Banca de DEFESA: MAIARA MENEZES

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : MAIARA MENEZES
DATE: 01/06/2023
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Anfiteatro das Aves - Centro de Biociências da UFRN
TITLE:

PRESENCE AND EFFECTS OF PLASTIC POLLUTION ON MARINE AND FRESHWATER FISH

KEY WORDS:

Plastic pollution; Aquatic ecosystems; Microplastic; Fish health; Food security

PAGES: 118
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Ecologia
SUMMARY:

The increase in plastic production and consumption in recent decades has been accompanied by a proportional increase in its disposal and accumulation in the environment, particularly in its potentially most polluting form, the microplastic (particles <5mm). The presence of this emerging pollutant in the environment invariably results in its interaction with organisms, potentially generating multiple effects on wildlife and human health. The scientific community has invested significant efforts to better understand such effects. However, some aspects are still unclear, while others are underexplored, especially at broader ecological scales involving ecosystem approaches and multiple levels of biological organization simultaneously. Studies in this context offer necessary advances to roaden the understanding of the threat of plastic pollution. Therefore, this thesis is organized into three chapters that investigate the plastic contamination in aquatic organisms, using fish as model organisms, and evaluate the potential effects of this contamination on physiological, functional and ecological aspects. Additionally, we will address the issue of food security, related to human consumption of potentially microplastic-contaminated marine species. In the first chapter, we tested whether exposure to microplastic can affect the health and performance of freshwater fishes, assessing biological factors from molecular to organismal level. In the second chapter, we conducted an in-situ experiment to test whether the presence of plastic in the environment influences the herbivory pressure of reef fishes, and consequently, their ecosystem function. And in the third chapter, we seek to estimate the degree of contamination in commercially relevant species in NE Brazil in order to point out the ecological and socioeconomic impacts of plastic pollution. With this thesis, we hope to contribute to the construction of a broader and more solid foundation regarding the impacts of plastic and microplastic on aquatic organisms and ecosystems.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externo à Instituição - LUÍS GABRIEL ANTÃO BARBOZA - UNIPORTO
Interno - 2319234 - GUILHERME ORTIGARA LONGO
Interno - 1362202 - JOSE LUIZ DE ATTAYDE
Presidente - 2412921 - JULIANA DEO DIAS
Externo à Instituição - MARIO BARLETTA - UFPE
Externo à Instituição - ROBSON GUIMARÃES DOS SANTOS - UFAL