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Four-year monthly sediment deposition on turbid southwestern Atlantic coral reefs, with a comparison of benthic assemblages

Abstracts

High sedimentation is often related to stress in coral reef communities. Most southwestern Atlantic reefs are characterized by high sedimentation. However, there are no temporal series of sediment deposition rates. We evaluated sediment deposition, the sediment carbonate composition and coral and zoanthid covers on six reefs in Brazil over four-years. Sediment deposition rates varied from near zero to 233 mg cm-2 day-1, with peaks between August and December, and yearly averages ranging from nine to 104 mg cm-2 day-1. Deposition rates presented site-specific correlations with wind, indicating that resuspension must be a major factor. The presence of carbonates varied from 38% to 90%, with two sites showing seasonal differences. Benthic communities were fairly similar among sites, but the analyses suggested particular frequencies at each site. There was no significant correlation between sediment and benthic communities. However, Palythoa caribaeorum usually occur in high sediment deposition areas. Our results did not corroborate previous data that suggested that a 10 mg cm-2 day-1 would be a "critical limit for coral survival". Some coral reefs may be associated with high sedimentation environments including carbonatic fractions, but which does not per se hinder the development of southwestern Atlantic coral reef communities.

Benthic communities; Coral; Coral reef; Environmental conditions; Sedimentation; Zoanthid


A sedimentação é freqüentemente relacionada a estresse em recifes de coral. Os recifes do Atlântico sul ocidental possuem grande sedimentação, entretanto carecem de séries temporais das taxas de deposição de sedimento. Foram avaliadas estas taxas e a composição carbonática do sedimento, além da cobertura de corais e zoantídeos em seis recifes brasileiros durante quatro anos consecutivos. A deposição variou de zero a 233 mg cm-2 dia-1, com picos entre agosto e dezembro e médias anuais variando de nove a 104 mg cm-2 dia-1. As taxas de deposição apresentaram correlação com o vento, indicando que a ressuspensão deve ser o fator preponderante. A contribuição do carbonato variou de 38% a 90%, com dois locais apresentando diferenciação sazonal. As comunidades bênticas foram similares entre locais, entretanto as análises sugerem freqüencias diferenciadas para cada local. Não houve correlação significativa entre sedimentação e a comunidade bêntica. Entretanto, maior cobertura de Palythoa caribaeorum normalmente ocorreu em áreas de maior sedimentação. Nossos resultados não corroboraram resultados prévios sugerindo que 10 mg cm-2 dia-1 seria "limite crítico para sobrevivência" dos corais. Recifes brasileiros podem estar associados a ambientes de alta deposição de sedimento com elevadas frações carbonáticas, o que não impede o desenvolvimento das comunidades recifais do Atlântico sul ocidental.

Comunidade bêntica; Coral; Recife de coral; Condições ambientais; Sedimentação; Zoantídeo


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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    15 May 2012
  • Date of issue
    Mar 2012

History

  • Received
    18 Feb 2011
  • Accepted
    30 Jan 2012
  • Reviewed
    02 Dec 2011
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