Biophysical control of intertidal benthic macroalgae revealed by high-frequency multispectral camera images

Intertidal benthic macroalgae are a biological quality indicator in estuaries and coasts. While remote sensing has been applied to quantify the spatial distribution of such macroalgae, it is generally not used for their monitoring. We examined the day-to-day and seasonal dynamics of macroalgal cover on a sandy intertidal flat using visible and near-infrared images from a time-lapse camera mounted on a tower. Benthic algae were identified using supervised, semi-supervised and unsupervised classification techniques, validated with monthly ground-truthing over one year. A supervised classification (based on maximum likelihood, using training areas identified in the field) performed best in discriminating between sediment, benthic diatom films and macroalgae, with highest spectral separability between macroalgae and diatoms in spring/summer. An automated unsupervised classification (based on the Normalised Differential Vegetation Index NDVI) allowed detection of daily changes in macroalgal coverage without the need for calibration. This method showed a bloom of macroalgae (filamentous green algae, Ulva sp.) in summer with > 60% cover, but with pronounced superimposed day-to-day variation in cover. Waves were a major factor in regulating macroalgal cover, but regrowth of the thalli after a summer storm was fast (2 weeks). Images and in situ data demonstrated that the protruding tubes of the polychaete Lanice conchilega facilitated both settlement (anchorage) and survival (resistance to waves) of the macroalgae. Thus, high-frequency, high resolution images revealed the mechanisms for regulating the dynamics in cover of the macroalgae and for their spatial structuring. Ramifications for the mode, timing, frequency and evaluation of monitoring macroalgae by field and remote sensing surveys are discussed.     

Macroalgal associations of motile epifaunal invertebrate communities on coral reefs

Small grazing motile epifaunal invertebrates play an important ecosystem role on coral reefs, influencing both the abundance and composition of macroalgal communities and acting as a key food source for a range of predatory fishes. The first aim of this study was to investigate the associations between motile epifaunal communities and four common macroalgal species (Lobophora variegata, Dictyota divaricata, Microdictyon marinum and Halimeda opuntia) on fore‐reef environments in the Exuma Cays (Bahamas, wider Caribbean). Secondly, we investigated the implications of the well documented rise of Caribbean macroalgal cover on invertebrate densities by surveying sites inside and outside the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (ECLSP), where increases in parrotfish grazing intensity inside the marine reserves have led to reductions in macroalgal cover. Therefore, surveys compared similar reefs with significantly different macrolagal cover. Comparisons between macroalgal species revealed a four to fivefold difference in motile epifaunal densities per unit volume of macroalgae. Post‐hoc tests revealed that this difference was significant only for Lobophora, with no difference observed among the other species. As macroalgae provide both a refuge from predation and a food source for grazing epifauna, the higher densities of epifauna observed in Lobophora may be attributed to either refuge from visual predators through morphological features (high cover of overlapping blades close to the substrate) or lack of palatability for parrotfish grazing, providing a more stable refuge. Our results revealed no significant differences in diversity, density or community structure of motile epifauna per unit volume of macroalgae between sites inside and outside the ECLSP. Since canopy height and invertivore biomass did not vary systematically across reserve boundaries, this suggests that algal cover does not affect the density of epifaunal invertebrates. However, areal cover was consistently higher for all macroalgal species at sites outside the ECLSP than those inside the reserve. Therefore, when scaled by aerial cover of macroalgae, total abundance of epifauna was twofold higher outside the ECLSP. We suggest that the increasing abundance of macroalgae on Caribbean reefs may be having dramatic effects on epifaunal invertebrate populations and potentially their ecological functions.     

苏北浅滩筏架附生绿藻群落结构变化及与环境因子的相关性探究

苏北浅滩是研究浒苔绿潮早期形成机制的重要区域,该区域紫菜养殖筏架上附生绿藻的群落结构变化对浒苔绿潮的发生具有重要影响,环境因素在其中发挥了重要作用.为了探明导致苏北浅滩绿藻群落结构变化的主要环境因素,本文通过分子生物学和种群生态学方法对筏架附生绿藻群落结构进行了研究,结果表明:(1)苏北浅滩筏架附生绿藻群落主要由浒苔(...     

