Como a estrutura do hábitat e características abióticas se correlacionam com traços de história de vida em comunidade de peixes de ambientes recifais?

Abstract

Coral reefs are environments that present a high diversity of species and the variety of habitats and micro-habitats being of great importance to fish. Since the in coastal reefs in Brazil, which have a high diversity and occurrence of endemic species, to understand the processes and mechanisms that act in the structuring of the ichthyofaunistic community is relevant. Therefore, evaluating how changes in habitat structure and environmental variables of coastal reefs determine the composition of life history traits of fish species was the objective of this work. The study was carried out on three beaches in Pernambuco (Porto de Galinhas, Praia do Paiva and Caieiras), where the underwater visual census technique was applied to sample the fish fauna of each location through random transects of 20x2 m, later classified in 4 functional attributes (trophic category, maximum body size, preferential habitat and schooling). Simultaneously to the biological collections, data on temperature, salinity, total dissolved solids and dissolved oxygen in the water were measured through a multiparameter probe. Then, to sample the benthic coverage of each studied area, the CPCe (Coral Point Count with Excel Extensions) technique was used. Data analysis was performed using an RLQ and Fourth-Corner together to find differences between composition of functional characteristics of fish assemblages and environmental variables. The results provided evidence that environmental variables (temperature and dissolved oxygen) and physical structure measurements of the reef (depth and roughness) influence the composition of functional traits in the fish community in reef environments, where it was possible to identify a pattern in the structure of the reef. fish community. Providing new information about the ecosystem functioning of sandstone reef environments in relation to reef fish and the importance of these organisms to sustain the balance of the habitat in the region.