Table 1.
Ecosystem services provided by biodiversity of coastal lagoons (according to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Report, 2003, 2005)
| Biodiversity component | Taxon/Group | Ecological function | Mechanism | Ecosystem processes | Ecosystem service category | Ecosystem service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microbes | Heterotrophic prokaryotes and Fungi | Feeding | Pollutants degradation |
Decomposition/ Secondary production |
Regulating | Water purification |
| Heterotrophic prokaryotes | Feeding | Toxin degradation |
Decomposition/ Secondary production |
Regulating | Water purification | |
| Eukaryotic and prokariotic predators | Feeding | Predation on pathogenic species | Ecological interactions | Regulating | Disease regulation | |
| Photo and chemo- autotrophic microbes and heterotrophic microbes | Biomass production | Emission or sequestration of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2) through Photo/chemosynthesis |
Biogeochemical cycles/Primary/ Secondary production |
Regulating | Climate regulation | |
| Bacterivorous protists | Feeding | Predation and Competition | Ecological interactions | Regulating | Biological control | |
| Heterotrophic prokaryotes, fungi, viruses | Feeding | Organic matter degradation | Decomposition/Secondary production | Supporting | Nutrient cycling | |
| Denitrifying bacteria, archaea and protists, Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and archaea, Sulfide-oxidizing bacteria, Sulfate-reducing bacteria and archaea, DMSP producers and consumers | Feeding | Inorganic nutrient recycling (e.g., nitrogen and sulfur) | Biogeochemical Cycles | Supporting | Nutrient cycling | |
| Photo- and chemo- autotrophic prokaryotes and Photoautotrophic protists | Biomass production | Oxygenic and Anoxygenic Photosynthesys/ Chemoautotrophy | Primary production | Supporting | Primary production | |
| Zooplankton | Zooplankton species | Respiration/Excretion | Vertical distribution of carbon through the system | Biogeochemical Cycles | Supporting | Nutrient cycling |
| Marine zooplankton species | Feeding/Excretion | Detritus from zooplanktons as carbon input to bottom habitats | Biogeochemical Cycles | Regulating | Climate regulation | |
| Rotifera, cladocera and copepoda species | Biomass production | Fossil record in coastal sedimentary layers | Biogeochemical Cycles | Cultural | Formal knowledge system; educational values | |
| Dormant zooplankton species | Recruitment | Re-suspension or re-emerging of dormant stages to restore communities | Secondary production/ Evolutionary processes | Provisioning | Genetic resources | |
| Zooplankton species | Feeding | Recovering energy from protist sink | Biogeochemical Cycles/Secondary production | Supporting | Nutrient cycling | |
| Zooplankton species (e.g., copepods) | Biomass production | Biomass/abundance of prey availability in foraging habitats to pelagic fishes | Secondary production/Ecological interactions | Supporting | Provisioning of habitat | |
| Grazing zooplanktons (e.g., Daphnia spp.) | Feeding | Grazing activity over autotrophs | Biogeochemical Cycles/Ecological interactions | Regulating | Water purification | |
| Daphnia spp., Acartia cf. fancetti Brachionus plicatilis, Cyclophora sp. and Scrippsiella sp. | Biomass production | Biomass/abundance availability of bioindicator species | Secondary production | Cultural | Formal knowledge system | |
| Polychaeta | Polychaeta species | Biomass production | Detrital material converted into biomass | Biogeochemical Cycles/Secondary production | Supporting | Nutrient cycling |
| Polychaeta species | Biomass production | Biomass/abundance prey availability in foraging habitats to macrobenthic fishes | Secondary production/Ecological interactions | Supporting | Provisioning of habitat | |
| Polychaeta species | Moviment (habitat use) | Bioturbation enhancing oxygen penetration in sediment | Biogeochemical cycle/Decomposition | Supporting | Sediment formation | |
| Polychaeta species | Moviment (habitat use) | Bioturbation releasing nutrients to the water column | Biogeochemical Cycles | Supporting | Nutrient cycling | |
| Polychaeta species | Biomass production | Biomass/abundance availability of bioindicator species | Secondary production | Cultural | Formal knowledge system | |
| Arenicolidae, Glyceridae, Lumbrineridae, Nereididae, Nephtyidae, Onuphidae and Eunicidae species | Biomass production | Biomass/abundance availability as fishing baits | Secondary production | Cultural | Sense of place, Social relationships, Recreational values and Cultural heritage values | |
| Mollusks | Deposit-feeders (e.g., A. ovata) | Feeding | Sediment reworking from feeding activity enhancing oxygen penetration and bacterial growth in benthic habitats | Biogeochemical cycle /Decomposition | Supporting | Nutrient cycling, Sediment formation |
| Deposit-feeders (e.g., A. ovata) | Feeding | Sediment oxygenation fostering bacterial activity in the water column | Decomposition/ Secondary production | Regulating | Water purification | |
