Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Ambientais da Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (PPGCA/UNISUL), Cidade Universitária, Av. Pedra Branca, 25, Palhoça, SC, 88137-270, Brazil.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geodinâmica e Geofísica da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (PPGG/UFRN), Campus Universitário, Lagoa Nova, Natal, RN, 59072-970, Brazil.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2020 Apr;27(12):13637-13661. doi: 10.1007/s11356-019-07483-y. Epub 2020 Feb 7.
Coral communities worldwide are progressively more stressed by anthropogenic activities that increase fluxes of sediment and other pollutants to nearshore areas. Some nearshore coral reef environments off the Equatorial margin of Brazil, including Pirangi and Maracajaú, Rio Grande do Norte (RN, Brazil), seem to be under human-induced stress. However, the horizontal extent of this stress, its effects, and assessment of the environmental response depend on the hydrodynamic conditions (circulation and deposition patterns), sedimentary facies, and the availability of biological indicators. We investigate two Brazilian live reefal corals' communities by examining seven photosymbiont-bearing species (PSB) of Foraminifera, Amphisorus hemprichii, Amphistegina gibbosa, Archaias angulatus, Borelis schlumbergeri, Heterostegina antillarum, Peneroplis carinatus, and Laevipeneroplis proteus, using numerical analysis FORAM Index (FI), grain size, and particulate organic and inorganic carbonate. Here, we show that coarse sand fraction followed by fine sand fraction and high hydrodynamics plays an important role in transportation and deposition of sediments and foraminiferal tests in the study area. According to FI results, conditions at Pirangi are not suitable for coral reef growth. Maracajaú has sites that are suitable for coral reef growth and sites where coral could not survive after a stress event. We need long-term assessments to improve our knowledge of the distribution and ecological importance of Brazilian reef-dwelling foraminifers and to extend the application of FI to monitoring management plans of the Pirangi and Maracajaú National Marine Parks by providing a first insight into the biodiversity patterns and a reliable tool of the reconstruction of paleo reef health.
全球范围内的珊瑚群落正受到人类活动的影响，这些活动增加了沉积物和其他污染物向近岸地区的通量。巴西赤道边缘的一些近岸珊瑚礁环境，包括北里奥格兰德州的皮兰吉（Pirangi）和马拉卡茹（Maracajaú），似乎受到了人为压力的影响。然而，这种压力的水平范围、其影响以及对环境响应的评估取决于水动力条件（环流和沉积模式）、沉积相和生物指标的可用性。我们通过检查七种带有共生藻的有孔虫（PSB）——Foraminifera、Amphisorus hemprichii、Amphistegina gibbosa、Archaias angulatus、Borelis schlumbergeri、Heterostegina antillarum、Peneroplis carinatus 和 Laevipeneroplis proteus，研究了两个巴西活体珊瑚群落。我们使用数值分析 FORAM 指数（FI）、粒度以及颗粒有机和无机碳酸盐来研究这两个珊瑚群落。结果表明，粗砂粒级接着是细砂粒级和高水动力条件在研究区域的沉积物和有孔虫壳的搬运和沉积中起着重要作用。根据 FI 的结果，皮兰吉的条件不利于珊瑚礁生长。马拉卡茹有适合珊瑚礁生长的地点，也有在遭受压力事件后珊瑚无法生存的地点。我们需要进行长期评估，以提高我们对巴西礁栖有孔虫的分布和生态重要性的认识，并通过提供对生物多样性模式的初步了解和对古珊瑚礁健康的可靠重建工具，将 FI 应用于皮兰吉和马拉卡茹国家海洋公园的监测管理计划。