Characterization of sediment trapped by macroalgae on a Hawaiian reef flat

Reef researchers studying community shifts in the balance between corals and fleshy macroalgae have noted that algae are often covered with sediment. This study characterizes sediment trapping by macroalgae within a Hawaiian reef habitat and constrains the controls on this process. Sediment-laden macroalgae were sampled and macroalgal cover was assessed on a wide (∼1 km) reef flat off south-central Molokai. Macroalgae trapped a mean of 1.26 (±0.91 SD) grams of sediment per gram of dry weight biomass and that sediment was dominantly terrigenous mud (59% by weight). It was determined that biomass, as a proxy for algal size, and morphology were not strict controls on the sediment trapping process. Over 300 metric tons of sediment were estimated to be retained by macroalgae across 5.75 km² of reef flat (54 g m⁻²), suggesting that this process is an important component of sediment budgets. In addition, understanding the character of sediment trapped by macroalgae may help constrain suspended sediment flux and has implications for nutrient dynamics in reef flat environments.     

Persistence of biological invasion effects: Recovery of macroalgal assemblages after removal of Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea

The present study evaluated the capability of recovery of Mediterranean macroalgal assemblages on rocky bottom invaded by Caulerpa racemosa. A manipulative experiment was performed to compare the structure of native assemblages that: (a) were invaded by the alga, (b) were invaded, but where the invasive alga was removed, and (c) had never been invaded. Macroalgal assemblages differed significantly between areas invaded by C. racemosa and control areas. Moreover, one year after removal of the invader, the recovery of community was minimal. Overall, recovery consisted of a significant increase in species richness and cover of macroalgae, but cover of each vegetation layer (encrusting, turf and erect) did not vary significantly between cleared and Invaded plots through time. Results showed that the effects of the colonization persist after the removal of the alga and the process of recovery of the assemblages appears to be quite slow. This finding might be an important contribution to evaluate invasion costs and thus potentially useful for an effective addressing of control strategies.     

Temporal and spatial changes of macroalgae and phytoplankton in a Mediterranean coastal area: the Venice lagoon as a case study

Since the late 1980s the lagoon of Venice, a shallow Mediterranean coastal area, has experienced strong environmental changes. Macroalgae, which were the predominant primary producers of the lagoon, reduced markedly, but neither phytoplankton nor seagrasses replaced them. Temporal and spatial changes in macroalgal standing crop (SC) and phytoplankton concentration were investigated between 1987 and 1998. Maps of macroalgal SC show a marked declining trend. Biomass in fresh weight decreased from: 558 ktonnes in 1987, to 85 ktonnes in 1993 and to 8.7 ktonnes in 1998. As a whole, the biomass in 1998 was only 1.6% of the biomass recorded in 1987. Similarly the macroalgal net (NPP) and gross (GPP) primary production decreased from ca. 1502 and 9721 ktonnes year(-1) to ca. 44 and 229 ktonnes year(-1), respectively. In the early 1990s the clam Tapes philippinarum Adams & Reeve and seagrasses, especially Zostera marina Linnaeus, colonised the bottoms free of macroalgae, but the development of intense clam-fishing activities prevented both phytoplankton blooms and seagrass spreading. Maps of chlorophyll a drawn according to data collected in parallel to macroalgal standing crop show unchanged concentrations. Macroalgae changes are enhanced by comparing annual trends in four areas of the central lagoon during 1989-1992 and 1998-1999. In those areas phytoplankton also decreased significantly. Marked changes of some environmental variables strongly associated with the primary production were recorded both during the lagoon mapping and in the areas studied on a yearly basis.     

大型海藻无性系微球体构建和反应器培养研究

利用大型海藻细胞的全能性获得了蜈蚣藻(Grateloupia filicina)、多管藻(Polysiphonia urceolata)和孔石莼(Ulva pertusa Kjellm)的无性系材料,在此基础上分别构建了绒球状微球体、网状微球体和簇生状微球体3种微球体形式,这种微球体形式适合于大型海藻的生物反应器高密度...     

