O semiárido brasileiro abrange áreas territoriais de oito Estados, desde o Nordeste até o norte d... more O semiárido brasileiro abrange áreas territoriais de oito Estados, desde o Nordeste até o norte de Minas Gerais, apresentando duas estações climáticas bem definidas durante o ano, uma chuvosa (dezembro a abril), e outra seca (maio a novembro). Durante o curto período chuvoso são formadas as lagoas temporárias, ecossistemas que abrigam uma flora bastante peculiar de macrófitas, adaptadas às condições de alta incidência luminosa e a sazonalidade pluviométrica da região. Associada a essa flora aquática, ocorre uma rica comunidade perifítica, que inclui, por exemplo, bactérias, fungos, pequenos metazoários e, especialmente, uma ampla diversidade de microalgas e cianobactérias. Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de caracterizar a ficoflórula perifítica associada às macrófitas aquáticas de lagoas temporárias do semiárido baiano. A amostragem foi realizada em seis lagoas temporárias, localizadas ao longo da BA-052 (Estrada do Feijão), nos municípios de Ipi...
As cianobacterias apresentam caracteristicas morfologicas e fisiologicas que as possibilitam ocup... more As cianobacterias apresentam caracteristicas morfologicas e fisiologicas que as possibilitam ocupar os mais diversos ambientes, como os marinhos. Nestes ambientes as cianobacterias apresentam ampla variedade morfologica em funcao das caracteristicas ambientais, como o tipo de substrato e o hidrodinamismo atuante. Apesar da grande extensao litorânea do Brasil, este grupo e comumente excluido dos levantamentos floristicos e dos estudos ecologicos das comunidades marinhas. Para a Bahia, que possui o maior litoral do Brasil, sao referidas apenas duas especies bentonicas filamentosas, evidenciando a necessidade de realizar um levantamento para se conhecer a real diversidade de cianobacterias nesta regiao. Deste modo, o presente estudo tem por objetivo conhecer a biodiversidade, os aspectos ecologicos e a distribuicao geografica das cianobacterias marinhas bentonicas filamentosas do litoral da Bahia. Foram analisadas amostras coletadas em 23 areas ao longo do litoral compreendendo quatro ...
FIGURE 3. 16S-23S rRNA Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) secondary structures of Euryhalinema epi... more FIGURE 3. 16S-23S rRNA Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) secondary structures of Euryhalinema epiphyticum sp. nov., E. mangrovii ALCB 132769, and E. mangrovii AP9F (type species of the genus).
FIGURE 15. Euryhalinema species distribution around the world based on information from Chakrabor... more FIGURE 15. Euryhalinema species distribution around the world based on information from Chakraborty et al. (2019) and this study.
FIGURE 2. Phylogeny based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences of Cyanobacteria (ntax=61). Values on th... more FIGURE 2. Phylogeny based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences of Cyanobacteria (ntax=61). Values on the left are Maximum Likelihood bootstrap values, and values on right are the Bayesian posterior probabilities converted to percentages. The sequences obtained in this study are in bold. Asterisks indicate 100% values. T indicates the type species of the genera. Values lower than 50% are not shown. Genbank accession number shown inside parenthesis.
Two Leptolyngbya-like cyanobacterial strains were isolated from two marine benthic environments o... more Two Leptolyngbya-like cyanobacterial strains were isolated from two marine benthic environments on the Brazilian coast. These strains were cultured and characterized based on their morphology, molecular, and ultrastructural data. The two taxa were identified mainly by 16S rRNA gene phylogeny and 16S-23S ITS secondary structures since their morphology is similar to members of Leptolyngbya senso lato. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that our strains belong to Euryhalinema genus (Leptolyngbyaceae), with one strain close to type species E. mangrovii AP9F (MK402979), and the other described as a new species, E. epiphyticum sp. nov. Morphologically, both strains form green mats, had trichomes without sheath, and their thylakoid disposition is the same as described for Leptolyngbyaceae. The secondary structures Box B and D1-D1’ of the internal transcribed spacer (16S–23S ITS) also corroborated our proposal of the new species E. epiphyticum. These findings constitute the first descripti...
Benthic diatoms that produce and live inside mucilage tubes are prominent pioneer colonizers of m... more Benthic diatoms that produce and live inside mucilage tubes are prominent pioneer colonizers of marine substrata. This adaptation is an ecological strategy related to mechanical protection against wave action and desiccation. In this article, we identify <i>Nitzschia martiana</i> based on morphological and ultrastructural analyses from several samples, collected from different localities. We also analysed the potential distribution model of the species to identify potential areas along the Brazilian coast with high environmental suitability for its occurrence. The distribution modelling, associated with our wide sampling, allowed us to present a robust characterization of the distribution of <i>N. martiana</i> along the Brazilian coast. Previous records were restricted to the coast of the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Pernambuco. Our results confirmed the occurrence of the species in 14 new localities, over a temperature range of 18–27°C, always occur...
