O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar se a estrutura da comunidade da meiofauna, das famílias e dos gêneros de Nematoda apresentam alterações devido à atividade antrópica na área próxima a Estação Antártica Brasileira (CF), em comparação com um controle (BP). A densidade média (ind.10cm-²) da meiofauna total variou entre 7028 (? 1529) e 16245 (? 12282) nos 20-30 m e entre 1569 (? 928) e 7088 (? 10338) nos 50-60 m, corroborando os valores altos já descritos para a zona rasa antártica. Nematoda foi dominante (>90%), seguido de Nauplii e Copepoda. 65 gêneros e 3 subfamílias de Nematoda foram encontrados, pertencentes a 24 famílias. Daptonema, Halailamus, Dichromadora, Sabatieria, Aponema e Sphaerolaimus foram dominantes nas duas profundidades, mas tiveram densidades mais altas nos 20-30 m relacionadas à maior biomassa de clorofila a. Não foram identificadas alterações na estrutura da comunidade da meiofauna, das famílias ou gêneros de Nematoda que pudessem ter sido causados por impacto antrópico. Porém, a riqueza e a diversidade das famílias e dos gêneros de Nematoda foram menores em CF, o que sugere um possível impacto, sendo importante a continuidade do monitoramento e a inclusão de outras áreas de referência. O nível taxonômico de família foi o mais apropriado para um estudo de monitoramento da zona costeira rasa antártica, visando o melhor custo-benefício. / The aim of this study was to verify if meiofauna, Nematoda family and genera community structure show modification caused by human activities at the Brazilian Antarctic Station (CF), in relation to a reference area (BP). Mean meiofauna densities ( ind.10 cm-²) ranged from 7028 (? 1529) to 16245 (? 12282) at 20-30 m and from 1569 (? 928) and 7088 (? 10338) at 50-60 m, being high as already described for the Antarctic coastal zone. Higher densities at 20-30m were correlated to more chlorophyll a and sand. Nematoda were dominant (>90%) followed by Nauplii and Copepoda. 65 genera and 3 subfamilies of Nematoda were found, belonging to 24 families. Daptonema, Halailamus, Dichromadora, Sabatieria, Aponema and Sphaerolaimus were dominant at both depths, but had higher densities at 20-30 m, which were correlated to higher chlorophyll a biomasses. Analysis for all levels of taxonomic resolution, separated the samples between depths, but not between areas, so differences caused by human impact were not detected. Number of genera ranged from 12 to 34 and diversity from 1.57 to 4.22 bits/ind, both being higher at 50-60m at BP, suggesting that an impact might have occurred, so monitoring should continue and be extended to other control areas. Identification of Nematoda to family level would be enough to evaluate environmental impact of the coastal antarctic zone.

A fim de avaliar a influência do sistema estuarino de Santos sobre os Nematoda da plataforma continental adjacente, a densidade, composição genérica e diversidade desse grupo foram analisadas e relacionadas com o tipo de sedimento, teor de matéria orgânica e biomassa de fitopigmentos. Para isso, o sedimento foi coletado em seis estações, no inverno/2005 e verão/2006, com um amostrador do tipo box-corer, do qual foram retiradas amostras para a meiofauna com um tubo de 4,9 cm2 de área superficial e 10 cm de altura. Os Nematoda representaram mais de 95% da meiofauna, com densidades médias de 2472±1794 ind.10cm-2 no inverno/2005 e de 2606±2017 ind.10cm-2 no verão/2006. A influência do sistema estuarino de Santos restringiu-se às áreas na saída da baía de Santos e do canal de Bertioga e deu-se através do aporte de sedimentos finos e de matéria orgânica, que foi mais evidente no verão devido à maior pluviosidade. Nessas áreas foram observadas menores densidades e maior abundância de gêneros depositívoros, como Sabatieria e Terschellingia e da família Xyalidae. Nas outras estações rasas com sedimento arenoso, bem selecionado e com biomassa de clorofila-a relativamente alta, as densidades foram as mais altas e predominaram Chromadorita e Microlaimus, herbívoros/comedores de epistrato. Nas estações mais profundas, com sedimento mais finos, a densidade e diversidade foram menores e Sabatieria foi dominante. Portanto, além do sistema estuarino, a profundidade e o hidrodinamismo local, que determinam as condições sedimentares e tróficas, foram fatores importantes para as associações dos Nematoda. / To assess the influence of Santos estuarine system on the nematodes of the adjacent continental shelf, the density, composition and generic diversity of this group were analyzed and related to the sediment type, organic matter content and phytopigments biomass. The sediment was collected at six stations, in the winter of 2005 and summer of 2006, with a box-corer from which meiofauna samples were taken with a 4.9 cm2 superficial area and 10 cm height corer. Nematodes represented more than 95% of the total meiofauna, and their average densities were 2,472±1,794 ind.10cm-2 in the winter/2005 and 2,606±2,017 ind.10cm-2 in the summer/2006. The influence of Santos estuarine system was restricted to the closest areas to Santos bay and Bertioga channel and it was observed through the contribution of fine sediments and organic matter, which was more evident in the summer due to higher rainfall. In these areas, lower nematodes densities were found as higher abundance of deposit feeders genera, like Sabatieria and Terschellingia, and from the Xyalidae family. In the other shallow stations with well sorted sands and relatively high chlorophyll-a biomasses, densities were the highest and Chromadorita and Microlaimus, herbivorous/epistrate feeders, were predominant. In the deepest stations with finer sediments, the densities and diversities were the lowest and Sabatieria was dominant. Therefore, apart from the estuarine system, the depth and local hydrodynamics, which determines the sediment and trophic conditions, were important factors for the nematodes assemblages.

