Anthropogenic pressure drives phytoplankton and zooplankton biodiversity homogenization in tropical coastal lagoons of different conservation statuses Gustavo Martins Rocha, Renata Caiado Cagnin, Sarah Karoline Rodrigues, Bethânia Dal’Col Lehrback, Kamila Cezar Gramlich, et al. Journal of Plankton Research, 2026 Even though ecologically complementary, contrasting phyto- and zooplankton responses to anthropogenic pressures are scarcely applied to tropical coastal lagoons. We hypothesize that anthropogenic pressure acts as a local environmental filter, promoting biotic homogenization of plankton communities across tropical coastal lagoons. Coastal lagoons under different conservation statuses were sampled (wet and dry periods) to measure photosynthetic pigments, nutrient concentrations, salinity, oxidation–reduction potential, dissolved oxygen (DO) and phyto- and zooplankton communities. Linear regression was applied, controlling for geographical distance, to identify the main factors affecting plankton β-diversity components. Sampled stations were classified based on trophic conditions and clustered based on environmental variables for further analysis of the plankton assemblages associated with each cluster. Distance-based linear model analysis (DistLM) was used to examine the relationship between biotic and abiotic variables. Supereutrophic and hypereutrophic lagoons had significantly lower β-diversity values, with turnover dominance over nestedness. DistLM revealed inorganic carbon, DO, chlorophyll pigments and salinity as key environmental drivers of plankton community structure. Environmental variables structured phyto- and zooplankton composition across the lagoons, acting as environmental filters and supporting the hypothesis of an ongoing biotic homogenization process in hypereutrophic lagoons. Our findings highlight the importance of eutrophication control for preventing biodiversity loss in coastal lagoons.
Thermal refugia indicate physiological evolution in Atlantic reef corals Samuel Coelho Faria, Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley, Marcelo Visentini Kitahara, Laura Fernandes de Barros Marangoni, Cesar Alexandro da Silva, et al. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2026 Coral reefs are increasingly threatened by climate change, especially by thermally driven bleaching events. Southwestern Atlantic reefs (Brazil) have been proposed as potential climate refugia owing to high turbidity, which attenuates light and mitigates thermal stress. In contrast, Northwestern reefs (Bermuda) experience greater light penetration and serve as a comparative system, given their phylogenetic proximity to Brazilian corals. We hypothesized that Brazilian species would differ physiologically under their selective regimes. Indeed, they had higher chlorophyll a packing, sustaining comparable autotrophy and lower oxidative stress. Heterotrophic capacity, however, was similar between regions, challenging the turbidity-feeding paradigm. We also expected that Brazilian species would have greater tolerance to bleaching under simulated climate change. Although corals from both regions bleached, Brazilian representatives increased chlorophyll a packing 3.1-fold and maintained lower oxidative stress, while trophic behaviour remained stable. Calcification persisted under stress, indicating functional resilience across regions. These findings show that symbiosis and oxidative status, rather than trophic strategy, distinguish corals from Brazil, suggesting a compensatory role of chlorophyll a packing and enhanced redox balance under low-light regimes, the latter possibly reflecting relaxed selection and, ultimately, driving convergent physiological evolution. This work offers ecophysiological insight to guide conservation strategies, highlighting refugia as conservation priorities under local-scale stressors.
Microprotozooplankton as eutrophication bioindicator for tropical coastal lagoons Gustavo Martins Rocha, Jordana de Carvalho e Féres, Gustavo Meira Kandler, Renata Caiado Cagnin, César Alexandro da Silva, et al. Marine and Freshwater Research, 2024 Context and aims A reliable bioindicator index of eutrophication is still lacking for monitoring zooplankton in saline, coastal lagoons. We aimed to establish plankton bioindicators of eutrophication that are not affected by salinity variation, which is essential for environmental monitoring of coastal lagoons. Methods Sampling was conducted for microprotozooplankton, chlorophyll-a, nutrients and sterols in eight tropical coastal lagoons with different saline and nutrient concentrations. A testate amoeba and rotifer bioindication index of eutrophication (T&R index) was proposed after establishing a list of indicator species on the basis of five statistical criteria and one bibliographic criterion. Key results Selected species, based on the six criteria, were Arcella hemisphaerica, Brachionus plicatilis, Galeripora (Arcella) discoides, Netzelia corona, Lecane closterocerca, Lepadela patella and Testudinela patina. Biodiversity measures, traditionally used in biomonitoring, varied negatively with salinity (r = −0.60 for Margalef richness and −0.59 for Shannon diversity) and were not correlated with nutrient concentrations. Conversely, the T&R index showed no correlation with salinity (r = 0.002) and was positively correlated with the trophic-state index (TSI) (r = 0.62). Conclusions and implications Our results showed that specific patterns of indicator microprotozooplankton species can effectively diagnose organic pollution in coastal lagoons and their use is a more suitable approach than is the use of community indicators such as richness, evenness and diversity, traditionally used for that task.
