Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: ANDRESSA LIMA DA SILVA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : ANDRESSA LIMA DA SILVA
DATE: 26/11/2025
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: Sala Crustáceo (DOL/UFRN) e Google Meet (https://meet.google.com/zp y-eohe-sby)
TITLE:

IMPORTANCE OF STRUCTURAL COMPLEXITY IN THE DIVERSITY OF ORGANISMS ASSOCIATED WITH COASTAL REEFS IN BRAZIL

KEY WORDS:

Brazilian reefs; habitat structural complexity; reef fishes; benthic organisms; marine conservation

PAGES: 29
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Ecologia
SUMMARY:

The structural complexity of reefs shaped by both geological formations and the growth of bioconstructing organisms such as scleractinian corals is directly linked to the high biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by these habitats. This complexity increases the availability of microhabitats, feeding areas, and reproductive sites, which serve as safe refuges for a greater number of organisms. In the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific reefs, branching corals dominate and provide a high degree of three-dimensionality to the environment, thereby enhancing biodiversity. In contrast, Brazilian reefs are primarily dominated by massive coral species, which are generally less abundant and structurally less complex. Despite this, these corals play a crucial role in supporting reef ecosystems that are among the largest and richest in the South Atlantic. However, local and global threats, such as habitat destruction and ocean warming, are structurally simplifying reef habitats, flattening their features and making them more homogeneous. In this context, our objective was to assess the effects of structural complexity on the diversity of reef-associated organisms along the Brazilian coast. We conducted sampling in reef environments with different geological formations and varying levels of biodiversity across the states of Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, as well as in the Atol das Rocas Biological Reserve. During the study, we collected data on structural complexity and the diversity of benthic organisms and reef fishes, using standardized transects in each reef. These data were then analyzed to explore correlations between structural complexity and biological diversity. We hypothesize that the diversity of benthic organisms and reef fishes is positively related to areas with greater structural complexity. Given the intense and frequent threats faced by reef ecosystems, investigating the relationship between reef structure and biodiversity in Brazilian reefs is essential to understanding how habitat degradation, both direct (e.g., physical damage) and indirect (e.g., coral mortality), can affect reef ecosystem functioning.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - ***.178.178-** - EDSON APARECIDO VIEIRA FILHO - UESC-BA
Externa ao Programa - ***.007.366-** - KELLY YUMI INAGAKI - UFRN
Externa ao Programa - ***.618.874-** - MARIE-CHRISTINE RUFENER - UFRN