Submitted by Irene Nascimento (irene.kessia@ufpe.br) on 2017-05-03T16:18:00Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Tese Final_Sarmento VC_2016.pdf: 2305672 bytes, checksum: c8bdf580eaac22dceb68d43fc6514d41 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-03T16:18:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Tese Final_Sarmento VC_2016.pdf: 2305672 bytes, checksum: c8bdf580eaac22dceb68d43fc6514d41 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-26 / FACEPE / Os efeitos do aumento da emissão de gases do efeito estufa, como modificações na temperatura e bioquímica dos oceanos, já podem ser observados e é esperado que se intensifiquem no futuro, causando impactos negativos nos ecossistemas marinhos. O presente estudo teve como principal objetivo investigar os efeitos de diferentes níveis de pH e de temperatura da água do mar sobre as comunidades de meiofauna e de Copepoda Harpacticoida. Para isso foram realizados três experimentos: um experimento para avaliar o efeito de diferentes níveis de pH da água do mar sobre a comunidade de meiofauna do recife de coral do Parque Municipal Marinho do Recife de Fora (Porto Seguro, Bahia); um experimento para avaliar o efeito de diferentes cenários de mudanças climáticas (alterações simultâneas de temperatura e pH da água do mar) sobre a comunidade de meiofauna e de Copepoda Harpacticoida do recife de coral da Praia de Serrambi (Ipojuca, Pernambuco); e um experimento para avaliar o efeito da interação de diferentes níveis de pH e temperatura da água do mar sobre a associação de Copepoda Harpacticoida do costão rochoso da praia de Mounlt Batten (Plymouth, Inglaterra). Foram observadas modificações na estrutura da comunidade de meiofauna e harpacticóides, especialmente quando expostos ao aumento simultâneo de temperatura e acidificação da água do mar. Diferentemente, nos harpacticóides de área temperada coletados em zona de entremaré, os impactos do aumento de temperatura e acidificação foram observados apenas nos tratamentos mais severos. Devido à sensibilidade que os organismos da meiofauna apresentaram aos aumentos de temperatura e acidificação, os resultados apresentados aqui demonstram que o funcionamento trófico dos sistemas bentônicos pode estar seriamente ameaçado pelas mudanças climáticas. / The increase in greenhouse gas emissions has led to unprecedented atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Its impacts have been observed through changes in ocean temperature and biochemistry. However, intensifications of these changes are predicted for the future with serious consequences to marine ecosystems. This study aims to assess the potential effects of different levels of seawater pH and temperatures on meiofauna and harpacticoid copepods communities. For that, three experiments were performed: an experiment was done to assess the effect of different seawater pH on meiofauna community from the coral reefs of Recife de Fora Municipal Marine Park (Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil); an experiment was done to evaluate the effect of different climate change scenarios (simultaneous changes in seawater temperature and pH) on meiofauna and harpacticoid communities from the coral reefs of Serrambi beach (Ipojuca, Pernambuco, Brazil); and an experiment was done to evaluate the interactive effects of rising temperature and acidification on harpacticoid community from the rockyshore of Mount Batten beach (Plymouth, UK). Modifications on community structure of meiofauna and Copepod Harpacticoida were observed, especially when organisms were exposed to simultaneous increases in seawater temperature and acidification. Furthermore, harpacticoids from temperate region sampled at the intertidal zone, showed to be affected only at the most severe treatments. Due to the sensibility to ocean warming and acidification that meiofauna organisms exhibited, the results presented here highlights the risk that climate changes poses on the trophic functioning of benthic habitats.

published_or_final_version / Ecology and Biodiversity / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