Longitudinal Gradient and Historical Trends of Arsenic and Metals in a Tropical Reservoir Roberta Salles, Rafael Mantovaneli, Luana Moreira, Rubens Figueira, Geisamanda Brandão, et al. Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, 2024 This study aimed to establish the longitudinal gradient and historical trends of arsenic and metals in a tropical reservoir. Water and sediment samples were collected along the Rio Bonito reservoir (Espírito Santo, Brazil), and a sediment core was obtained from the lacustrine zone. Plasma spectrometric techniques were employed to determine concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Pb in water and sediment samples, and the sediment samples were dated using high-resolution gamma spectrometry. Higher concentrations of elements were observed in surface water samples from the riverine zone and bottom water samples from the transition zone. Concerning surface sediment samples, elevated concentrations were noted in the transition and lacustrine zones, where deposition is more intense. The sediment core was dated to 1940, before the reservoir dam construction, utilizing 210Pb dating. Certain elements exhibited progressively increasing concentrations over time. Enrichment factor, pollution load, and ecological risk indexes indicated the need for continuous monitoring of this reservoir
FROM EXPOSURE TO EFFECT: EXPLORING ADVERSE OUTCOME PATHWAYS IN FISH RESPONSES TO A LARGE MINING DISASTER MS Santana, L Sandrini-Neto, GD Pinha, FC Bom, F de Matos Costa, ... Environmental Pollution, 128401 , 2026 2026
Anthropogenic pressure drives phytoplankton and zooplankton biodiversity homogenization in tropical coastal lagoons of different conservation statuses GM Rocha, RC Cagnin, SK Rodrigues, B Dal’Col Lehrback, KC Gramlich, ... Journal of Plankton Research 48 (3), fbag031 , 2026 2026
Extreme drought drives contrasting fates of labile and recalcitrant mangrove soil organic matter ES Costa, CA Silva, LEO Gomes, F Sá, RC Cagnin, RR Neto Science of The Total Environment 1021, 181607 , 2026 2026
Thermal refugia indicate physiological evolution in Atlantic reef corals SC Faria, G Goodbody-Gringley, MV Kitahara, LFB Marangoni, CA Silva, ... Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 147 (1), blaf130 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Ten-year post-disaster assessment of multiple pollutants in the Doce River estuary after the 2015 Fundão tailings dam collapse R Neto, E Costa, R Costa, D Xavier, C Da Silva, E Hara, C Longhini, ... AGU25 , 2025 2025
Trace Metal Concentration in Beach-Cast Seaweeds from Espírito Santo, Brazil, Reveals Legacy of the Funcdxscxdão Dam Collapse TH Basilio, BRR Nunes, AEE Neto, DH Bonemann, DT Bueno, MT Fujii, ... Preprints , 2025 2025
A novel zooplankton-based environmental monitoring tool for coastal impacted areas: The case of the Doce River dam rupture GM Rocha, B Salvador, GHC Santos, LR da Conceição, ... Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 320, 109301 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Pollution affects even oceanic marine protected areas in Southwestern Atlantic TJ Mello, CM Longhini, BMS Wanderley, CA da Silva, BDC Lehrback, ... Environmental Pollution 366, 125485 , 2025 2025 Citations: 16
Feeding longsnout seahorse Hippocampus reidi broodstock at different frequencies influences production of eggs and quality of the offspring J de Jesus Pinto Castro, CVA de Carvalho, G Passini, BDC Lehrback, ... Aquaculture International 32 (4), 4045-4060 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Microprotozooplankton as eutrophication bioindicator for tropical coastal lagoons GM Rocha, J de Carvalho e Féres, GM Kandler, RC Cagnin, CA da Silva, ... Marine and Freshwater Research 75 (10), MF23122 , 2024 2024 Citations: 4
