Rhodolith beds form biogenic reefs, oases of high biodiversity in sedimentary seabed environments. The rhodoliths are foundation species, which provide shelter and substrata for important and abundant benthic communities. Currently they have been recognized as an important player to the carbon balance, contributing to the planetarium climatic equilibrium. In Brazil, these environments are frequent and abundant and can be major carbonate 'factories' with a key role in the biogeochemical cycling of carbon in the South Atlantic Ocean. However, these organisms and environments are under threat from climate change, particularly ocean acidification and global warming, as well as local stressors such as fishing impacts and coastal run-off. In our book, written by dozens of researchers from different regions and expertise, you will dive more deeply in these and many other subjects related to this wonderful and vulnerable pink and dynamic underwater ecosystems.

Provides an overview of the Brazilian rhodolith beds, threatened oasis of biodiversity and major carbonate biofactory Identifies the consequences of marine pollution and oil exploration for this environment and how these can be managed Discusses recent studies on the unique flora and fauna in these ecologically and economically important environments

Autorentext

Paulo Antunes Horta - Graduated in Biological Sciences in the University of São Paulo (1996), Ph.D. in Biological Sciences in the University of São Paulo (2000) and PostDoc. in Marine Ecology in Plymouth University, UK (2013), and University of Algarve (2018). He was a professor at the Federal University of Paraíba (2004), visiting professor at the University of Salento (2021) and since 2006 is professor at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. He is interested in marine ecology, studying the impacts of climate change and local stressors on marine biodiversity .

Marina Nasri Sissini - Graduated as biologist at Federal University of Santa Catarina (2011), Ph.D in Ecology at the same university. She is particularly interested in the Biodiversity, Evolution and Conservation of rhodolith beds in the South Atlantic.

Inhalt

Chapter 1 Coralline red algae and rhodolith beds - a world natural heritage in the Southwestern Atlantic.- Chapter 2 .- Chapter 3 Rhodolith beds: occurrence, diversity, and evolution.- Chapter 4 Biodiversity associated with rhodolith beds in Brazil.- Chapter 5 Molluscs associated with rhodolith beds from the Southwestern Atlantic.- Chapter 6 Fossil and recent coralline algal bioconstructions and rhodoliths in the Brazilian shelf.- Chapter 7 Rhodolith beds mapping along Brazilian Continental Shelf.- Chapter 8 Major Threats to Rhodolith Beds Ocean Acidification, Global Warming and Local Stressors.-Chapter 9 Contributions of rhodolith beds to people.- Chapter 10 The legacy of Gilberto M. Amado-Filho to South Atlantic Rhodolith Beds knowledge: memories of his students.