Human impact on the benthic macrofauna of two beach environments with different morphodynamic characteristics in southern Brazil

Abstracts

Pollution, exploitation of resources, erosion and recreational activities produce the most common impacts that somehow alter the natural balance of beach ecosystems. The aim of this study was to compare the richness and abundance of the benthic macrofauna of two sectors, one non-urbanized and the other urbanized, on each of two morphodynamically different beaches. Sectors of each beach were analyzed taking into account morphodynamic, anthropogenic (recreational activities) and ecological aspects. Morphodynamically, one of the beaches presented sediment formed of fine sand with a gentle slope and morphodynamism with dissipative characteristics. The other was of sediment formed of medium sand with a steep profile and of intermediate to reflective morphodynamic characteristics. On both beaches during the summer, the urbanized sector was frequented by a greater number of users than the non-urbanized sector. On the beach with dissipative morphodynamism, negative relationships were observed between user abundance and the species Bledius bonariensis, Donax hanleyanus, Thoracophelia furcifera, Excirolana armata, Phoxocephalopsis sp. and Tholozodium rhombofrontalis. On the beach with intermediate to reflective morphodynamics, low abundances of Atlantorchestoidea brasiliensis and Excirolana braziliensis were recorded in the urbanized sector. Thus the results of this study suggest the use of certain species as indicators of human impacts on beach ecosystems.

Sandy beaches; Morphodynamics; Macroinfauna; Recreational activity

Poluição, exploração de recursos, erosão e atividades recreativas são os impactos mais comuns que de alguma forma alteram o equilíbrio natural do ecossistema praial. O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar a riqueza e a abundância da macrofauna bentônica entre um setor não urbanizado e outro urbanizado de duas praias morfodinamicamente distintas. Os setores de cada praia foram analisados levando em consideração aspectos morfodinâmicos, antrópicos (atividades recreativas) e ecológicos. Morfodinamicamente, uma das praias apresentou sedimentos formados por areia fina, suave inclinação e morfodinamismo com características dissipativas. A outra praia apresentou sedimentos formados por areia média, perfil íngreme e características morfodinâmicas entre intermediárias a refletivas. Em ambas as praias, durante o verão, o setor urbanizado apresentou maior abundância de usuários do que o setor não urbanizado. Na praia com morfodinamismo dissipativo, relações negativas foram observadas entre a abundância de usuários e a dos organismos Bledius bonariensis, Donax hanleyanus, Thoracophelia furcifera, Excirolana armata, Phoxocephalopsis sp. e Tholozodium rhombofrontalis. Já na praia com morfodinamismo intermediário a refletivo, foram registradas baixas abundâncias de Atlantorchestoidea brasiliensis e Excirolana braziliensis no setor urbanizado. Assim, os resultados do presente estudo sugerem a utilização de algumas espécies como indicadores de impactos antrópicos nos ecossistemas praiais.

Praias arenosas; Morfodinâmica; Macroinfauna; Atividade recreativa

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Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  18 July 2012
• Date of issue
  June 2012

History

• Received
  24 Feb 2011
• Accepted
  20 Mar 2012
• Reviewed
  20 Oct 2011