Rare earth elements as tracers of iron ore tailings on the Brazilian eastern continental shelf RC Cagnin, ES Costa, CM Longhini, CA da Silva, F Sá, RR Neto Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 20 (1), 179-188 , 2024 2024 Citations: 6
Historical contamination with a current problem: Can mining tailings enhance coastal arsenic pollution? GB do Nascimento, CM Longhini, RC Cagnin, ES Costa, CA Silva, ... Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 20 (1), 159-168 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
Longitudinal gradient and historical trends of arsenic and metals in a tropical reservoir RC Salles, R Mantovaneli, LS Moreira, RCL Figueira, GP Brandão, ... Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society 35, e-20240044 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
How did a tailings spill change the distribution of legacy organochlorine compounds in a Southeast Atlantic inner shelf area: Is a hidden danger being transferred to the ocean? AC Cabral, AC de Souza, F Sá, RR Neto, CC Martins Science of The Total Environment 905, 166939 , 2023 2023 Citations: 3
PAHs IN ESTUARINE SEDIMENTS AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE MINE TAILINGS REMOBILIZATION AND TRANSPORT IN THE RIO DOCE BASIN. CAD Silva, DS Zacché, BD Lehrback, RC Cagnin, ES Costa, CM Longhini, ... Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management , 2023 2023 Citations: 6
Organic matter changes at the Doce River mouth caused by the Fundão Dam mine tailing collapse JS da Silva Resende, R Pereira, AF Bernardino, CM Longhini, ... Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 234 (7), 486 , 2023 2023 Citations: 8
Macronutrients and dissolved iron in a land-ocean approach: Influences of contamination by ore tailings in Southeastern Brazil RC Cagnin, CM Longhini, ES Costa, CA da Silva, S Zorzal-Almeida, ... Frontiers in Marine Science 9, 990809 , 2022 2022 Citations: 8
The Fundão dam failure: Iron ore tailing impact on marine benthic macrofauna RL Nascimento, PR Alves, M Di Domenico, AA Braga, PC de Paiva, ... Science of the Total Environment 838, 156205 , 2022 2022 Citations: 31
Responses of marine zooplankton indicators after five years of a dam rupture in the Doce River, Southeastern Brazil GM Rocha, B Salvador, P de Souza Laino, GHC Santos, LE Demoner, ... Science of the Total Environment 806, 151249 , 2022 2022 Citations: 17
An integrated study of the plankton community after four years of Fundão dam disaster ACT Bonecker, BS Menezes, CD Junior, CA da Silva, CM Ancona, ... Science of The Total Environment 806, 150613 , 2022 2022 Citations: 34
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
The impacts of the Samarco mine tailing spill on the Rio Doce estuary, Eastern Brazil LE de Oliveira Gomes, LB Correa, F Sá, RR Neto, AF Bernardino Marine Pollution Bulletin 120 (1-2), 28-36 , 2017 2017 Citations: 289
Organic matter assimilation and selective feeding by holothurians in the deep sea: some observations and comments ML Ginger, DSM Billett, KL Mackenzie, K Kiriakoulakis, RR Neto, ... Progress in Oceanography 50 (1-4), 407-421 , 2001 2001 Citations: 116
Time-sequence development of metal (loid) s following the 2015 dam failure in the Doce river estuary, Brazil F Sá, CM Longhini, ES Costa, CA da Silva, RC Cagnin, ... Science of the Total Environment 769, 144532 , 2021 2021 Citations: 107
Organic biogeochemistry of detrital flocculent material (floc) in a subtropical, coastal wetland RR Neto, RN Mead, JW Louda, R Jaffé Biogeochemistry 77 (3), 283-304 , 2006 2006 Citations: 78
