Rhodoliths in Brazil: Current knowledge and potential impacts of climate change

What is it about?

Rhodolith beds are important marine benthic ecosystems, representing oases of high biodiversity among sedimentary seabed environments. They are found frequently and abundantly, acting as major carbonate ‘factories’ and playing a key role in the biogeochemical cycling of carbonates in the South Atlantic. Rhodoliths are under threat due to global change (mainly related to ocean acidification and global warming) and local stressors, such as fishing and coastal run-off. Here, we review different aspects of the biology of these organisms, highlighting the predicted effects of global change, considering the additional impact of local stressors. Ocean acidification (OA) represents a particular threat that can reduce calcification or even promote the de-calcification of these bioengineers, thus increasing the eco-physiological imbalance between calcareous and fleshy algae. OA should be considered, together with extreme events as heat waves and storms, as main stressors of these ecosystem now, and will be worse in the future, especially if we consider possible interactions with local stressors as coastal pollution. Thus, in Brazil there is a serious need to start monitoring programs and promote experimental infrastructures to improve our knowledge about these rich environments, optimizing management and enhancing the needed conservation initiatives.

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