Management of a shallow temperate estuary to control eutrophication: The effect of hydrodynamics on the system’s nutrient loading

The Mondego estuary, a shallow warm-temperate intertidal system located on the west coast of Portugal, has for some decades been under severe ecological stress, mainly caused by eutrophication. Water circulation in this system was, until 1998, mainly dependent on tides and on the freshwater input of a small tributary artificially controlled by a sluice. After 1998, the sluice opening was effectively minimised to reduce the nutrient loading, and the system hydrodynamics improved due to engineering work in the upstream areas. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the mitigation measures implemented in 1998. Changes to the hydrodynamics of the system were assessed using precipitation and salinity data in relation to the concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients, as well as the linkage between dissolved N:P ratios and the biological parameters (phytoplankton chlorophyll a concentrations, green macroalgal biomass and seagrass biomass). Two distinctive periods were compared, over a ten year period: from January 1993 to January 1997 and from January 1999 until January 2003. The effective reduction in the dissolved N:P atomic ratio from 37.7 to 13.2 after 1998 is a result of lowered ammonia, but not the oxidised forms of nitrogen (nitrate plus nitrite), or increased concentrations of dissolved inorganic phosphorus. Results suggest that the phytoplankton is not nutrient limited, yet maximum and mean biomass of green macroalgae was reduced by one order of magnitude after the mitigation measures. This suggests that besides lowering the water residence time of the system, macroalgal growth became nitrogen limited. In parallel to these changes the seagrass-covered area and biomass of Zostera noltii showed signs of recovery.     

Relationships between macroalgal biomass and nutrient concentrations in a hypertrophic area of the Venice Lagoon

Macroalgae biomass and concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and chlorophyll a were determined weekly or biweekly in water and sediments, during the spring-summer of 1985 in a hypertrophic area of the lagoon of Venice. Remarkable biomass production (up to 286 g m⁻² day⁻¹, wet weight), was interrupted during three periods of anoxia, when macroalgal decomposition (rate: up to 1000 g m⁻² day⁻¹) released extraordinary amounts of nutrients. Depending on the macroalgae distribution in the water column, the nutrients released in water varied from 3·3 to 19·1 μg-at litre⁻¹ for total inorganic nitrogen and from 1·8 to 2·7 μg-at litre⁻¹ for reactive phosphorus. Most nutrients, however, accumulated in the surficial sediment (up to 0·640 and to 3·06 mg g⁻¹ for P and N respectively) redoubling the amounts already stored under aerobic conditions, Phytoplankton, systematically below 5 mg m⁻³ as Chl. a, sharply increased up to 100 mg m⁻³ only after the release of nutrients in water by anaerobic macroalgal decomposition. During the algal growth periods, the N:P atomic ratio in water decreased to 0·7, suggesting that nitrogen is a growth-limiting factor. This ratio for surficial sediment was between 6·6 and 13·1, similar to that of macroalgae (8·6–12·0).     

Spatial distribution of surgeonfish and parrotfish in the north sector of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System

Surgeonfish and parrotfish play an important role in structuring the benthic communities of coral reefs. However, despite their importance, little is known about their distribution patterns in the north sector of the Mesoamerican Reef System. This study evaluated the distribution of these fish in 34 sites in four habitats (lagoon, front, slopes and terrace) along a depth gradient (c 0.5–20 m). These herbivorous fish were assessed by visual censuses. Species dominance was evaluated for each habitat using SIMPER analysis. Habitat characteristics data were collected to determine the relationship between habitat conditions and spatial variations in herbivorous fish (using abundance and biomass as a proxy) via redundancy analysis. The herbivorous fish assemblage had a low density (fish per 100 m²) and biomass (g·100 m^?2) in comparison with assemblages in similar studies. In contrast, species richness was high compared with other studies in the Caribbean. Spatial variation of the abundance, biomass and size of herbivorous fish was strongly related to coral and seagrass cover, as well as to depth and rugosity. These four variables were critical in controlling the distribution patterns of the herbivorous fish assemblages. No associations were found between fish and macroalgae or any other benthic group. The present study indicates that the species richness of surgeonfish and parrotfish was not regionally affected by the dominance of macroalgae in the habitats studied. Seagrass beds and the coral reef matrix need to be preserved for the herbivorous fish assemblages to remain healthy and capable of controlling excess macroalgae growth.     

