Analysis of marine diversity and anthropogenic pressures on Seixas coral reef ecosystem (northeastern Brazil).

Coral reefs, vital and ecologically significant ecosystems, are among the most jeopardized marine environments in the Atlantic Ocean, particularly along the northeastern coast of Brazil. The persistent lack of effective management and conservation has led to fragmented information on reef use and pressures, hindering the understanding of these ecosystems' health. Major difficulties and challenges include inadequate data, diverse anthropogenic pressures, and the complex interaction between marine species.

An Overview of Rhodoliths: Ecological Importance and Conservation Emergency.

Red calcareous algae create bio-aggregations ecosystems constituted by carbonate calcium, with two main morphotypes: geniculate and non-geniculate structures (rhodoliths may form bio-encrustations on hard substrata or unattached nodules). This study presents a bibliographic review of the order Corallinales (specifically, rhodoliths), highlighting on morphology, ecology, diversity, related organisms, major anthropogenic influences on climate change and current conservation initiatives. These habitats are often widespread geographically and bathymetrically, occurring in the photic zone from the intertidal area to depths of 270 m.

Checklist of water mites from mainland Portugal and its archipelagos.

This study focuses on aquatic mites from the Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone, including the mainland area, and Madeira and Azores archipelagos, aiming at compiling all existing information and generating a list of species and all their data on collecting sites. For the present work, we consider aquatic species, those that inhabit the marine, deep sea, intertidal, freshwater, transition water or brackish environments, with life-cycle occurring entirely at water habitats or their vicinity. Furthermore, breeding should take place in water aquatic lifestyles.

Marine invertebrates associated with rhodoliths/maërl beds from northeast Brazil (State of Paraíba).

Background: This study investigates the marine macroinvertebrate fauna of rhodolith beds (non-geniculated red corallinaceaous algae) in northeast Brazilian. A total of 57 species were identified, belonging to six phyla (Platyhelminthes, Annelida, Sipuncula, Mollusca, Arthropoda and Echinodermata), of which 50 are considered here as new records for the Paraíba State. Annelids (Class Polychaeta) were the most representative taxa in Miramar and Seixas Beaches, while molluscs were dominant in Maceió Beach.