Estrutura funcional de comunidades de peixes marinhos costeiros do atlântico sul ocidental

Abstract

Coastal marine fish communities play an important role in productivity, food chains stability and connectivity between habitats, being fundamental in the marine ecosystems functioning. In the South Atlantic, the structure of communities is a result of river discharge dynamics, precipitation and resource availability, which can influence not only the composition, but the functional diversity of these communities. Understanding the functional structure of these communities is essential not only for sustainable resource management, but also for the effective conservation of coastal ecosystems. In this context, the research investigates the taxonomic and functional diversity and the factors that influence fish communities in muddy coastal environments in the South-West Atlantic. The results reveal significant differences in the taxonomic composition between the areas studied, explained in part by the distribution of the estuaries of the region. The presence of different pools of species in coastal areas results in different patterns of fish biodiversity, going beyond the simple richness and abundance of species. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the structure and dynamics of fish communities in muddy coastal environments. Furthermore, analysis of data on a regional scale demonstrates distinct patterns of species distribution and composition throughout the southwestern provinces of the South Atlantic, indicating the influence of environmental and biogeographic factors on the taxonomic and functional structure of communities. These results can significantly contribute to the knowledge of marine ecology in the region and provide important subsidies for the conservation of marine biodiversity in the region.