Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: ARISTON PEREIRA DOS SANTOS

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : ARISTON PEREIRA DOS SANTOS
DATE: 21/08/2025
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: Google Meet (https://meet.google.com/niu-kapr-jmc)
TITLE:

THE SILENCE OF THE INVISIBLE: HOW BENTHIC CHANGE HAS RESHAPED THE BETA DIVERSITY OF CRYPTOBENTHIC FISHES IN FERNANDO DE NORONHA

KEY WORDS:

Cryptobenthic ichthyofauna; marine substrate; beta diversity; temporal shifts; indicator species

PAGES: 47
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Ecologia
SUMMARY:

Cryptobenthic reef fishes (CRBs) are fundamental components of reef biodiversity, playing a key role in energy transfer and the ecological stability of coastal ecosystems. However, their small size and cryptic behavior hinder continuous monitoring and the assessment of environmental impacts on this ichthyofaunal assemblage. This study evaluated temporal variations in density, richness, and composition of CRBs between the years 2000 and 2023/2024 in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, correlating these ecological parameters with the structure of the benthic substrate. Thirteen species belonging to four CRB families, Gobiidae, Blenniidae, Labrisomidae, and Tripterygiidae, were analyzed based on data obtained through standardized visual censuses conducted in 14 areas of the archipelago during four field expeditions in 2023 and 2024. These data were compared with a previous study conducted in 2000 using multivariate analyses (PCA, PERMANOVA, NMDS, RDA), along with GAMLSS models and beta diversity metrics (Whittaker). The findings revealed significant changes in reef substrate cover, with a shift from builder organisms to algal mats and an increase in cyanobacteria abundance. These benthic changes led to a reorganization of CRB assemblages, with an increase in total abundance, reduced spatial variability, and taxonomic homogenization. Indicator species analysis showed the replacement of specialized taxa by more generalist and tolerant species. The results suggest a process of structural simplification of reef habitats, driven by anthropogenic pressures and climate change, with implications for the resilience and ecological functioning of cryptobenthic fish communities. This study highlights the importance of long-term monitoring and microhabitat conservation for maintaining functional biodiversity in marine environments.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 1378974 - LIANA DE FIGUEIREDO MENDES
Externo ao Programa - 1865104 - SERGIO MAIA QUEIROZ LIMA - nullExterno à Instituição - TIEGO LUIZ DE ARAÚJO COSTA - ISI-ER