Hydrology, plankton, and corals of the Maracajaú reefs (Northeastern Brazil): an ecosystem under severe thermal stress

Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology

Elga Miranda Mayal²  Sigrid Neumann-leitão²  Fernando Antônio Do Nascimento Feitosa¹  Ralf Schwamborn²  Tâmara De Almeida E Silva¹  Maria Da Glória Gonçalves Da Silva-cunha¹ 

[1] ,Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Departamento de Zoologia Recife PE ,Brasil

关键词: Coral reefs;    hydrology;    plankton;    thermal stress;    human impacts;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S1516-89132009000300019

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

This study provides baseline information on the hydrological conditions and on the coral and plankton communities at the Maracajaú reef ecosystem (Northeastern Brazil). Studies were performed from February to June 2000, covering the transition from dry to rainy season. In this area, there is an offshore coral reef formation, where corals were observed in loco; the water samples were collected to obtain the hydrological and plankton data. Six scleractinian species were identified. Stable isotope analysis on the carbonate fraction of Favia gravida fragments showed that these corals were under severe thermal stress. Chlorophyll-a varied from 1.1 to 9.3 mg m-3, with higher values during the rainy season. Average zooplankton wet weight biomass were 117.0 (microzooplankton) and 15.7 mg m -3(mesozooplankton). A total of 136 Phytoplankton and 61 zooplankton taxa were identified. Seasonal forcing determined the phyto-micro-and mesozooplankton community structure, rather than the coastal-offshore gradient.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC   
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