Author/Authors :
Costa، نويسنده , , Thiago J.F. and Pinheiro، نويسنده , , Hudson T. and Teixeira، نويسنده , , Joمo Batista and Mazzei، نويسنده , , Eric F. and Bueno، نويسنده , , Leonardo and Hora، نويسنده , , Mike S.C. and Joyeux، نويسنده , , Jean-Christophe and Carvalho-Filho، نويسنده , , Alfredo and Amado-Filho، نويسنده , , Gilberto and Sampaio، نويسنده , , Claudio L.S. and Rocha، نويسنده , , Luiz A، نويسنده ,
Abstract :
Invasive coral species of the genus Tubastraea have been increasingly recorded in Southwestern Atlantic waters since the 1980s. Their invasion and infestation are mainly related to port and oil exploration activities. For the first time the presence of Tubastraea tagusensis colonies is reported in Espيrito Santo State, colonizing a port shore area, and incrusting oil/gas platform structures situated in the southern Abrolhos Bank, which is part of the most important coral reef system of the South Atlantic Ocean. Tubastraea colonies exhibit fast growth and high recruitment rates, and colonized 40% of the analyzed structures in just four years. The projection of port and oil/gas industry growth for the Espيrito Santo State (more than 300%) highlights an alert to the dispersal of this alien species to natural areas.
Keywords :
Bioinvasion , Infestation , Southwestern Atlantic , Tubastraea , Coral reef
