Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: FABRICIO CLAUDINO DE ALBUQUERQUE

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : FABRICIO CLAUDINO DE ALBUQUERQUE
DATE: 16/06/2025
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: SALA DE REUNIÕES DO DECOL/CB/UFRN e e via Google Meet (https://meet.google.com/hnm-zdud-afa)
TITLE:

BIODIVERSITY AND FOOD SECURITY: THE ROLE OF REEF AND ESTUARINE FISHES FOR COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTHEAST OF BRAZIL

KEY WORDS:

Global change; Defaunation; Overfishing; Small-scale fisheries; Artisanal fisheries; Nutrition.

PAGES: 85
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Ecologia
SUMMARY:

Fishing in tropical coastal ecosystems is fundamental to food security and integrity of traditional communities, who depend on fisheries resources for their livelihoods. The Southwest Atlantic harbors high diversity and endemism of fishes, but the marine ecosystems in this region are facing increasing threats, including climate change and overexploitation. As fish stocks and biodiversity decline, local communities risk losing their main source of income, protein and nutrients such as omega-3. Understanding the role of local fishery resources for the quality of life of traditional communities is a key element in marine biodiversity conservation. In this work, we evaluate the contributions of marine fish to the diet and the potential impacts of species decline on the supply of nutrients in traditional communities of Northeast Brazil. To do this, we used an approach that combines semi-structured interviews with fishermen and the nutritional composition and functional traits of fishes. In the first chapter we investigate the potential contribution of fish diversity caught in the mangroves of the Northeast to the diet of coastal communities. We used and compared information on the levels of five nutrients (calcium, iron, selenium, zinc and omega-3) in 17 fish species caught in the region's estuaries, as well as cattle, chicken, pork and ultra-processed meat. We observed that fish have a wide nutritional diversity, with high concentration of nutrients. Notably, fish have higher levels of calcium and omega-3, and similar levels of iron, selenium and zinc when compared to other proteins of animal origin.In the second chapter, we used nutritional and ecomorphological data from fish species caught by small-scale fisheries in the coastal zone of the Rio Grande do Norte and Pernambuco states to understand how species loss can affect nutrient supply in fishing communities in this region. Using species' nutritional information, we calculated the nutritional space occupied by fishes. We then simulated local extinction based on body size, trophic level, vulnerability level, nutritional value and random removals of species to estimate the impact on nutritional space. We found that marine fish are the main source of animal protein for fishermen, providing around a third of their monthly intake of animal proteins. Marine fishes can also account for up to two-thirds of the nutritional diversity available to fishermen, providing mainly calcium, selenium and omega-3. In addition, our simulations suggest that the loss of a quarter of fish species could reduce the multidimensional nutritional space by more than 70%. In the third chapter, we assess the role of reef fishes to food security of fishing communities in two states in the northeast of Brazil: Rio Grande do Norte and Pernambuco. Through interviews with fishermen, we collected data on the current frequency of animal-based food consumption and on fish consumption over the last three decades. We also collected samples of 17 species of fish caught on reefs of these states to quantify the content of calcium, iron, selenium, zinc and omega-3, and to assess the contribution of fishes to the recommended daily nutrient intake. Our hypotheses are that i) fish are the main source of animal-based protein for fishermen, given their easy access to this food resource and ii) that current fish consumption will be lower than three decades ago in both states. We also expect that iii) fish will offer relevant contributions to the daily intake of nutrients, especially calcium, omega-3 and selenium, which are commonly abundant in fish. Through this study, we expect to generate relevant information to support sustainable practices and environmental policies aimed at protecting biodiversity and safeguarding the livelihoods of traditional communities on the Northeast coast of Brazil.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 2319234 - GUILHERME ORTIGARA LONGO
Externa ao Programa - 3859825 - MICHELLE CRISTINE MEDEIROS JACOB - nullExterna à Instituição - NATÁLIA CARVALHO ROOS - UFF