Abundância e vitalidade do coral solitário Scolymia SSP. no Brasil: comparação entre um sistema costeiro e um oceânico

Abstract

Coral reefs are one of the most valuable ecosystems on Earth. However, they have suffered declines over the past four decades. The main factors responsible for the mass mortality of corals are bleaching and disease. In Brazil diseases in corals proliferated up since 2005, threatening to wipe out some of the major endemic species and reef builders. On a global scale, the proliferation of diseases and bleaching is related to the increase in the temperature of the sea surface, while the main factors at the local scale are adding nutrients and proliferation of macroalgae in coastal waters. Despite the recognition of the influence of these factors on the vitality of corals, there is little information about the relative contribution of these different threats. The effects of global impacts can be better understood from comparative studies of coastal areas and control areas isolated and distant from the coast (eg oceanic islands), since the latter suffer less or are free of local impacts. This work has as main objectives: 1) To study the spatial and temporal dynamics in abundance and vitality of coral lone Scolymia wellsi the largest South Atlantic reef complex (Abrolhos Bank, BA), as well as to evaluate the influence of environmental variables and disorders anthropic this region and 2) compare the abundance and vitality of Scolymia spp. between a coastal system (Abrolhos Bank) and an oceanic system (Archipelago of São Pedro and São Paulo archipelago). Due to its geographic isolation, the archipelago is less susceptible to human impacts. Therefore, the results obtained here allow an assessment of the relative influence of local and global impacts on the abundance and vitality (ie proportion of tissue alive and healthy versus diseased tissue and dead) of Scolymia spp. in Brazil.