Pedro Bastos de Macedo Carneiro

Increased anthropogenic pressure decreases species richness in tropical intertidal reefs

Multiple human stressors affect tropical intertidal sandstone reefs, but little is known about their biodiversity and the environmental impacts of these stressors. In the present study, multiple anthropogenic pressures were integrated using the relative environmental pressure index (REPI) and related to benthic community structure across an intertidal gradient in five sandstone reefs in the tropical South Atlantic coast. Greater species richness and diversity were noted in the low intertidal zones. There was a negative relationship between REPI and species richness, suggesting that increasing anthropogenic pressure has decreased benthic richness. The factors associated with the loss of richness were jetties built to control erosion, urban areas, beachfront kiosks and restaurants, fish markets, and storm sewers with illegal sewage connections. Our results highlight the need for better infrastructure planning and rigorous monitoring of coastal urban areas, since the large influence of multiple human pressures in these reefs leads to biodiversity losses.

Assessment of DNA damage in goat preantral follicles after vitrification of the ovarian cortex

Effective methods for gamete preservation should have low impact on DNA integrity. The present study investigated the effects of vitrification of goat ovarian tissues on the occurrence of DNA fragmentation and DNA double-stand breaks using the terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end-labelling (TUNEL) assay and detection of phosphorylated histone H2AX (γH2AX), respectively. Goat ovaries were collected at a local abattoir and 12 tissue fragments were prepared from each ovarian pair. Tissue fragments were used as fresh control samples or were cultured in vitro, vitrified or vitrified and cultured. Vitrification was performed using the Ovarian Tissue Cryosystem. Fragments from all groups (control and treatments) were processed for histology, transmission electron microscopy, TUNEL assay and immunofluorescence. Compared with fresh control samples, a lower percentage of morphologically normal follicles was detected in the vitrification followed by culture treatment group (P<0.05). Normal follicular ultrastructure was observed in all groups. Immunofluorescence revealed the presence of γH2AX foci in few oocytes and ovarian stromal cells. TUNEL-positive follicles were found in samples without significant differences among groups (P>0.05). In conclusion, the vitrification protocol used in the present study did not increase DNA damage in preantral follicles enclosed in goat ovarian tissues.

Influence of the shoot density of Halodule wrightii Ascherson from rocky and sandy habitats on associated macroalgal communities

on the composition of the associated algal community, in rocky and sandy habitats on the coast of Ceara in northeastern Brazil. The phycological community included 18 species in 10 families, members of Rodophyta (72.2%), Chlorophyta (22.2%) and Phaeophyceae (5.5%). The largest proportion were epilithic (50%), followed by epiphytes on

New records of red seaweeds to the coast of Ceará State, northeastern Brazil

(New records of red seaweeds to the coast of Ceará State, Northeastern Brazil). A recent fl oristic survey of Rhodophyta from Ceará State, Brazil (02o46’30’’-07o52’15’’S and 37o14’54’’-41o24’45’’W), revealed the occurrence of 113 species distributed into 14 orders, 28 families and 63 genera. Of these, 18 species belonging to seven orders are new records; some of them poorly described and illustrated in the literature or cited only checklists. Therefore, aiming to expand the taxonomic knowledge about these poorly known species, we present detailed descriptions, illustrations, and comments on related taxa. The occurrence of Ceratodictyon scoparium is confi rmed for the South Atlantic coast. The male gametophytes of Dohrniella antillarum var. brasiliensis and tetrasporophytes of Gracilariopsis silvana are illustrated for the fi rst time. Ceramium fujianum is a new addition to northeastern Brazil. Among the new records, Callithamnion corymbosum, Ceramium clarionense, C. fujianum and C. scoparium showed a signifi cant expansion of their geographic distribution along the Brazilian coast. Most of the newly recorded species are fi lamentous, small-sized or tufted algae, highlighting the need for new collections to detect the presence of these components.