Seasonal and spatial variation in species diversity, abundance, and element accumulation capacities of macroalgae in mangrove forests of Zhanjiang, China

The objective of this study was to investigate whether there was distinctive seasonal and zonal variation in the species diversity, biomass, and element accumulation capacities of macroalgae in two major intertidal mangrove stand types （Avicennia marina assemblage andSonneratia apetala assemblage） in the Zhanjiang region of southern China. Over a year, 31 species in 15 genera were identified in both mangrove assem-blages, of which the dominant species wereCladophoropsis zollingeriand Enteromorpha clathrat.Macroal-gal species were significantly most abundant in spring （p〈0.05）, followed by summer, winter, and autumn. Variation in the zonal distribution of macroalgal species was conspicuous in both intertidal mangrove as-semblages, with the greatest abundance in the middle zone, and the least in the front zone. Patterns in the seasonal and zonal variation in macroalgal biomass in theS. apetalaassemblage were similar to those of macroalgal species diversity in both mangrove assemblages. The seasonal patterns in tissue concentrations of 15 analyzed elements were not uniform among the macroalgaeC. zollingeri,E. clathrata, andGracilaria salicornia in theA. marina assemblage. All three species exhibited variation in their responses to ambient concentrations of different elements, implying their differential ability to absorb and selectively accumulate certain elements.     

Benthic community composition and faunal stable isotopic signatures differ across small spatial scales in a temperate estuary

Anthropogenically induced changes to estuaries, including shifts from seagrass to macroalgae-dominated habitats, have led to concerns about the ability of estuaries to support fish and invertebrates. To assess differences in habitat quality of seagrass and macroalgae, we examined faunal community structure and consumer carbon assimilation in adjacent areas of seagrass, macroalgae, and bare sediments in Sage Lot Pond, Waquoit Bay, MA. Vegetation was an important factor controlling abundances, and both seagrass and macroalgae provided suitable habitat for a range of benthic fauna. Differences in consumption and assimilation of carbon of seagrass and macroalgal origin were demonstrated by shifts in δ¹³C values of consumers between the seagrass meadow and adjacent macroalgal mats. Overall, consumers generally reflected incorporation of carbon from the dominant producers in the habitat where they were collected although macroalgae was an important carbon source for organisms in this study. These results revealed differences in carbon flow from producers to consumers across very small spatial scales (<10 m) within an estuary.     

山东荣成马山里海域大型藻类群落结构时空变化研究

山东半岛东端以岩基海岸为主,而浅海多为岩礁底质,适宜大型藻类生长。为探究该海域的大型藻类群落结构特征,于2018年11月(秋)、2019年2月(冬)、5月(春)和8月(夏)对山东荣成马山里海域的3个典型生境(草床区、天然礁区和泥沙区)中的大型藻类进行了调查。结果显示:3种生境共鉴定出大型藻类23种,其中红藻门15属15种,褐藻门3属4种,绿藻门3属4种。物种数最高值出现在天然礁区(22种),最低值出现在泥沙区(12种)。生物量最高值为春季草床区(1 567.44±21.29) g·m^-2、最低值为秋季的泥沙区(594.45±107.06) g·m^-2。大型藻类优势种在不同生境、不同季节不同:草床生境为小珊瑚藻(Corallina pilulifera),在4个季节中均占绝对优势;礁区为绿藻向红藻、褐藻变化;泥沙区为从红藻到褐藻变化。Pielow均匀度指数的最高值在3个生境中相近且均出现在冬季;多样性指数最高值、最低值分别出现在礁区与泥沙区; Margalef丰富度指数的最高值出现在秋季的礁区,而最低值出现在夏季的泥沙区;聚类与排序结果表明,大...     

The response of primary producer assemblages to mitigation measures to reduce eutrophication in a temperate estuary

The Mondego estuary is a well-described system located on the North Atlantic Ocean, where cultural eutrophication progressed over the last decades of the 20th century. Consequently, and due to a large productivity of Ulva spp., Zostera noltii meadows were severely reduced with a concomitant decrease in environmental quality. In 1998, experimental mitigation measures were implemented, via changes in hydrology to increase circulation and diversion of nutrient-rich freshwater inflow, to reverse the process in the most affected area of the estuary – its South arm.The objective of this study was to assess the differences in response of primary producer assemblages to the implemented measures to reduce eutrophication.Results show that the mean concentrations of DIN suffered a notorious decrease due to a significant reduction in the ammonium concentration in the water column, while DIP increased significantly. Primary producer assemblages showed different responses to these changes: phytoplankton, measured as concentration of chlorophyll a, did not show any significant changes; green macroalgae, mostly Ulva spp., suffered a large reduction in biomass, whereas Gracilaria gracilis and the macrophyte Zostera noltii biomasses increased greatly. Results show that phytoplankton biomass has remained constant and suggest that the reduction in ammonium could have been responsible for the changes in the green macroalgal biomass. Light was the most likely factor in the response of seagrass whereas red macroalgal reaction seemed to be dependent on both light and ammonium.     

