Biologist by Uiversidad Nacional de Córdoba/Argentina. MSc. Aquatic Ecossystem by Universidad Internacional de Andalucía/Spain. Dr. in Ecology by Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro/Brazil.
A new method to control the invasive sun corals (Tubastraea spp.): Underwater compressed-air blasting Gustavo H. Piazzaroli, Fábio H. C. Sanches, Sérgio A. Coelho‐Souza, María Soledad López, Fabio S. Motta, et al. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 2026 Accurate and safe management of invasive species, such as sun coral ( Tubastraea spp.), requires robust and improved control methods to overcome existing challenges. Existing physical removal techniques suffer from critical methodological limitations, specifically the high risk of accidental fragment dispersal and subsequent regeneration, which undermines effective long‐term management. This study introduces and validates a novel control protocol: underwater compressed‐air blasting, specifically designed for non‐extractive soft tissue removal. We detail the operational parameters of this method and provide a rigorous testing of its advantages over conventional techniques. Our results demonstrate that air blasting achieves nearly complete soft tissue removal; furthermore, laboratory tests confirmed that the dispersed tissue has negligible regenerative capacity. This lack of regeneration acts as a key safety feature, significantly reducing the risk of accidental spread during management operations. The compressed‐air blasting protocol represents a significant methodological advance for the management of invasive corals. Solution: This method offers a safer, non‐extractive alternative suitable for both sensitive ecological environments and industrial biofouling control (e.g. decommissioning), showing great potential for widespread application in marine ecosystems worldwide.
Seasonal sources of carbon to the Brazilian upwelling system Sergio A. Coelho-Souza, Gilberto C. Pereira, Maria S. Lopez, Jean R.D. Guimaraes, Ricardo Coutinho Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 2017 Environmental heterogeneity on coastal areas is an outcome of several hydrodynamic forces. Particularly, wind-driven upwelling is usually associated with alternating periods of water mixing and stratification. In addition, the effects of near shore oceanographic conditions may vary with coastline topography and anthropogenic impacts. Herein we evaluated the seasonal differences in the hydrodynamics of the Cabo Frio upwelling system (Brazil) in function of its local bay. Surface and deep water from 5 contrasting coastal areas were sampled 13 times during the spring/summer and in the fall/winter periods to use two-way Analysis of Variance comparing the measured variables in function of season and depth. Northeastern wind was predominant during both seasons but it was more intense during the spring/summer period when water temperature was colder and concentration of nutrients peaked. Southwestern wind was more common during the fall/winter period and was associated with cold fronts that decreased water salinity inner the bay. Consequently, the concentrations of nutrients, chlorophylls, prokaryotic secondary production (PSP) as well as fluorescent and non-fluorescent particles were significantly higher during the upwelling season while the concentration of particulate organic matter (POM) was highest during the non-upwelling season. Respectively, mean nitrate concentration varied from 2.2 to 0.9 μM, ammonium from 2.7 to 1.0 μM, chlorophyll a from 2.4 to 1.4 mg m−3, PSP from 1.8 to 1.0 μgC.L−1 h−1 and POM from 2.6 to 6.4 mg L−1. Contrasting surface and deep waters, mean nitrate concentration ranged from 0.9 to 2.2 μM, POM from 4.2 to 5.2 mg L−1 and PSP from 1.9 to 0.8 μgC.L−1 h−1. Three scenarios were identified: water stratification, upwelling and water homogenization. The first two scenarios were more common outside the bay during the upwelling season. When upwelling was intense, deep water temperature in the bay dropped to less than 20 °C resulting in the stratification of water column in shallow sites. Water homogenization was common in the whole system through the non-upwelling season and was more pronounced during cold fronts. Our results evidenced a strong seasonal variation of carbon origin which was mainly associated with phytoplankton during the upwelling season and to POM during the non-upwelling season. The seasonal effect of upwelling and cold fronts on the hydrodynamics of the Cabo Frio upwelling system varied at a small spatial scale in function of site depth.
