Ecological succession and environmental drivers in algal communities on a tropical reef in the southwestern Atlantic Munique dos Santos Silva, Germano Henrique Costa Barrilli, André Luiz Rodrigues de Lima, Herick Simas dos Santos, Déborah Magalhães de Melo, Carlos Werner Hackradt, João Lucas Leão Feitosa, Fabiana Cézar Félix-Hackradt Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 2026 The tropical reefs of the southwestern Atlantic are characterized by high algal biomass, the origin of which—either natural or environmental pressures—remains uncertain. Understanding the process of ecological succession in these environments is crucial and has gained renewed attention due to anthropogenic activity. Therefore, we investigated the spatiotemporal variation in environmental drivers of algal communities in the Marine Municipal Natural Park Recife de Fora (Bahia, Brazil), a marine protected area in the southwestern Atlantic. The benthic cover was previously sampled via transects with photoquadrats, which revealed differences in composition via PERMANOVA. Benthic Settlement Substrates (BSS) were then installed at three sites and monitored monthly for one year. Taxa present on BSS were identified, and their dry biomass was quantified. A species accumulation curve indicated rapid accumulation in the first half of the succession, followed by slight stabilization until the end of the monitoring period. The colonization patterns were represented mainly by brown macroalgae and cyanobacteria. PERMANOVA with pairwise tests revealed significant differences in composition among sites, and nonmetric multidimensional scaling combined with envfit analyses indicated the environmental drivers structuring the community. Linear mixed models revealed significant relationships for “time”, “turbidity” and “sea surface temperature”, with “biomass”, and α-diversity “ 0 D” and “ 1 D”. This study highlights the importance of determining the successional patterns of algal communities for understanding the dynamics of tropical reefs. Especially in scenarios of global change, as algae respond rapidly to environmental drivers, they can be used as an applicable tool for monitoring these marine environments. • Algal succession show environmental drivers shaping the dynamics of these organisms • Algal succession is an important tool for monitoring marine protected areas • Monitoring algal succession supports management and conservation strategies
Multiple events determine the distribution of fishes’ early life stages in the Abrolhos Bank, Southwestern Atlantic André L.R. Lima, Cristiano Macedo Pereira, Alexandre Schiavetti, Carlos Werner Hackradt, Fabiana Cézar Félix-Hackradt Marine Environmental Research, 2024 Fluctuations in reef fish settlement and recruitment significantly impact local population dynamics and adult population size . We use light traps to evaluate reef fish settlement in inshore and offshore reefs in the Abrolhos Bank, in addition to the spatio-temporal distribution patterns, and environmental variables' influence. Data were collected from inshore and offshore reefs, and statistical analyses, including GLMs, PERMANOVA and nMDS, aimed to understand spatial-temporal species distribution patterns and the relationship between environmental variables. Results indicate greater species abundance and diversity offshore, influenced by winds, tides, and distance from shore, explaining 50% of larval patterns and highlighting the importance of spatial-temporal variations in early-life reef fish assemblages. However, several factors, including habitat type, quality, complexity, seascape configuration, and MPA location, may influence these patterns. Additionally, we provide evidence that commercially important species like Lutjanids use Abrolhos reef areas as nursery grounds. • This is the first study on the postlarval reef fish assemblage in the Abrolhos Bank. • Spatial-temporal variations driven the early-life reef fish distribution patterns. • Winds, tides, and coastal distance explain 50% of postlarval distribution. • The importance of larval behavior in small-scale settlement variation. • Commercially important species use Abrolhos reef areas as nursery grounds.
Daily age, growth rate, and pelagic larval duration of commercially important snapper species in Abrolhos National Marine Park Jeane Campos Silva, Marcelo Soeth, Carlos Werner Hackradt, Andre Lima, Fabiana Cézar Félix‐Hackradt Journal of Fish Biology, 2024 The age and daily growth of fish are registered through the deposition of increments in their otoliths, which are concretions formed by the precipitation of substances present in the endolymphatic fluid, mainly calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Faced with the need to fill some of the gaps in the knowledge on the occurrence and duration of the initial stages of snapper species' life cycles in the Abrolhos Bank, this study aimed to describe the growth rates, age, and period of pelagic larval duration (PLD) of three snapper species during the larval pre‐settlement phase, in the Abrolhos Bank region. The post‐larvae were captured using light traps. Otoliths were removed from 117 samples of snapper species; however, only 69 were viable for age estimation, of which 15 were Lutjanus analis, 25 were Lutjanus jocu, and 29 were Lutjanus synagris. Together, the samples presented individuals with total lengths ranging from 16.14 to 24.76 mm and ages from 21 to 39 days. Settlement marks were found for all three species, and the average PLD was ~25 days. The somatic growth of the snapper species was positively correlated with otolith growth. L. jocu presented the greatest daily growth compared to the other species. The three species use the Abrolhos Bank as a larval settlement site, demonstrating plasticity by using different habitats throughout their lives.
