Coral reef benthic assemblages of a Marine Protected Area in eastern Brazil: effect of reef habitats on the spatial pattern of species

ABSTRACT

In this study, we recognise the current physiographic characteristics of the Recife de Fora Marine Park (Royal Charlotte Bank, eastern Brazil) and describe the spatial pattern of the benthic community through reef habitats. Benthic assemblages differed from sectors and habitats, showing a marked coastal oceanic gradient. The results indicate that local environmental factors, such as coastal influence, exposure to waves, light radiation, and substrate inclination exert a strong influence on the structure of benthic communities. Seagrass banks predominated in the coastal sector, characterised by calm waters and greater influence of the continent. The reef walls showed high species richness, suggesting the formation of vertical light and temperature gradients. The oceanic sector showed a lower inclination of the substrate and was widely dominated by algae. Patch reefs encompass complementary physical conditions that are equivalent to those presented by other habitats, highlighting their importance with regard to the representation of physical and biological aspects of the local reef system. The main indicating organisms/categories suggest a balance between reef accretion and erosion processes. We emphasise the need for a continuous and standardised monitoring programme in order to understand the drivers of change in the distribution patterns of the communities, as well as to provide subsidies for conservation measures and adaptive management. The Recife de Fora Marine Park provides an interesting case study to explore the biophysical influences on benthic ecology and the dynamics of Brazilian shallow reefs.

KEYWORDS:

• Recife de Fora
• benthic communities
• patch reefs
• endemic species

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the Municipal Environment of Porto Seguro for granting permission to conduct this study in the Marine Park Recife de Fora (MPRF); B Segal, C Barbosa, C Castro, D Pires, L Loiola and R Arantes for ideas in the design of this study; and H Pinheiro for help with the maps. Thanks also to Alexandra Maria Camilo, for the English revision (Fulbright English Teaching Assistant of Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz). For assistance with fieldwork, we thank A Santos, A Winter, B Mello, B Ribeiro, C Longuini, C Santana, D Xavier, E do Carmo, F Dias, F Negrão, G Teixeira, J Almeida, J Cuevas, L Corvacho, M Mantelatto, R Arantes, R Guedes and T Melo; we also thank the Coral Vivo Project, sponsored by Petrobras through the Petrobras Socioenvironmental programme and co-sponsored by the Arraial D’Ajuda EcoParque, for financial and logistical support for fieldwork.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq) [productivity grant for AS (304809/2013-6)]; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) [PhD fellowship to ECT, post-doctoral fellowship to ENC (CIMAR II process: 23038.001419/2014-61].