In recent years there has been a desire to definitively catalogue the life on our planet. In light of the increasing extinction rates that are driven by human activities, it is unlikely that this will be achieved using traditional methods. Whilst most organisms which have a body size of more than 1cm have been described, the vast majority of animal life is smaller than this, collectively known as meiofauna, and is yet to be catalogued. Meiofaunal organisms present a range of problems for traditional taxonomy. Firstly they are microscopic, meaning that morphological features are often difficult to resolve. Secondly these creatures often exhibit cryptic diversity meaning that different species often look the same. Thirdly, it is often the case that the organisms are poorly described in the literature making it very difficult to confirm identification, assuming that someone has already described it. It is possible, however, to obtain DNA sequences from these organisms. DNA barcoding, the use of short sequences of DNA to identify individuals, is now commonly used in a wide range of applications. It has been proposed that a single target gene should be sufficient to describe all organisms this way. Barcodes can be acquired from individuals or from bulk extractions from environmental samples. In the latter case, many of the sequences obtained are novel and unlikely to ever have a type specimen associated with them. When this is the case, assessing the diversity of a sample becomes a computational exercise. However, as yet, there is no agreed standard method adopted for analyzing the barcodes produced. Indeed most methods currently employed lack objectivity. This thesis investigates the efficiency of a range of gene targets and analysis methods for DNA barcoding, with an emphasis on meiofaunal organisms (nematodes, tardigrades and thrips). DNA barcodes were generated for up to three genes for each specimen. Sequences for each gene were analysed using two programs, MOTU_define.pl and DOTUR. These programs use different methods to assign sequences to operational taxonomic units (OTU), which were then compared. An objective method for analysing sequences such as MOTU_define.pl, which relies on only the information contained in the sequences, was found to be most suitable for designating taxa. It does not attempt to apply evolutionary models to the data, and then infer taxa from the derived data. In addition to barcoding, some samples were pre-processed using video capture and editing (VCE). This creates a virtual slide of a specimen so that a sequence can be linked to a morphological identification. VCE proved to be an efficient method to preserve morphological data from specimens.

Se estudió la composición y distribución de la materia orgánica sedimentaria en términos de Carbohidratos, Lípidos y Proteínas, así como sus repercusiones sobre la estructura comunitaria de la meiofauna metazoaria (abundancia, biomasa y diversidad a nivel de grandes grupos), además, se estima su rol en el flujo de energía del sub-sistema bentónico mediante el cálculo de la producción secundaria y respiración frente a las costas de Perú Central, Callao (12ºS). Las muestras se recolectaron en el mes de Abril del año 2010, en u n gradiente batimétrico e n cinco estaciones: Estación E1 (48m) y E2 (93m) correspondiente a la plataforma interna, estación E3 (117m) correspondiente a la plataforma intermedia y la estación E4 (143m) y E5 (148m) correspondiente a la plataforma externa. En cada estación se determinaron parámetros fisicoquímicos como oxígeno disuelto, salinidad y temperatura. Asimismo se determinó el contenido de pigmentos otosintéticos (clorofila- a y feopigmentos) en la columna de sedimento. El meiobentos resultó poco diverso a nivel de grandes grupos, presentando biomasas y abundancias moderadamente altas, en el rango de valores típicos reportados para el sublitoral areno fangoso. Los nematodos dominaron la meiofauna metazoaria, constituyendo más del 90% de las densidade s totale s, seguido por el grupo Nemertea, Gastrotrichia y Polychaet a. Las abundancias y biomasas aumentaron hacia las localidades cercanas a la costa, correspondientes a estaciones menos profundas. La distribución vertical de organismos fue significativamente superior en los primeros centímetros de la columna de sedimento. Con respecto a los principales indicadores de calidad de Materia orgánica (Carbohidratos, Lípidos y Proteínas), presentaron mayores concentraciones lábiles hacia las estaciones más someras. Verticalmente, estas concentraciones disminuyeron hacia los centímetros subsuperficiales de la columna de sedimento. La estructura de la comunidad de meiobentos metazoario, estuvo influenciada por la cantidad de materia orgánica biodisponible en términos de sus principales componentes, mientras que la diversidad estuvo determinada por las concentraciones de oxígeno disuelto de fondo, asociadas a la señal remanente del evento El Niño 2009-2010.