| Mollusks | Grazing gastropods (e.g., Strombus gigas; M. modulus) | Feeding | Feeding activities enhacing photosynthetic rates in seagrass and its carbon sequestration | Ecological interactions/Primary production | Regulating | Climate regulating |
| Suspension feeder bivalves (e.g. A. tuberculosa; P. rugosa) | Feeding | Feeding activities removing phytoplankton and controling eutrophication | Ecological interactions/Primary production | Regulating | Water purification | |
| Suspension feeder bivalves (e.g. A. tuberculosa; P. rugosa) | Feeding | Feeding activities removing other particles in suspension and influencing on carbon cycling | Biogeochemical Cycles | Supporting | Nutrient cycling | |
| Erodoma mactroides Bosc, 1801 and other mollusks | Biomass production | Prey biomass/abundance availability in nursery area to decapoda species | Secondary production/Ecological interactions | Supporting | Provisioning of habitat | |
| Mollusk's fishery resource | Biomass production | Biomass/abundance availability supporting fishing activity | Secondary production/Ecological interactions | Provisioning | Food | |
| Mollusk's fishery resource | Biomass production | Biomass/abundance availability supporting fishing activity | Secondary production/Ecological interactions | Cultural | Sense of place, Social relationships, Recreational values and Cultural heritage values | |
| Mollusk species | Biomass (shell) production | External shell formation as carbon long-term sink | Secondary production/ Biogeochemical cycle | Regulating | Climate regulating | |
| Mollusks | Mollusk species | Biomass (shell) production | Shells used to craft decoration artefacts or jewels | Secondary production/ Biogeochemical cycle | Cultural | Aesthetic, inspirational values |
| Mollusk species | Biomass production | Mollusk’s species used to classical studies | Secondary production | Cultural | Educational, cultural heritage | |
| Anomalocardia spp; Phacoides spp | Biomass production | Mollusks used as food and to build "Sambaquis" | Secondary production | Cultural | Formal and traditional knowledge system, educational, inspirational, cultural heritage, and recreational and touristic values | |
| Gastropods species | Biomass (shell) production | Shells (named “Búzios”) used in spiritual ceremonies | Secondary production | Cultural | Spiritual | |
| Macro-crustaceans | Isopods; Amphipods species | Biomass production | Prey biomass/abundance availability in nursery area to fish species | Secondary production/Ecological interactions | Supporting | Provisioning of habitat |
| Grapsid crabs; Thalassinidean shrimps; Callinectes spp | Burrowing behaviour | Bioturbation releasing nutrients (e.g. phosporous; nitrogen) to water column | Biogeochemical cycles | Supporting | Nutrient cycling | |
| Grapsid crabs; Thalassinidean shrimps; Callinectes spp. | Burrowing behaviour | Nutrients from bioturbation enhacing primary productors | Primary production | Supporting | Primary production | |
| Grapsid crabs; Thalassinidean shrimps; Callinectes spp. | Burrowing behaviour | Bioturbation enhacing oxygen penetration and bacterial growth in sediment | Decomposition/ Biogeochemical cycle | Supporting | Sediment formation | |
| Macro-crustaceans | Grapsid crabs; Thalassinidean shrimps; Callinectes spp | Burrowing behaviour | Bioturbation enhacing oxygen penetration in sediment (habitat quality to benthic communities) | Sediment formarion/Biogeochemical cycle | Supporting | Provisioning of habitat |
| Penaeids shrimps (and others) | Biomass production | Biomass/abundance availability supporting fishing activity | Secondary production | Provisioning | Food | |
| Crustacean's fisheries resource | Biomass production | Chitin biomass availability | Secondary production | Provisioning | Biochemical material provision | |
| Crustacean's fisheries resource | Biomass production | Biomass/abundance availability supporting fishing activity | Secondary production | Cultural | Sense of place, social relationships, Recreational values; Cultural heritage values | |
| Fish | Bottom-dwelling fish (e.g., Pleutonectiformes) | Feeding | Bioturbation releasing nutrients to the water column | Biogeochemical cycles | Supporting | Nutrient cycling |
| Bottom-dwelling fish (e.g., Pleutonectiformes) | Feeding | Nutrients from bioturbation fostering primary producers | Primary Production | Supporting | Primary production | |
| Fish (all groups) | Excretion | Excretion of mineralized nutrients | Biogeochemical cycles | Supporting | Nutrient cycling | |
| Burrower fish (e.g., Pleutonectiformes) | Burrowing behaviour | Bioturbation releasing nutrients to water column | Biogeochemical cycles | Supporting | Nutrient cycling | |
| Burrower fish (e.g., Pleutonectiformes) | Burrowing behaviour | Nutrients from bioturbation fostering primary producers | Primary Production | Supporting | Primary production | |
| Zooplanktivorous fish | Feeding | Predation on zooplankton in the water column influecing growth of phytoplankton and reducing carbon sequestration | Ecological interactions/Primary production | Regulating | Climate regulation | |
| Fish | Phytoplanktivorous fish | Feeding | Grazing of algae and cyanobacteria controling eutrophication | Ecological interactions/Primary production | Regulating | Water purification |
