Biogeography and ecology of the mangroves ecosystem from the semi-arid coast of the Northeast Brazil

The northern coast of Brazil presents a section where the semi-arid climate determines particular characteristics to the estuaries and mangroves. The objective of this work was to segment the mangroves of this section and describe the distribution of the species of flora and fauna in the ecosystem, according to the different environmental compartments, and enumerating the main environmental services carried out by the mangroves in the region. The study area extends from the estuary of the Cardoso and Camurupim rivers in Luís Correia in Piauí (41 28' long W) to the Cabo de Calcanhar in Touros in Rio Grande do Norte (35 29' 22" long W), in an approximately 790 km extension. Most of the area is under a slightly wetter climate, As, with a longer annual wet period, while a driest climate, BSh, controls from Areia Branca (RN) to Pedra Grande (RN). Five sectors of coast were individualized and delimited according to the similarity of theirs estuaries and mangroves. Four associations of plant species were identified, whose distribution is associated with the mangrove internally dominant environmental characteristics. The most frequent animal species are presented according to the habitats identified in relation to the frequency of tidal floods. At the end, the ecosystem functions and services identified for local mangroves are listed. The semi-arid climate exerts a strong influence on local mangroves, both in the development of plant species and in the internal distribution of plant and animal associations. Keywords: hypersaline estuaries, mangrove ecology, Northeast Brazil mangroves, ecosystem functions, ecosystem services. O litoral setentrional do Brasil apresenta um trecho onde o clima semiárido determina características particulares aos estuários e aos manguezais locais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi setorizar os manguezais e descrever a distribuição das espécies da flora e da fauna no ecossistema, de acordo com os diferentes compartimentos ambientais e enumerando os principais serviços ambientais exercidos pelos manguezais nesse trecho do litoral. A área de estudo de estende do estuário dos rios Cardoso e Camurupim em Luís Correia no Piauí (41 28' long S) até o Cabo de Calcanhar em Touros no Rio Grande do Norte (35 29' 22" long S), numa extensão de aproximadamente 790 km. A maior parte da área está sob um clima um pouco mais úmido, As, com um período úmido anual mais longo, enquanto o clima mais seco, BSh, se estende desde Areia Branca (RN) até Pedra Grande