A character data set suitable for cladistic analysis of tardigrades at the family level was developed. The data matrix consisted of 50 morphological characters from 15 families of tardigrades and was analyzed by maximum parsimony. Kinorhynchs, loriciferans and gastrotrichs were used as outgroups. The results agree with the currently accepted hypothesis that Eutardigrada and Heterotardigrada are distinct monophyletic groups. Among the eutardigrades, Eoyhypsibiidae was found to be a sister group to Macrobiotidae + Hypsibiidae, while Milnesiidae was the basal eutardigrade family. The basal heterotardigrade family was found to be Oreellidae. Echiniscoideans grouped with some traditional Arthrotardigrada (Renaudarctidae, Coronarctidae + Batillipedidae) suggesting that the arthrotardigrades are not monophyletic. An 18S rRNA phylogenetic hypothesis was developed and supports the monophyly of Heterotardigrada and of Parachela versus Apochela within the Eutardigrada. Mapping of habitat preference suggest that terrestrial tardigrades are the ancestral state. Molecular analysis of a sediment sample with an unusually large population of tardigrades had a higher diversity when compared to manual sorting and counting.

The meiofauna of a mangrove forest in the River Barwon estuary was studied by means of surveys and field experiments. Distinctive assemblages of meiofauna were described from the sediment and pneumatophores of the ecosystem. Fine resolution of phytal habitats was demonstrated, and particular assemblages of meiofauna were characteristic within habitat provided by dominant epibionts. Distribution of the meiofauna within leaf litter revealed high turnover rates of nematodes, and some factors controlling detrital assemblages were assessed. The vertical profile of sedimentary meiofauna was examined, and changes in abundance were related to the tychopelagic habit of many taxa at high tide. Dispersal within the water column was confirmed by pelagic trapping, and colonisation of mimic pneumatophores was investigated. The amount of algal cover, effects of grazing by gastropods, and rugosity of the colonised surface were shown to influence meiofauna colonisation of mimic pneumatophores. Establishment and persistence of patchy distributions of meiofauna at scales of less than 10 m in an intertidal environment was demonstrated, and it was concluded that this was due to the dynamic nature of assemblages rather than their integrity.

No description available.

Beach meiofauna were chosen as environmental indicators to investigate the impact of Illovo sugar by-products effluent. The effluent is pumped through a 20 cm diameter pipeline into surf zone at Sezela beach on the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Meiofaunal communities were considered appropriate indicators as they are relatively stable both qualitatively and quantitatively on a seasonal and year to year basis. Most meiofauna also do not have planktonic stages in their life cycles, respond rapidly to pollution due to their fast generation times, and they are often abundant with high species diversity in habitats which are subject to considerable natural physical and chemical fluctuations. In this particular study there was a specific concern about trace amounts of furfural in the effluent. Furfural has been used as the active ingredient in a product designed to kill parasitic nematodes in crop fields. A large proportion of the beach meiofauna consists of nematodes. Eight stations were sampled for meiofauna along the beaches at Sezela on 7 different occasions. Seasonal effects on meiofauna and meiofaunal recovery during the period when the factory was not pumping effluent to sea was assessed. Samples were taken on the following dates: 4 July 2000 (winter); 30 August 2000 (winter); 13 December 2000 (spring); 26 January 2001 (summer); 8 March 2001 (summer); 9 April 2001 (autumn); and 2 January 2002 (summer). PRIMER (Plymouth Routines in Multivariate Ecological Research) was used for statistical analysis and included various univariate indices such as species richness, species diversity and evenness. These indices were then analysed using one-way ANOVA to determine any significant difference between sites over the 7 sampling periods and between the different seasons. Clustering and Ordination multivariate analyses were carried out on the community data and physico/chemical data to determine community patterns and relate them to the effluent and environmental data. The Nematode/Copepod ratio was also calculated. Meiofauna were analysed at major taxa level, as well as to nematode feeding groups and harpacticoid copepod and annelid family level, to determine if analysis to major taxa level is adequate as an indicator of pollution impact. The analyses indicated a possible degree of impact at stations close to the effluent discharge when effluent was being pumped to sea and a recovery was noted at the station closest to the discharge when effluent was not being discharged and analysis was conducted to the major taxonomic rank only. No improved resolution was achieved by analysing some of the meiofaunal major taxa to family level or different feeding groups. The analysis of the Nematode/Copepod ratio was shown to correspond with the multivariate analyses, however, this ratio could not reveal the severity of the impact where both nematodes and harpacticoids i.e. total meiofauna had been reduced by adverse conditions. The physical and chemical variables that showed the greatest correlation with the meiofaunal community patterns were sediment grain size, dissolved oxygen and salinity. There was a very strong positive correlation between Kjeldahl nitrogen in the interstitial waters and total numbers of meiofauna. This and the relationship with salinity may have suggested other possible sources of influence such as enrichment from the three estuaries in the area as well as a storm water drain located 150m north of the effluent discharge. A seasonal effect was observed with increased meiofauna numbers in autumn, but this was possibly influenced by the periods when effluent was not being pumped to sea. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2007.