Urban freshwater ecosystems are increasingly exposed to mixtures of pollutants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). However, their ecological effects remain poorly understood, especially in tropical regions with limited sanitation infrastructure. This study investigated PFAS contamination, water quality, and microbial community structure in Pampulha Lake, a tropical urban reservoir in southeastern Brazil. Spa...

Coral transplantation is a key tool for reef restoration, yet high post-transplant mortality (particularly during early stages) continues to limit its effectiveness. Predation by corallivorous sea stars is a major cause of transplant loss, but the role of mutualistic crabs ( Trapezia spp. and Tetralia spp.) in mediating age- and size-dependent resistance remains poorly understood. Here, we experimentally tested whether the pro...

Aim We investigate the distribution of dispersal modes — endozoochory (via animal ingestion), synzoochory (via animal seed accumulation) and anemochory (via wind)—and seed mass of woody plants across Brazilian ecosystems, testing whether their relative abundance in local plant communities could be predicted by climate, edaphic factors and dispersal agents (e.g., the main vectors moving seeds). We expected climate to be the mai...