Cyanobacteria - Recent Advances in Taxonomy, Ecology and Applications [Working Title], 2021
Brazil has 10.959 km of coastline which includes three ecoregions based on the biogeographic syst... more Brazil has 10.959 km of coastline which includes three ecoregions based on the biogeographic system, exhibiting a wide range of environments that favor the occurrence of numerous cyanobacterial morpho- and ecotypes. These organisms have a great adaptive capacity, which explains their occupancy in numerous environments and the high diversification of the group. Historically, the cyanobacteria have been classified only based on morphology, which makes their taxonomy quite challenging. There is usually little morphological variation between taxa, which makes it difficult to identify diacritical characteristics between some genera and species, making intergeneric and intraspecific delimitation tough. Thereby, the polyphasic approach based on different tools allows the identification of new taxa and the reassessment of those already established with more reliability, contributing to a better systematic resolution of the world ‘cyanoflora’, a term that we propose herein to describe the di...
Benthic cyanobacterial mats (BCMs) are conspicuous components of coral reef communities, where th... more Benthic cyanobacterial mats (BCMs) are conspicuous components of coral reef communities, where they play key ecological roles as primary producers among others. BCMs often bloom and might outcompete neighboring benthic organisms, including reef-building corals. We investigated the cyanobacterial species composition of three BCMs morphotypes from the marginal reef complex of Abrolhos Bank (Southeastern Brazil). Also, we assessed their allelopathic effects on coral zooxanthellae, their susceptibility to herbivory by fish, and their toxicity to brine shrimp nauplii. Morphology and 16S rDNA sequencing unveiled the cyanobacteria Moorena bouillonii, Okeania erythroflocculosa, Adonisia turfae, Leptolyngbya sp., and Halomicronema sp. as components of BCMs from Abrolhos. BCMs cell-free filtrates and extracts exerted an allelopathic effect by reducing the growth of the ex hospite Symbiodinium sp. in culture. BCMs-only treatments remained untouched in field susceptibility assays in contrast to...
The Gracilariaceae comprises 242 mainly tropical species, including some with significant economi... more The Gracilariaceae comprises 242 mainly tropical species, including some with significant economic value for the food and pharmaceutical industry. Accurate taxonomy is crucial for the selection of species for cultivation. However, species identification is still challenging taxonomists. Nineteen species of Gracilariaceae have so far been referred to the Brazilian coast. We describe this diversity across approximately 32 degrees of latitude, using mitochondrial (COI-5P) and plastid (UPA and rbcL) markers in species delimitation analyses (ABGD and SPN). We provide phylogenetic (based on a concatenated three-genes tree and a taxa rich rbcL tree) and barcoding analyses from a broad and partially original collection combined with morphoanatomical data, including information resulting from analyses of type specimens and topotype material. We identified twenty-five specific entities occurring on the Brazilian coast, including four new species yet to be described. Spermatangial arrangements...
Algae that are found in the coastal regions are an important food source for humans and animals. ... more Algae that are found in the coastal regions are an important food source for humans and animals. They are highly susceptible to the influence of environmental parameters on their chemical composition. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the influence of seasons (dry and rainy) and species on the biochemical composition of the seaweeds Ulva fasciata, Crassiphycus corneus, and Sargassum vulgare occurring in tropical environment. It was found that crude protein (10.32–22.93%), total lipids (1.74–4.11%), ash (16.51–36.79%), carbohydrates (23.55–42.24%), and neutral detergent fiber (16.50–25.20%) differed significantly among species (p < 0.05). The essential amino acids, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine + cysteine, phenylalanine + tyrosine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine were identified. Saturated fatty acids, essential fatty acids, and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were predominant. The lowest protein and PUFA content were found in C. corneus, whereas U. fasciata contained the highest carbohydrate concentrations. Photosynthetic pigments, phenolic, and mineral compounds (such as high concentrations of Sr and As) were found in S. vulgare. However, all seaweed showed significant concentrations of Mn, Zn, K, and Mg indicating that they can be important sources of minerals in animal feed. The three seaweeds showed susceptibility to seasons (rainy and dry), indicated by the synthesis of chemical constituents that consequently affected biomass composition. However, the results demonstrated that because of their biochemical composition, they have biotechnological potential that could be explored in several industrial sectors, including human and animal nutrition.
