EPILITHIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ON ARTIFICIAL REEFS DEPLOYED ALONG A CROSS-SHELF ENVIRONMENTAL GRADIENT OFF PARANA STATE, SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Concrete modules were deployed on the bottom of the 11, 18 and 30 meters isobaths along a cross-shelf hydrographic gradient off Parana State, Southern Brazil, with the purpose of studying the colonization of sessile epilithic macroinvertebrates on artificial surfaces. After one year of submersion a total of 63 species of epilithic organisms were identified, dominated by Ostrea puelchana, Chthamalus bisinuatus, Balanus cf spongicola, Astrangia cf rathbuni, Didemnum spp, poryphers and bryozoans. Diversity index and percent cover at reef stations placed at 11, 18 and 30 meters isobaths were respectively 2.28 and 66.7%, 2.79 and 96.6% and 1.66 and 77.4%. Differences of general community structure among the three assemblages were not clearly related to the general environmental conditions at the bottom layers near the reef stations. Turbidity and larval abundance are discussed as important factors affecting colonization processes. Results indicate that depths between 15-20 meters are more suitable for the implementation of large scale artificial reef systems in the inner shelf off Parana and, possibly, throughout the inner shelves off southern Brazil with similar hydrographic conditions.