Long-term changes in macroalgae assemblages reveal a gradual biodiversity loss over the last 200 years in the hypereutrophic Guanabara Bay.

Guanabara Bay, the second largest bay on the Brazilian coast, has tropical to subtropical, hypereutrophic water conditions. A survey of the macroalgae flora conducted over the past 200 years (1800-2013) yielded a list of 245 species, which represents 15.7% of the total macroalgae recorded in the Tropical Western Atlantic, while comprehends 29.

New diagnostic characters for the order Sporolithales (Corallinophycidae, Rhodophyta).

The diagnosis of the order Sporolithales is currently restricted to tetrasporangial anatomy. Until recently, there were few reports about gametangial, and more specifically carposporangial material for the Sporolithales. This study provides the first detailed observations of the anatomy of the mature carposporophyte phase from three species of Sporolithales commonly found in rhodolith beds from Brazil: Sporolithon episporum, S.

Marine biodiversity in the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of South America: knowledge and gaps.

The marine areas of South America (SA) include almost 30,000 km of coastline and encompass three different oceanic domains--the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the Atlantic--ranging in latitude from 12∘N to 55∘S. The 10 countries that border these coasts have different research capabilities and taxonomic traditions that affect taxonomic knowledge. This paper analyzes the status of knowledge of marine biodiversity in five subregions along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of South America (SA): the Tropical East Pacific, the Humboldt Current,the Patagonian Shelf, the Brazilian Shelves, and the Tropical West Atlantic, and it provides a review of ecosystem threats and regional marine conservation strategies.

Diterpenes from the Brown Alga Dictyota crenulata.

The crude extract of the Brazilian brown alga Dictyota crenulata was analyzed by NMR spectroscopy and HRGC-MS techniques. Seven diterpenes were identified: pachydictyol A, dictyodial, 4beta-hydroxydictyodial A, 4beta-acetoxydictyodial A, isopachydictyol A, dictyol C and dictyotadiol. Xeniane diterpenes have previously been found in D.

Is the mussel test a good indicator of antifouling activity? A comparison between laboratory and field assays.

Current antifouling technologies rely on metal-based paints, but due to their toxicity, an expected worldwide ban of organotin-containing paints is now prompting the quest for safe and effective alternatives. One of these is antifouling coatings whose active components are naturally occurring compounds in marine organisms. A number of laboratory bioassays has been designed to search for antifouling compounds.

The effect of iron-ore particles on the metal content of the brown alga Padina gymnospora (Espírito Santo Bay, Brazil).

The iron-ore particles discharged by a pellet processing plant (Espírito Santo Bay, Brazil) cover the seabed of Camburi Beach and consequently, the epibenthic community. In order to determine the importance of the contribution of the iron-ore deposits to the metal concentration in macroalgae of Espirito Santo Bay, four methods of cleaning particulate material adhered to the surface of thalli were tested prior to metal tissue analysis (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) of Padina gymnospora. In addition, heavy metal concentrations were determined in individuals of P.

Inhibitory effect of extracts of Brazilian marine algae on human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-induced syncytium formation in vitro.

Extracts from four species of Brazilian marine algae collected from the Rio de Janeiro State coast were screened to determine the inhibitory effect on HTLV-1-induced syncytium formation. Before performing the syncytium inhibition assay the 50% cytotoxic dose (CyD50) of the algal extracts was evaluated. The antiviral test was carried out in HeLa cells co-cultured with HTLV-I infected T-cell line (C91/PL cells) in the presence of marine algal extracts in the concentration inferior to that corresponding to the CyD50.