Subtidal benthic marine algae of the Todos os Santos Bay, Bahia State, Brazil

Abstract

The Todos os Santos bay is a Brazilian coastal marine area that was appointed as top priority for biological conservation. However, there are still too few studies about the local composition of marine communities. The aim of the present investigation was to survey the diversity of marine algae in the sub-tidal zone around the reefs of the Todos os Santos bay. Samples from seven different sites in the bay were obtained by scuba diving through qualitative and quantitative methods, being the collections repeated in rainy and dry seasons. One-hundred and forty-two taxa were found: 31 Chorophyta, 27 Ochrophyta, 83 Rhodophyta, and one Macrophyte. Higher diversity and evenness indices were found during the dry season. Sargassum spp., Dictyopteris delicatula, and Halimeda opuntia were the most abundant macroalgae in the bay. Greatest number of species and most abundant samples were obtained in the oceanic region of the bay, while fewer species and less abundant samples were obtained in areas that are more exposed to the effects of human disturbance. The composition of the flora and abundance of macroalgae in each area of Todos os Santos bay seem to be determined by the quality of local seawater (i.e. degree of eutrophication). Keywords: Macroalgae, tropical bay, reef formation, eutrophication. RESUMO ALGAS MARINHAS BENTÔNICAS DO INFRALITORAL DA BAÍA DE TODOS OS SANTOS (BAHIA, BRASIL). Apesar da Baía de Todos os Santos (BTS) ser considerada uma área de extrema importânciabiológica para a conservação da zona costeira brasileira, poucos estudos sobre as comunidades marinhas de seus ecossistemas foram realizados até o momento. Neste sentido, o objetivo deste trabalho é o de caracterizar a diversidade de algas marinhas do sub-litoral das formações recifais da BTS. Dois tipos de amostragem foram realizados: uma qualitativa e outra quali-quantitativa em sete locais de coleta. Foram identificados 142 táxons, sendo 31 Chlorophyta, 27 Ochrophyta e 83 Rhodophyta, e uma fanerógama marinha. Foi observada uma tendência a maiores valores de diversidade e equitabilidade na época seca. Sargassum spp., Dictyopteris delicatula e Halimeda opuntia foram os táxons que mais contribuíram para a abundância de macroalgas na BTS. O maior número de táxons e os maiores valores de biomassa foram encontrados em local voltado para o mar aberto, enquanto que, os menores valores foram encontrados em locais com algum tipo de distúrbio antrópico. A distribuição da flora e da abundância de macroalgas da BTS é determinada pela condição de eutrofização de cada um dos locais estudados. Palavras-chave: Macroalga, baía tropical, formação recifal, eutroficação. 5.indd 2293/11/2008 15:36:18

Composition and Distribution of Deep Water Macroalgae Species from the Continental Shelf of Sergipe State, Brazil

“…Similar results to this study were obtained in other surveys of subtidal flora performed by Yoneshigue-Valentin et al (2006) for the REVIZEE Program for benthic diversity of the Brazilian continental shelf, as well by Marins et al (2008) for Todos os Santos Bay, in the state of Bahia. In these studies, the Ceramiales, Dictyotales and Bryopsidales orders were the most abundant.…”

“…More recent investigations have been conducted into the phycological flora of the subtidal region of Gaibu Beach on the coast of Pernambuco (Pereira et al 2007 b), Arvoredo Island in Santa Catarina , Todos os Santos Bay in Bahia (Marins et al 2008), Cabo Frio island in Rio de Janeiro (Villaça et al 2008), the setentrional coast of the Bacia do Potiguar in Rio Grande do Norte (Cocentino et al 2010) and on Santo Aleixo Island in Pernambuco (Carvalho et al 2013). Studies have also been undertaken involving the rhodoliths beds found along the Brazilian coast (Riul et al 2009, Amado-Filho et al 2010, and Francini-Filho et al 2013.…”

Community structure of shallow rocky shore fish in a tropical bay of the southwestern Atlantic

“…Relationship between fish communities and environmental variables Subtidal benthic communities on rocky shores are likely to have a less diverse algae community in the Todos os Santos bay (MARINS et al, 2008). In the present study, turf algae cover was the dominant benthic organism by far.…”

The Structure of Subtidal Macroalgal Assemblages at the Tamoios Ecological Station, a Threatened Conservation Unit in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

“…Sargassum beds constitute an important link between benthic primary producers and several levels of consumers (DUBIASKI-SILVA;MASUNARI, 2008;JACOBUCCI et al, 2009). The abundance of brown algae in the benthic communities, mainly Sargassum, suggests that the rocky shores of the study area had not been subjected to organic pollution (CECERE et al, 1991;BERCHEZ;OLIVEIRA, 1992;FURNARI, 1999;COLEMAN et al, 2008;MARINS et al, 2008).…”