O semiárido brasileiro abrange áreas territoriais de oito Estados, desde o Nordeste até o norte d... more O semiárido brasileiro abrange áreas territoriais de oito Estados, desde o Nordeste até o norte de Minas Gerais, apresentando duas estações climáticas bem definidas durante o ano, uma chuvosa (dezembro a abril), e outra seca (maio a novembro). Durante o curto período chuvoso são formadas as lagoas temporárias, ecossistemas que abrigam uma flora bastante peculiar de macrófitas, adaptadas às condições de alta incidência luminosa e a sazonalidade pluviométrica da região. Associada a essa flora aquática, ocorre uma rica comunidade perifítica, que inclui, por exemplo, bactérias, fungos, pequenos metazoários e, especialmente, uma ampla diversidade de microalgas e cianobactérias. Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de caracterizar a ficoflórula perifítica associada às macrófitas aquáticas de lagoas temporárias do semiárido baiano. A amostragem foi realizada em seis lagoas temporárias, localizadas ao longo da BA-052 (Estrada do Feijão), nos municípios de Ipi...
As cianobacterias apresentam caracteristicas morfologicas e fisiologicas que as possibilitam ocup... more As cianobacterias apresentam caracteristicas morfologicas e fisiologicas que as possibilitam ocupar os mais diversos ambientes, como os marinhos. Nestes ambientes as cianobacterias apresentam ampla variedade morfologica em funcao das caracteristicas ambientais, como o tipo de substrato e o hidrodinamismo atuante. Apesar da grande extensao litorânea do Brasil, este grupo e comumente excluido dos levantamentos floristicos e dos estudos ecologicos das comunidades marinhas. Para a Bahia, que possui o maior litoral do Brasil, sao referidas apenas duas especies bentonicas filamentosas, evidenciando a necessidade de realizar um levantamento para se conhecer a real diversidade de cianobacterias nesta regiao. Deste modo, o presente estudo tem por objetivo conhecer a biodiversidade, os aspectos ecologicos e a distribuicao geografica das cianobacterias marinhas bentonicas filamentosas do litoral da Bahia. Foram analisadas amostras coletadas em 23 areas ao longo do litoral compreendendo quatro ...
FIGURE 3. 16S-23S rRNA Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) secondary structures of Euryhalinema epi... more FIGURE 3. 16S-23S rRNA Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) secondary structures of Euryhalinema epiphyticum sp. nov., E. mangrovii ALCB 132769, and E. mangrovii AP9F (type species of the genus).
FIGURE 15. Euryhalinema species distribution around the world based on information from Chakrabor... more FIGURE 15. Euryhalinema species distribution around the world based on information from Chakraborty et al. (2019) and this study.
FIGURE 2. Phylogeny based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences of Cyanobacteria (ntax=61). Values on th... more FIGURE 2. Phylogeny based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences of Cyanobacteria (ntax=61). Values on the left are Maximum Likelihood bootstrap values, and values on right are the Bayesian posterior probabilities converted to percentages. The sequences obtained in this study are in bold. Asterisks indicate 100% values. T indicates the type species of the genera. Values lower than 50% are not shown. Genbank accession number shown inside parenthesis.
Two Leptolyngbya-like cyanobacterial strains were isolated from two marine benthic environments o... more Two Leptolyngbya-like cyanobacterial strains were isolated from two marine benthic environments on the Brazilian coast. These strains were cultured and characterized based on their morphology, molecular, and ultrastructural data. The two taxa were identified mainly by 16S rRNA gene phylogeny and 16S-23S ITS secondary structures since their morphology is similar to members of Leptolyngbya senso lato. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that our strains belong to Euryhalinema genus (Leptolyngbyaceae), with one strain close to type species E. mangrovii AP9F (MK402979), and the other described as a new species, E. epiphyticum sp. nov. Morphologically, both strains form green mats, had trichomes without sheath, and their thylakoid disposition is the same as described for Leptolyngbyaceae. The secondary structures Box B and D1-D1’ of the internal transcribed spacer (16S–23S ITS) also corroborated our proposal of the new species E. epiphyticum. These findings constitute the first descripti...
Benthic diatoms that produce and live inside mucilage tubes are prominent pioneer colonizers of m... more Benthic diatoms that produce and live inside mucilage tubes are prominent pioneer colonizers of marine substrata. This adaptation is an ecological strategy related to mechanical protection against wave action and desiccation. In this article, we identify <i>Nitzschia martiana</i> based on morphological and ultrastructural analyses from several samples, collected from different localities. We also analysed the potential distribution model of the species to identify potential areas along the Brazilian coast with high environmental suitability for its occurrence. The distribution modelling, associated with our wide sampling, allowed us to present a robust characterization of the distribution of <i>N. martiana</i> along the Brazilian coast. Previous records were restricted to the coast of the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Pernambuco. Our results confirmed the occurrence of the species in 14 new localities, over a temperature range of 18–27°C, always occur...