Environmental quality assessment in a marine coastal area impacted by mining tailing using a geochemical multi-index and physical approach CM Longhini, SK Rodrigues, ES Costa, CA da Silva, RC Cagnin, M Gripp, ... Science of The Total Environment 803, 149883 , 2022 2022 Citations: 71
Marine zooplankton dynamics after a major mining dam rupture in the Doce River, southeastern Brazil: Rapid response to a changing environment LFL Fernandes, TRM Paiva, CM Longhini, JB Pereira, RD Ghisolfi, ... Science of the Total Environment 736, 139621 , 2020 2020 Citations: 68
Photochemical alteration of 3-oxygenated triterpenoids: implications for the origin of 3, 4-seco-triterpenoids in sediments BRT Simoneit, Y Xu, RR Neto, JB Cloutier, R Jaffé Chemosphere 74 (4), 543-550 , 2009 2009 Citations: 57
The influence of changing food supply on the lipid biochemistry of deep-sea holothurians RR Neto, GA Wolff, DSM Billett, KL Mackenzie, A Thompson Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers 53 (3), 516-527 , 2006 2006 Citations: 52
Strengths and weaknesses of a hybrid post-disaster management approach: the Doce River (Brazil) mine-tailing dam burst AT Lima, FA Bastos, FJ Teubner Jr, RR Neto, A Cooper, GF Barroso Environmental management 65 (6), 711-724 , 2020 2020 Citations: 51
Evaluation of the influence of urbanization processes using mangrove and fecal markers in recent organic matter in a tropical tidal flat estuary CF Grilo, RR Neto, MA Vicente, EVR De Castro, RCL Figueira, ... Applied Geochemistry 38, 82-91 , 2013 2013 Citations: 48
Can severe drought periods increase metal concentrations in mangrove sediments? A case study in eastern Brazil ES Costa, F Sá, LEO Gomes, CA Silva, AT Lima, BD Lehrback, RR Neto Science of The Total Environment 748, 142443 , 2020 2020 Citations: 36
Evaluation of metals and hydrocarbons in sediments from a tropical tidal flat estuary of Southern Brazil ES Costa, CF Grilo, GA Wolff, A Thompson, RCL Figueira, RR Neto Marine Pollution Bulletin 92 (1-2), 259-268 , 2015 2015 Citations: 36
An integrated study of the plankton community after four years of Fundão dam disaster ACT Bonecker, BS Menezes, CD Junior, CA da Silva, CM Ancona, ... Science of The Total Environment 806, 150613 , 2022 2022 Citations: 34
The Fundão dam failure: Iron ore tailing impact on marine benthic macrofauna RL Nascimento, PR Alves, M Di Domenico, AA Braga, PC de Paiva, ... Science of the Total Environment 838, 156205 , 2022 2022 Citations: 31
Pigment alterations in the brown mussel Perna perna JW Louda, RR Neto, ARM Magalhaes, VF Schneider Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular … , 2008 2008 Citations: 31
Review and synthesis: iron input, biogeochemistry, and ecological approaches in seawater CM Longhini, F Sá, RR Neto Environmental reviews 27 (2), 125-137 , 2019 2019 Citations: 26
Geochemical records in sediments of a tropical estuary (Southeastern coast of Brazil) ES Costa, CF Grilo, GA Wolff, A Thompson, RCL Figueira, F Sá, RR Neto Regional Studies in Marine Science 6, 49-61 , 2016 2016 Citations: 26
Iron ore tailings as a source of nutrients to the coastal zone ES Costa, RC Cagnin, CA da Silva, CM Longhini, F Sá, AT Lima, ... Marine Pollution Bulletin 171, 112725 , 2021 2021 Citations: 25
Mangroves as traps for environmental damage to metals: The case study of the Fundão Dam MMP Tognella, AR Falqueto, HDCF Espinoza, I Gontijo, ABPL Gontijo, ... Science of The Total Environment 806, 150452 , 2022 2022 Citations: 23
Coastal waters contamination by mining tailings: What triggers the stability of iron in the dissolved and soluble fractions? CM Longhini, L Mahieu, F Sá, CMG van den Berg, P Salaün, RR Neto Limnology and Oceanography 66 (1), 171-187 , 2021 2021 Citations: 23