Global Journal of Science Frontier Research, H: Environment & Earth Science, Volume 22 Issue 5

VII. C onclusion x Higher diversity values from smaller taxa and opportunistic species rather than from SBF suggests that coral communities are may be at risk. x Oil spots in P2, P3, P7, P8, P9, P12, P14, P18, P20, P21, P22 revealed that the oil reached the bottom sediment with immediate consequences for the benthic fauna x Barren zones formed by stations P20, P21, P22, are due to the acidity due to the oil spill reaching the bottom x Quinqueloculina species have become the dominant taxa, and after the oil spill in 2019 Archaias became extinct. x A change from SBS to heterotrophic foraminifers such as Quinqueloculina lamarckiana like we have seen in 2019, after the spill, is also indicating of not well-developed ecosystem. x Pirangi has marginal environment for reef growth and is unsuitable for recovery after stress events, specially in areas with tourist activities; and the oil spill reached an already impacted area. x The presence of reworked Quinqueloculina shows that changes besides the oil spill yet to be identified are occurring in the area and must be taken into consideration in further studies. These changes may be linked to erosion occurring at the beaches near the reefal area that is uncovering relict environments. x The dominance of smaller foraminiferal taxa, including stress-tolerant species, and minimal representation of BSB taxa, indicate unsuitable conditions in these reefal area. Anthropogenic disturbances in coastal marine environments are threatening marine life. x Reefs in Pirangi that are trampled by tourists face an eminent coral and foraminiferal community death. Agricultural land use increases amount of sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus, and turbidity in nearby rivers. The oil spill happened on top of all of it. x Amphistegina gibbosa is not found at sites where reefs are walked upon, whereas Amphisorus hemprichii is sometimes present because of its flattened morphology. x Due to their proximity to the coast, the Pirangi reefs are vulnerable to anthropogenic effects. Disturbances (natural or anthropogenic) can result in a different distribution of the benthic organisms in the reef area, allowing to infer that the area of Pirangi has undergone changes resulting from human activities and that the differences in biological composition can be used as an important indicator of the health of the Pirangi reef process and development. A cknowledgements The authors are grateful to the Marine Geology and Geophysical and Environmental Monitoring Laboratories (Laboratório de Geologia e Geofísica Marinha e Monitoramento Ambiental Coastal/GGEMMA), and to the Graduate Program in Geology and Geodynamics (PPGG) of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). We are grateful to CAPES for funding support through Projects Special Visiting Professor (PVE 151- 2012, AuxPe242-2013), and Ciências do Mar II (23038.004320/2014-1) that enabled a Pos Doc fellowship for P.P.B. Eichlerat Moss Landing Marine Laboratories of San Jose State University (MLML/SJSU), and at the Ocean Sciences Department of the University of California at Santa Cruz(UCSC) (88887.305531/2018- 00, 88881.188496/2018-01 and 9999.000098/2017-05). We want to thank the Technical Support to Strengthen National Palaeontology (Apoio Técnico para Fortalecimento da Paleontologia Nacional, Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia MCTI/National Research Council CNPq Nº 23/2011, Nº 552976/2011-3). This work was carried out under the scope of INCT Amb Tropic phase II (CNPq Process 465634/2014 1) linked to the Emergency Action to combat the 2019 oils pill of the MCTI (DTI-A 381360/2020-2 fellowship to PPB Eichler). We are grateful to the ANP- PRH 22 and the CAPES Project "Oceanographic process in the breaking of the continental shelf of northeastern Brazil: Scientific foundations for special marine planning" for the financial assistance granted, to the crews of the vessels used, and to all colleagues of GEMMA/UFRN. We are also thankful to CNPq for the research grants for co-author Gomes M.P (PQ 302483/2019- 5) and for co- author Vital H (PQ311413/2016-1, PQ 315742/2020-8). We are especially thankful to the GGEMMA Lab team(PPGG/UFRN) that made possible to carry out this work. The authors also thank EcoLogic Project for supporting the publication of this research. R eferences R éférences R eferencias 1. Alve, E. 1995. Benthic foraminiferal responses to estuarine pollution: a review. J For Res 25: 190-203 2. Arau ғ jo, H.A.B., Machado, A.J., 2008. Benthic foraminifera associated with the south Bahia coral reefs, Brazil. Journal of Foraminiferal Research 38:23-38. 3. Baker, R. D., Hallock, P., Moses, E. F., Williams, D. E., And Ramirez, A., 2009, Larger foraminifers of the Florida reef tract, USA: distribution patterns on reef- rubble habitats: Journal of Foraminiferal Research, v. 39, p. 267–277. 4. Barbosa, C. F., M. F. Prazeres, Ferreira, B. P., Seoane, J. C. S., 2009. Foraminiferal assemblage and reef check census in coral reef health © 2022 Global Journals 1 Global Journal of Science Frontier Research Volume XXII Issue V Year 2022 56 ( H ) Version I Evidence of Sediment Sterility and Benthic Quality as Deleterious Consequences After the 2019 Oil Spill in Northeastern Brazil