Cyanobacteria - Recent Advances in Taxonomy, Ecology and Applications [Working Title], 2021
Brazil has 10.959 km of coastline which includes three ecoregions based on the biogeographic syst... more Brazil has 10.959 km of coastline which includes three ecoregions based on the biogeographic system, exhibiting a wide range of environments that favor the occurrence of numerous cyanobacterial morpho- and ecotypes. These organisms have a great adaptive capacity, which explains their occupancy in numerous environments and the high diversification of the group. Historically, the cyanobacteria have been classified only based on morphology, which makes their taxonomy quite challenging. There is usually little morphological variation between taxa, which makes it difficult to identify diacritical characteristics between some genera and species, making intergeneric and intraspecific delimitation tough. Thereby, the polyphasic approach based on different tools allows the identification of new taxa and the reassessment of those already established with more reliability, contributing to a better systematic resolution of the world ‘cyanoflora’, a term that we propose herein to describe the di...
Benthic cyanobacterial mats (BCMs) are conspicuous components of coral reef communities, where th... more Benthic cyanobacterial mats (BCMs) are conspicuous components of coral reef communities, where they play key ecological roles as primary producers among others. BCMs often bloom and might outcompete neighboring benthic organisms, including reef-building corals. We investigated the cyanobacterial species composition of three BCMs morphotypes from the marginal reef complex of Abrolhos Bank (Southeastern Brazil). Also, we assessed their allelopathic effects on coral zooxanthellae, their susceptibility to herbivory by fish, and their toxicity to brine shrimp nauplii. Morphology and 16S rDNA sequencing unveiled the cyanobacteria Moorena bouillonii, Okeania erythroflocculosa, Adonisia turfae, Leptolyngbya sp., and Halomicronema sp. as components of BCMs from Abrolhos. BCMs cell-free filtrates and extracts exerted an allelopathic effect by reducing the growth of the ex hospite Symbiodinium sp. in culture. BCMs-only treatments remained untouched in field susceptibility assays in contrast to...
The Gracilariaceae comprises 242 mainly tropical species, including some with significant economi... more The Gracilariaceae comprises 242 mainly tropical species, including some with significant economic value for the food and pharmaceutical industry. Accurate taxonomy is crucial for the selection of species for cultivation. However, species identification is still challenging taxonomists. Nineteen species of Gracilariaceae have so far been referred to the Brazilian coast. We describe this diversity across approximately 32 degrees of latitude, using mitochondrial (COI-5P) and plastid (UPA and rbcL) markers in species delimitation analyses (ABGD and SPN). We provide phylogenetic (based on a concatenated three-genes tree and a taxa rich rbcL tree) and barcoding analyses from a broad and partially original collection combined with morphoanatomical data, including information resulting from analyses of type specimens and topotype material. We identified twenty-five specific entities occurring on the Brazilian coast, including four new species yet to be described. Spermatangial arrangements...
Algae that are found in the coastal regions are an important food source for humans and animals. ... more Algae that are found in the coastal regions are an important food source for humans and animals. They are highly susceptible to the influence of environmental parameters on their chemical composition. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the influence of seasons (dry and rainy) and species on the biochemical composition of the seaweeds Ulva fasciata, Crassiphycus corneus, and Sargassum vulgare occurring in tropical environment. It was found that crude protein (10.32–22.93%), total lipids (1.74–4.11%), ash (16.51–36.79%), carbohydrates (23.55–42.24%), and neutral detergent fiber (16.50–25.20%) differed significantly among species (p < 0.05). The essential amino acids, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine + cysteine, phenylalanine + tyrosine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine were identified. Saturated fatty acids, essential fatty acids, and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were predominant. The lowest protein and PUFA content were found in C. corneus, whereas U. fasciata contained the highest carbohydrate concentrations. Photosynthetic pigments, phenolic, and mineral compounds (such as high concentrations of Sr and As) were found in S. vulgare. However, all seaweed showed significant concentrations of Mn, Zn, K, and Mg indicating that they can be important sources of minerals in animal feed. The three seaweeds showed susceptibility to seasons (rainy and dry), indicated by the synthesis of chemical constituents that consequently affected biomass composition. However, the results demonstrated that because of their biochemical composition, they have biotechnological potential that could be explored in several industrial sectors, including human and animal nutrition.
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