Ecological assessments of the coral reef communities in the Eastern Caribbean and the effects of herbivory in influencing coral juvenile density and algal cover

Caribbean reefs have been unevenly surveyed, with many areas lacking baseline data. In this study, the current status of Orbicella reefs, a structurally complex forereef habitat, was quantified in an understudied region, the Eastern Caribbean. During 2011 the same observers surveyed benthic assemblages, coral juvenile density, herbivorous fishes, and invertebrates at 30 Orbicella reefs in four Eastern Caribbean areas: Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines (hereafter St Vincent). Not all Orbicella forereefs were functionally the same in the Eastern Caribbean. Benthic communities and herbivorous fishes varied greatly among islands. Hard coral had the highest overall percent cover on most reefs in this study, with an average cover of 22%, and was greater than fleshy macroalgal cover at 83% of the sites. Overall, coral juvenile density was low but was positively associated with higher densities of Diadema antillarum, highlighting the importance of herbivory on the reefs. Nearshore coral reefs in Barbados were in a better state than other areas, exhibiting higher coral cover dominated by spawning corals, higher densities of coral juveniles exhibiting higher coral cover dominated by spawning corals, higher densities of coral juveniles and D. antillarum. Low biomass of herbivorous fishes at a majority of the coral reef sites is of major concern for the functioning of these reefs. Conservation of parrotfishes and other herbivores is necessary given the abundance of algae on most of these reefs and the beneficial effect of their presence on coral juveniles. This is the first comprehensive study that compares the state of Orbicella reefs in the Eastern Caribbean, providing valuable information that will be useful in creating realistic targets for future management and conservation.     

The effects of trophic interactions and spatial competition on algal community composition on Hawaiian coral reefs

Much of coral reef ecology has focused on how human impacts change coral reefs to macroalgal reefs. However, macroalgae may not always be a good indicator of reef decline, especially on reefs with significant sea urchin populations, as found in Kenya and Hawaii. This study tests the effects of trophic interactions (i.e. herbivory by fishes and sea urchins) and spatial competition (between algae and coral) on algal community structure of reefs surrounding two Hawaiian Islands that vary in their level of human impacts. Reef‐building organisms (corals and crustose coralline algae) were less abundant and turf algae were more abundant on Maui as compared to Lanai, where human impacts are lower. In contrast to previous studies, we found no evidence that macroalgae increased with human impacts. Instead, low turf and macroalgal abundance were best explained by the interactive effects of coral cover and sea urchin abundance. Fishing sea urchin predators appeared to have cascading effects on the benthic community. The absence of sea urchin predators and high sea urchin densities correspond to a disproportionately high abundance of turf and crustose coralline algae. We propose that high turf algal abundance is a better indicator of reef decline in Hawaii than high macroalgal abundance because turf abundance was highest on reefs with low coral cover and few fish. The results of this study emphasize that understanding changes in community composition are context‐dependent and that not all degraded reefs look the same.     

Mapping benthic macroalgal communities in the coastal zone using CHRIS-PROBA mode 2 images

The ecological importance of benthic macroalgal communities in coastal ecosystems has been recognised worldwide and the application of remote sensing to study these communities presents certain advantages respect to in situ methods. The present study used three CHRIS-PROBA images to analyse macroalgal communities distribution in the Seno de Corcubión (NW Spain). The use of this sensor represent a challenge given that its design, build and deployment programme is intended to follow the principles of the “faster, better, cheaper”. To assess the application of this sensor to macroalgal mapping, two types of classifications were carried out: Maximum Likelihood and Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM). Maximum Likelihood classifier showed positive results, reaching overall accuracy percentages higher than 90% and kappa coefficients higher than 0.80 for the bottom classes shallow submerged sand, deep submerged sand, macroalgae less than 5 m and macroalgae between 5 and 10 m depth. The differentiation among macroalgal groups using SAM classifications showed positive results for green seaweeds although the differentiation between brown and red algae was not clear in the study area.     

