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Tourism

DNA Damage in Sentinel Crabs Linked to Tourism in Brazilian Archipelago

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers from the Federal University of Tecnology Parana have discovered a significant correlation between tourist numbers and DNA damage in sentinel crabs in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, a Marine Protected Area and World Natural Heritage Site in Brazil. The study, which spanned from October 2020 to June 2022, assessed the genotoxic effects of tourism on two crab species: Johngarthia lagostoma and Grapsus grapsus. Financial support for the research was provided by the Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade-ICM-Bio and Fundacao de Apoio a Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF).

Key Takeaways:

  • DNA damage in sentinel crabs increased with tourist numbers, with macrolesions rising from 3.2 MN/1000 cells to 8.8 MN/1000 cells in J. lagostoma, and microlesions increasing from a damage index (DI) of 119.1 to 231.5.
  • Grapsus grapsus was found to be more susceptible to DNA damage, with macrolesions rising from 5.4 to 10.2 MN/1000 cells and microlesions from 184.7 to 303.1 DI.
  • Regression analysis revealed a strong correlation between tourist numbers and DNA damage, particularly in J. lagostoma (R-2 = 0.99; p < 0.01).
  • The research concluded that island ecosystems are vulnerable to tourism-induced genomic damages and that conservation strategies are needed to mitigate these effects.

Statistics:

  • 3261 tourists visited the Dolphin Trail site in October 2020, while 10,918 tourists visited the same site in February 2022.
  • DNA damage increased from 3.2 MN/1000 cells to 8.8 MN/1000 cells in J. lagostoma between October 2020 and February 2022.
  • Microlesions increased from a damage index (DI) of 119.1 to 231.5 in J. lagostoma between October 2020 and February 2022.
  • Grapsus grapsus experienced a 89.2% increase in macrolesions (from 5.4 to 10.2 MN/1000 cells) and a 63.4% increase in microlesions (from 184.7 to 303.1 DI) between October 2020 and October 2021.

Sources:

  • Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade-ICM-Bio
  • Fundacao de Apoio a Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF)
  • Federal University of Tecnology Parana
  • Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (Springer)
  • NewsRx LLC

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