projects in our reef environments, whick was posted on our Instagram account (@labar.ufsc). action project for prevention and control of the sun coral at rebio arvoredo and surroundings7/5/2022 On the 15th and 16th of June, LabAR started the practical work regarding the project entitled the "Action Project for Prevention and Control of the Sun Coral at REBIO Arvoredo and Surroundings", with the execution of the pilot campaign. The Project is being developed in partnership with ICMBio and Karoon Energy, in compliance with the operating license conditions in the Baúna Field, within the scope of the federal licensing process for oil and gas production.
The technical execution is carried out by UFSC, with the participation of the Reef Systems Ecology Lab (LabAR), Laboratory of Underwater Technology (Lasub) and Laboratory of Crustaceans and Plankton, while the financial part is carried out by FEESC/UFSC. Be sure to follow our social media to learn more about the progress of the project! Click here to access the full post on our Instagram. The UFSC student and also member of LabAR and PELD-ILOC, Manoella Biroli Nunes Bastos defended her undergraduate thesis on March 10, 2022. Supervised by Prof. Dra. Bárbara Segal, the thesis is entitled "Temporal trends of the benthic reef communities of Atol das Rocas and Fernando de Noronha", in which the temporal trends (2013-2019) of the reef benthic communities of two Brazilian oceanic islands were analyzed. Based on the description of the spatio-temporal variability of the functional groups present in them, the objective was to descriptively analyze both benthic communities and verify if, over the years, there was a similar trend in the dynamics of the coverage of organisms between Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas.
The defense was broadcast and is available on the LabAR UFSC, click here to watch. Millenne Ohanna Selida Mihael Silva Barreto, supervised by Dr. Thiago Silveira and co-supervised by Dr. Marcelo Crivellaro, defended her undergraduate thesis, which took place on March 11, 2021. The Oceanography student and also member of LabAR, modeled the habitat suitability of Tubastraea spp. (sun coral) in the Brazilian coast, considering environmental and anthropic predictors, and evaluated the risk of invasion in protected areas.
The defense was broadcast on Youtube channel and can be acessed by clicking here. Marcelo Schuler Crivellaro PhD thesis was supervised by Prof. Dra. Bárbara Segal and co-supervised by Dr. Thiago Silveira, his defense took place on December 21, 2021. The PPGECO student and member of LabAR, made a series of recommendations for the control and monitoring of the sun coral, based on particle dispersion models and information on the reproductive biology and population ecology of the invasor. The results can also be applied to help combat other marine invasive species.
The defense was broadcast on LabAR UFSC's Youtube channel. It is available for access by clicking here. Júlia Alvarenga's master thesis was supervised by Prof. Dra. Bárbara Segal and co-supervised by Dr. Thiago Silveira, the defense took place on December 17, 2021. The PPGECO student and member of LabAR carried out a bibliographic review to assess the state of the art on species of the genus Tubastraea (sun coral) and to analyze whether knowledge about the sun coral is in line with the National Plan for Prevention, Control and Monitoring of Sun Coral (Tubastraea spp.) in Brazil.
The defense was broadcast and is available on the LabAR UFSC Youtube channel. Click here to access the complete video. Master's student Tainá Luchese Gaspar, supervised by Prof. Dra. Bárbara Segal, defended her master's thesis entitled "Coral Bleaching Events in the South Atlantic: Are Marginal Reefs Possible Climatic Refuges?" on the 16th of December 2021. The PPGECO student, member of PELD-ILOC and LabAR, evaluated the coral bleaching events that have already occurred in the South Atlantic through a bibliographic review and analyzed possible oceanographic factors that trigger them, such as incidence of light, sea water temperature and thermal anomalies, or attenuate them, such as turbidity. In addition, Tainá investigated the same oceanographic conditions of 23 representative reefs of the Brazilian coast in order to explore which regions were more exposed to thermal anomalies or turbid water conditions, which could mean, respectively, bleaching hotspots or refuges to conditions of thermal stress.
The defense was broadcast on the LabAR UFSC Youtube channel, click here to watch. |
REEF SYSTEMS ECOLOGY LAB.LabAR was created in 2010 by Prof. Bárbara Segal, PhD, and since then has been working on projects in the area of ecology and monitoring of reef systems, focusing on corals and the associated benthic community, seeking to understand the space-time dynamics of Brazilian reefs. Archives
February 2023
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