Brazilian Rhodolith Beds: Oasis of Marine Biodiversity to be protected (Brazilian Marine Biodiversity)

By: Paulo Antunes Horta and Marina Nasri Sissini

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Synopsis: 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.