Ecological succession and environmental drivers in algal communities on a tropical reef in the southwestern Atlantic M dos Santos Silva, GHC Barrilli, ALR de Lima, HS dos Santos, ... Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 109856 , 2026 2026.0
Drivers of nest-site selection by sea turtles in southern Bahia, Brazil C Zapelini, I Leite Zupeli, ALR Lima, GHC Barrilli, M Oliveira Arantes, ... Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment, 1-14 , 2025 2025.0
Possible turbidity effects on post-larval fish composition in selected tropical regions along the Brazilian coast GHC Barrilli, JB De Biasi, ALR de Lima, M Hostim-Silva, CW Hackradt, ... Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 197 (8), 1-14 , 2025 2025.0 Citations: 2
ALPHA AND BETA DIVERSITY PATTERNS OF THE REEF FISHES’EARLY LIFE STAGES AND CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS IN THE ABROLHOS BANK, BRAZIL ALR Lima, CW Hackradt, R Hernandez-Andreu, GHC Barrilli, A Schiavetti, ... Regional Studies in Marine Science, 104014 , 2025 2025.0 Citations: 1
Multiple events determine the distribution of fishes’ early life stages in the Abrolhos Bank, Southwestern Atlantic ALR Lima, CM Pereira, A Schiavetti, CW Hackradt, FC Félix-Hackradt Marine Environmental Research 199, 106575 , 2024 2024.0 Citations: 2
Daily age, growth rate, and pelagic larval duration of commercially important snapper species in Abrolhos National Marine Park JC Silva, M Soeth, CW Hackradt, A Lima, FC Félix‐Hackradt Journal of Fish Biology , 2024 2024.0 Citations: 5
The influence of marine protected areas on the patterns and processes in the life cycle of reef fishes ALR Lima, LM Eggertsen, JLS Teixeira, A Schiavetti, FC Félix-Hackradt, ... Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 33 (4), 893-913 , 2023 2023.0 Citations: 14
Governance of marine protected areas of the Royal Charlotte Bank, Bahia, east coast of Brazil ALR Lima, C Zapelini, A Schiavetti Ocean & Coastal Management 207, 105615 , 2021 2021.0 Citations: 12
Alpha and Beta Diversity Patterns of the Reef Fishes’ Early Life Stages and Conservation Implications in the Abrolhos Bank, Brazil ALR de Lima, C Hackradt, R Hernández-Andreu, GH Costa Barrilli, ... Brazil , 0 Citations: 1
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
The influence of marine protected areas on the patterns and processes in the life cycle of reef fishes ALR Lima, LM Eggertsen, JLS Teixeira, A Schiavetti, FC Félix-Hackradt, ... Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 33 (4), 893-913 , 2023 2023.0 Citations: 14
Governance of marine protected areas of the Royal Charlotte Bank, Bahia, east coast of Brazil ALR Lima, C Zapelini, A Schiavetti Ocean & Coastal Management 207, 105615 , 2021 2021.0 Citations: 12
Daily age, growth rate, and pelagic larval duration of commercially important snapper species in Abrolhos National Marine Park JC Silva, M Soeth, CW Hackradt, A Lima, FC Félix‐Hackradt Journal of Fish Biology , 2024 2024.0 Citations: 5
Possible turbidity effects on post-larval fish composition in selected tropical regions along the Brazilian coast GHC Barrilli, JB De Biasi, ALR de Lima, M Hostim-Silva, CW Hackradt, ... Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 197 (8), 1-14 , 2025 2025.0 Citations: 2
Multiple events determine the distribution of fishes’ early life stages in the Abrolhos Bank, Southwestern Atlantic ALR Lima, CM Pereira, A Schiavetti, CW Hackradt, FC Félix-Hackradt Marine Environmental Research 199, 106575 , 2024 2024.0 Citations: 2
ALPHA AND BETA DIVERSITY PATTERNS OF THE REEF FISHES’EARLY LIFE STAGES AND CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS IN THE ABROLHOS BANK, BRAZIL ALR Lima, CW Hackradt, R Hernandez-Andreu, GHC Barrilli, A Schiavetti, ... Regional Studies in Marine Science, 104014 , 2025 2025.0 Citations: 1
Alpha and Beta Diversity Patterns of the Reef Fishes’ Early Life Stages and Conservation Implications in the Abrolhos Bank, Brazil ALR de Lima, C Hackradt, R Hernández-Andreu, GH Costa Barrilli, ... Brazil , 0 Citations: 1
Ecological succession and environmental drivers in algal communities on a tropical reef in the southwestern Atlantic M dos Santos Silva, GHC Barrilli, ALR de Lima, HS dos Santos, ... Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 109856 , 2026 2026.0
Drivers of nest-site selection by sea turtles in southern Bahia, Brazil C Zapelini, I Leite Zupeli, ALR Lima, GHC Barrilli, M Oliveira Arantes, ... Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment, 1-14 , 2025 2025.0
