Variações no prado de Halodule wrightii Ascherson e macrofauna associada na praia da Pedra Rachada, Paracuru, Ceará – Brasil

Abstract

Variations in the Halodule wrightii Ascherson meadow and associated macrofauna in Pedra Rachada Beach, Paracuru, Ceará – Brazil – Seagrass beds constitute important coastal ecosystems. The more abundant benthic macrofauna in these environments are Mollusca, Polychaeta and Amphipoda, which experience changes directly associate with the seagrass dynamic. This study had as an objective to evaluate the changes observed in H. wrightii and associated benthic macrofauna, during a monitoring with samplings in 2010 and 2014. The biomass and biometry values of H. wrightii increased in the sampling of 2014, and this reflected on the macrofauna, which abundance and species diversity increased. This direct relation between the fauna and the seagrass reinforces the importance of these ecosystems for the coastal productivity. However, given the importance of these environments, as well as the anthropogenic and climatic influences, the monitoring is an important tool to provide information on the natural dynamic of this ecosystem, identifying risks and proposing mitigatory measures.