Dataset of macrobenthic species in urban coastal reef environments in Brazilian northeast.

This dataset presents the macrobenthic species occurrence frequency in four coastal intertidal reefs environment of Paraiba state Brazil. The species were classified in bioindicators groups based in morpho-anatomical, physiological and ecological characteristics. In the dry and wet season in each reef, the sampling units were randomly positioned and photographed inside a circular area with a 10 m radius. Thirty points were plotted over photos to quantify the percentage of species occurrence frequency. Taxons hard to identify by photo were grouped in a unique category. Currently, macrobenthic species are used as bioindicators of the local state of conservation by managing agencies. The population ecology monitoring of macrobenthic species with bioindicator potential is useful to recognize seasonal environmental patterns or local anthropic impactful. The research article on these data [1] will be published in the journal Ocean and Coastal Management for some interpretive insights. Title: Evaluation of the conservation status and monitoring proposal for the coastal reefs of Paraíba, Brazil: bioindication as an environmental management tool.

Multiple lines of evidence of sediment quality in an urban Marine Protected Area (Xixová-Japuí State Park, SP, Brazil).

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) aim to protect habitats, biodiversity, and ecological processes as a conservation tool. These areas have been affected by contamination, which threats the biodiversity and ecological functioning. In this study, we evaluated the sediment quality of Xixová-Japuí State Park (XJSP), an MPA located in an urbanized Bay (Santos, Southeast Brazil) by integrating multiple lines-of-evidence. Six sites were selected within the XJSP and analyzed for sediment chemistry, toxicity, and benthic community descriptors using Sediment Quality Triad approach (SQT). Whole-sediment Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) was employed as a complementary line of evidence to confirm the presence of domestic effluent discharges as a potential stressor. The SQT showed that sediments collected within XJSP are impacted by contaminants, exhibiting chronic toxicity and changes in benthic community. TIE results indicated that trace metals, organic contaminants, and ammonia contributed to the observed effects. Our results also indicate a lack of effectiveness of MPA in protecting the biodiversity due to the contamination sources, which requires efforts to pollution control in order to ensure the environmental conservation and management plan goals.

Ecological relevance of Sentinels' biomarker responses: a multi-level approach.

In response to the need for more sensitive and rapid indicators of environmental quality, sublethal effects on the lowest levels of biological organization have been investigated. The ecological relevance of these responses assumes a prevailing role to assure effectiveness as indicator of ecological status. This study aimed to investigate the linkages between biomarker responses of caged bivalves and descriptive parameters of macrobenthic community structure. For this purpose a multi-level environmental assessment of marine and estuarine zones was performed in São Paulo coast, Brazil. Multivariate analysis was applied to identify linkages between biological responses and ecological indices, as well as to characterizing the studied stations. Individuals of the marine mussel Perna perna caged along Santos Bay showed signs of oxidative stress, lysosomal membrane destabilization, histological alterations and reduced embryonic development. The estuarine oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae caged along Santos Port Channel showed alterations on biotransformation enzymes and antioxidant system, DNA damage and lysosomal membrane destabilization. The benthic community analysis showed reduced richness and diversity in the same areas of the Santos bay and estuary where biomarker responses were altered. Our results revealed that xenobiotics are inducing physiological stress, which may lead to changes of the benthic community structure and deterioration of the ecological status over time. Integrating biomarker responses and ecological indexes improved certainty that alterations found at community level could be related to xenobiotic as stressors, which was very useful to improve the discriminatory power of the environmental assessment.