Studies on benthic communities of rocky shores on the Brazilian coast and climate change monitoring: Status of knowledge and challenges Ricardo Coutinho, Luciana Erika Yaginuma, Fernanda Siviero, Julio César Q. P. dos Santos, María Soledad López, et al. Brazilian Journal of Oceanography, 2016 A rocky shores working group (WG) integrated with ReBentos (Monitoring Network for Coastal Benthic Habitats; Rede de Monitoramento de Habitats Bentônicos Costeiros) was created and linked to the Coastal Zones Sub Network of the Climate Network (MCT; Sub-Rede Zonas Costeiras da Rede Clima) and to the National Institute of Science and Technology for Climate Change (INCT-MC; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia para Mudanças Climáticas), to study the vulnerability of benthic communities on rocky shores and the effects of environmental changes on biomes in such environments along the Brazilian coast. The synthesis presented here was one of the products of this GT, and aimed to collect and review existing knowledge on benthic communities present on rocky shores of the Brazilian coast, their associated biodiversity, and the potential of future studies to accurately predict/measure the effects of climate change on such environments and their biota.
Structure of intertidal sessile communities before and after the invasion of Isognomon bicolor (C.B. Adams, 1845) (Bivalvia, Isognomonidae) in southeastern Brazil María López, Helena Lavrado, Ricardo Coutinho Aquatic Invasions, 2014 Scientists recognize the importance of ecological data prior to invasion by non-native species in order to evaluate changes in the recipient community. Here we assess the potential impact of the invasion of the bivalve Isognomon bicolor (C.B. Adams, 1845) on Brazilian rocky shores through the use of surveys both before and after the arrival of this non–native species. The invader was mostly distributed across the mid and low shore levels of the intertidal zone with relative abundance ranging from 9.0 to 36.7 percent cover. The mid shore, previously dominated by the native barnacle Tetraclita stalactifera (Lamarck, 1818), was co-dominated by this barnacle species and I. bicolor after invasion. The relative abundance of these species, and presumably the interaction strength between them, differed between sites. At the site where I. bicolor reached the highest abundance (around 30% on average), the abundance of T. stalactifera decreased on average 70% compared to baseline values obtained before the I. bicolor invasion. Finally, conspicuous and extensive I. bicolor beds such as those observed in this study have not been reported in its original distribution range. Beds of I. bicolor may create a much more intricate biogenic matrix than the extents of bare rock and barnacle clumps it replaced. This bivalve may act as an ecosystem engineer and, thus a functionally different component of the intertidal community in its invaded range compared to its native distribution.
Biophysical interactions in the cabo frio upwelling system, Southeastern Brazil Sergio Augusto Coelho-Souza, Maria Soledad López, Jean Remy Davee Guimarães, Ricardo Coutinho, Rogério Nader Candella Brazilian Journal of Oceanography, 2012 The rising of cold water from deeper levels characterizes coastal upwelling systems. This flow makes nutrients available in the euphotic layer, which enhances phytoplankton production and growth. On the Brazilian coast, upwelling is most intense in the Cabo Frio region (RJ). The basic knowledge of this system was reviewed in accordance with concepts of biophysical interactions. The high frequency and amplitude of the prevailing winds are the main factor promoting the rise of South Atlantic Central Water, but meanders and eddies in the Brazil Current as well as local topography and coast line are also important. Upwelling events are common during spring/summer seasons. Primary biomass is exported by virtue of the water circulation and is also controlled by rapid zooplankton predation. Small pelagic fish regulate plankton growth and in their turn are preyed on by predatory fish. Sardine furnishes an important regional fish stock. Shoreline irregularities define the embayment formation of the Marine Extractive Reserve of Arraial do Cabo making it an area with evident different intensities of upwelled water that harbors high species diversity. Consequently, on a small spatial scale there are environments with tropical and subtropical features, a point to be explored as a particularity of this ecosystem.
