Zum Inhalt springen

Reefs of the Western Tropical South Atlantic Ocean: Distribution, Environmental Impacts and Trends on Environmental Suitability Due to Climate Changes. In: Tropical Marine Environments of Brazil

  • Ruy Kenji Papa de Kikuchi
  • Zelinda Margarida de Andrade Nery Leão
  • Marilia de Dirceu Machado de Oliveira
  • Marcelo de Oliveira Soares
  • Maria Elisabeth De Araújo
  • João Lucas Leão Feitosa
  • Caroline Vieira Feitosa
  • Carlos Eduardo Rocha Duarte Alencar
  • Fulvio Aurélio Morais Freire

Abstract

Reefs that grow in the western tropical South Atlantic are known as marginal reefs because they thrive in environmental conditions (e.g., elevated turbidity) far from those considered to be the optimal conditions for framework builders (calcareous skeleton secreting organisms, such as corals). This is assumed to be one reason for the lower taxonomic richness in coral species and relatively higher endemism compared to reefs in other regions of the world, such as the Caribbean and the Pacific. These reefs, considered hot spots of biodiversity and home to turbidity-tolerant corals, are increasingly affected by local anthropogenic-driven impacts (pollution, dredging-related sedimentation, overfishing, unregulated tourism, and bioinvasions), global climate changes (warming, heatwaves, acidification, and sea-level rise) and their synergic effects. As a consequence, ecosystem goods and services are severely affected. Reef location in relation to the coastline and to urbanized areas are key points of vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. In this chapter, we synthesize the main characteristics of the distribution of reef and coralline ecosystems of the tropical southwestern Atlantic. Finally, we use three endemic coral species (Mussismilia hispida, Mussismilia harttii and Mussismilia braziliensis) as proxies of the reef ecosystem to evaluate the trend of environmental suitability across the Brazilian Tropical Marine region in the RCP8.5 scenario.

Zitiere diese Aktivität

de Kikuchi R.K.P., Leão Z.M.d.A.N., de Oliveira M.d.D.M., Soares M.d.O., De Araújo M.E., Feitosa J.L.L., Feitosa C.V., Alencar C.E.R.D. and Freire F.A.M. (2023) Reefs of the Western Tropical South Atlantic Ocean: Distribution, Environmental Impacts and Trends on Environmental Suitability Due to Climate Changes. In:. Tropical Marine Environments of Brazil (pp. 111-140). 10.1007/978-3-031-21329-8_5

Details

Forschungsschwerpunkte
Datum 28.04.2023
Volume 1
Seiten 111-140
Buchtitel Tropical Marine Environments of Brazil
ISBN 978-3-031-21328-1
ISSN 2366-3421
Open Access Closed Access
Open Access Status Closed Access
Eprints_link https://cris.leibniz-zmt.de/id/eprint/5154

Forschungs-Spektrum

Die Inhalte auf dieser Seite werden von den Autor:innen selbst gepflegt.