Macrophytobenthos of the Caspian Sea: Diversity,distribution, and productivity

In the Russian sector of the northern and middle Caspian Sea, 36 species of macroalgae have been identified. The green and red algae from the mesosaprobic group are dominant. An increase in the number of green algae species is revealed. The distribution of macroalgae is inhomogeneous. It is confined to the solid substrate and epiphyton. The biomass of seaweeds reaches 1.5 kg/m². Climate change has little influence on the appearance of new species in the northern Caspian Sea, but new invaders can appear in the Middle and Southern Caspian. The distribution of aquatic and coastal hygrophytic vegetation shows considerable spatial dynamics due to fluctuations in the level and salinity of the Caspian Sea. The biomass of aquatic vegetation varies in a wide range from 0.5 to 10.0 kg/m₂. Spatially detailed mathematical models adequately reflect the changes in key species of aquatic plants in space and time. It is shown that expansion of the zone of the seagrass Zostera noltii to shallow water areas is occurring at present, as well as shrinkage of the range of the dominant littoral aquatic plant Phragmites australis.     

Influence of anthropogenic pressure and seasonal upwelling on coral reefs in Nha Trang Bay (Central Vietnam)

The growing coastal development, dredging and dumping activities, overfishing and expansion of marine cage culture in Nha Trang Bay (NTB) of Central Vietnam since the beginning of the 2000s have resulted in a dramatic decrease of live coral cover. Surveys conducted in April–May 2013 and the same period in 2014 revealed that with an increase in distance from the outer part of the bay towards the mainland, the rivers’ influxes and dredged areas, coral cover decreased from 75% to 0.6% and species richness from 63 to 5, while the abundance of macroalgae increased from 0% to 56%. These changes correlate with differences in the concentration of suspended sediments on the same gradient. The abundance of the crown‐of‐thorns starfish Acanthaster planci and of the echinoid Diadema setosum significantly increased between the first estimation in 1998 and the survey in 2014, from 0 to 1.7 individuals (ind.) per 100 m^?2 and from 50.8 to 94.5 ind. per 100 m^?2, respectively, contributing to coral loss and intensive bioerosion of the reef framework in the bay. The large sizes of adult colonies of tabulate Acropora on the remote stations with negligible sedimentation and eutrophication loads were inconsistent with the assumptions that temperature‐induced coral bleaching or cyclones could be the major impacts in Nha Trang Bay. Analysis of the 16‐year thermal history of the bay did not reveal any instances in which the coral thermal bleaching threshold had been exceeded up to the present study. Seasonal upwelling, which occurs annually in the vicinity of Central Vietnam, may contribute to mitigation of thermal anomalies within NTB and to the maintenance of healthy coral communities on the remote reefs with relatively low anthropogenic impact.     

Population dynamics of Cyathura carinata (Isopoda) in a eutrophic temperate estuary

From January 1993 to September 1995, Cyathura carinata was a target species of a monitoring programme carried in the Mondego Estuary (Portugal). Being one of the key species of the intertidal mud flats, this isopod was found to be most abundant in a eutrophic area, where seasonal macroalgal blooms usually occur. Its density decreased towards downstream areas, where some Zostera noltii beds exist. At the Mondego Estuary, the present work stated that C. carinata: (a) had a 2-year life span, even though, 80–90% of the individuals died when 1 year old, revealing a strong post-reproduction mortality; (b) produced a single cohort per year; (c) showed continuous growth (with lower rates during winter); (d) evidenced protogynous hermaphroditism and (e) presented a high growth production and a low turnover ratio. A latitudinal gradient reflected in the life features of C. carinata was described. Except for the life span and the frequency of reproduction, which are generally valid for all populations, C. carinata from the Mondego Estuary fitted the characteristics of other populations from the south of Europe.The effects of macroalgal blooms were assessed. Cyathura carinata seemed to temporarily benefit from the presence of macroalgae, due to higher energy resources and more efficient protection against predators. In a long term, algal blooms had negative consequences. It was particularly evident on the recruitment success, which had repercussions in population abundance, and on the secondary production. Therefore, repeated events of algal blooms embracing the distribution areas of C. carinata represent a threat to this species in eutrophic estuaries.