| Piscivorous fish | Feeding | Predation on zooplanktivorous fishes, growth of zooplankton that consumes phytoplankton (releasing of carbon) | Ecological interactions/Secondary production | Regulating | Climate regulation | |
| Diadromous fish (e.g., G. genidens, P. marinus) | Excretion/migration | Excretion of mineralized nutrients and moviment conecting freshwater and marine systems | Biogeochemical cycles | Supporting | Nutrient cycling | |
| Larvivorous fish (e.g., G. affinis) | Feeding | Predation on mosquito larvae | Ecological interactions/Secondary production | Regulating | Biological control, Disease regulation * | |
| Fish (all groups) | Biomass production | Mutation and natural recombination | Ecological interactions/Evolutionary processes | Provisioning | Genetic resources | |
| Fish (e.g., mullet, sea lamprey) | Biomass production | Increase of biomass and abundance of fish | Secondary production | Provisioning | Food | |
| Fish (e.g., Tilapia species) | Biomass production | Increase of biomass and abundance of fish | Secondary production | Provisioning | Biochemicals, natural medicines and pharmaceuticals | |
| Fish (e.g., N. notopterus and O. gachua) | Biomass production | Increase of biomass and abundance of fish | Secondary production | Provisioning | Ornamental resources | |
| Fish (all groups) | Biomass production | Fish markets underpin relationships among social actors | Secondary production | Cultural | Cultural diversity, social relations | |
| Fish | Fish (e.g., seahorse as amulet) | Biomass production | Availability of biomass and abundance of fish | Secondary production | Cultural | Spiritual and religious values |
| Fish (e.g., sensitive species such as L. saliens, or tolerant species such as P. marmoratus) | Biomass production | Death (or behavior alteration) of sensitive species. Endurance of tolerant species (with dominance in the system) | Secondary production/Ecological interactions | Cultural | Knowledge systems | |
| Fish (all groups) | Biomass production | Biomass/abundance availability supporting fishing and social activities | Ecological interactions/Secondary production | Cultural | Educational,inspirational, aesthetic, cultural heritage, recreational and ecoturism values | |
| Predator birds (N. brasilianus; diving ducks) | Feeding | Biological control of pests, dominant or exotic species populations | Ecological interactions/Secondary production | Regulating | Biological control, Disease regulation | |
| Cormorants, Terns and Gulls | Excretion | Guano and eggshells deposition on land | Biogeochemical cycles | Provisioning | Raw material (Fertilizer) provision | |
| Cormorants, Terns and Gulls | Excretion/moviment | Guano deposition and nutrient enrichment connecting terrestrial and aquatic habitats | Biogeochemical cycles | Supporting | Soil Formation | |
| Cormorants, Terns and Gulls | Excretion | Guano deposition on water influencing nutrients cycling and enhance primary production | Biogeochemical cycles/Primary production | Supporting | Nutrient cycling, Primary production | |
| Birds | Bird species, Flamingos P. roseus, rare and migrating species | Biomass production | Bird diversity promoting recreational activities, as birdwatching | Ecological interactions/Secondary production | Cultural | Formal and informal knowledge system, educational, aesthetics, social relations and recreation and tourism values |
| Geese, Swans and Ducks | Biomass production | Bird diversity promote the creation of conservation actions | Ecological interactions/Secondary production | Cultural | Educational values, social relations, sense of place | |
| Flamingos P. roseus; Sacred Ibis T. aethiopicus | Biomass production | Bird species as cultural values to ancient societies | Ecological interactions/Secondary production | Cultural | Inspirational, formal and traditional knowledge systems, spiritual, cultural heritage | |
| Aquatic mammals | Aquatic and semi-aquatic species | Excretion/movimentation | Mammal's releasing faecal plumes in their foraging habitats | Biogeochemical cycles/Primary production | Supporting | Nutrient cycling, Primary production |
| Aquatic and semi-aquatic species | Biomass production | Mammal's body as carbon sink, and mammal's carcass as carbon source | Secondary production/Biogeochemical cycle | Regulating | Climate regulating | |
| Beluga D. leucas; Harbor seal P. vitulina | Biomass production | Biomass/abundance availability supporting hunting activities | Secondary production/Ecological interactions | Provisioning | Food | |
| Beluga D. leucas; Harbor seal P. vitulina | Biomass production | Mammal's skin and other raw materials used for clothing, equipment, and ornamental | Secondary production/Ecological interactions | Provisioning | Raw material (Skin) | |
| Irrawaddy dolphin O. brevirostris; Lahille`s Bottlenose dolphin T. truncatus gephyreus | Foraging behaviour | Mammals’ species supporting fishing activity | Ecological interactions | Cultural | Recreational, sense of place, social relations, aesthetics, cultural heritage, formal, traditional knowledge, cultural, diversity values |