Estarios: Characteristics, Types, Flora and Fauna

Estarios: Characteristics, Types, Flora and Fauna

By Dr. Kyle Muller

Do you wonder what the estuaries are? How many guys are there? What are their characteristics? What is the flora and fauna that are part of them? Well, keep reading because they are some of the questions we will answer below. The estuaries are a type of ecosystem that is formed with the mixture of fresh water that comes from the rivers and the salt water of the sea, that is, it occurs when the water of the rivers flows into the sea and, therefore, are mixed ecosystems. The estuaries are bodies of water that are closed by the land zone that forms the coast and open towards the sea, so they are semi -raised systems.

In this ecology article, we will talk about the estuaries, its characteristics, types and flora and fauna that inhabit them, in addition to the importance they have for living beings and the impacts they face for anthropic actions or people.

Characteristics of estuaries

These are the main characteristics of estuaries:

  • Acts as shelter for many species animals and vegetables that depend on these to live, as well as to feed and be able to reproduce.
  • They are classified depending on the area where water flows from the rivers since it can end up pouring its water into oceans, bays, ports, ensenadas, lagoons or channels.
  • In the mouth of the river, once the fresh water is put in contact with the salt water, there is a high degree of turbidity.
  • They are sometimes destined for recreational, tourist or scientific use.
  • The estuaries are characterized by being among the most productive ecosystems on the planetsince, compared to other areas of equal size, estuaries produce more organic matter. That they are so productive is because nutrients from the land that have been dragged by the rivers and on the other hand are the nutrients of the sea.
  • Being a semi -trained system in it there is a Great exchange of materials of all kinds with adjacent ecosystems.
  • They are areas with little depth, this characteristic makes the light that comes from the sun penetrates easily through water, producing photosynthesis.
  • In them are many of the species that humans consume, some crustaceans, mollusks, some species of fish, among others.
  • Has the capacity to retain considerable water volumes, avoiding floods and coastal damage When strong storms occur.
  • Sometimes the flow of water that comes from the rivers has a greater volume, therefore this makes the sediments and pollutants remove, causing the water to remain cleaner.

Next, the most characteristic species of the area will be shown, both those that are part of the flora and those that are part of the fauna.

Estarios: characteristics, types, flora and fauna - characteristics of estuaries

Types of estuaries

Each type is determined by the result between the volume of water from a river during the tide and the volume of tide water. Knowing this, we can find the following types of estuaries:

  • Salina wedge estuary: It occurs when the amount of river water is greater than the amount of tide water. Therefore we would have a mixture with a thin layer of transition between the river water in the upper part and the tide water wedge in the lower one.
  • Highly stratified estuary: The amount of fresh water that enters remains greater than that of tide water, but not so much. The mixture of this estuary would end a more saline upper layer of water, since the waves make the tide water to the upper part thus mixing with river water.
  • Slightly stratified estuary: The amount of river water is smaller than the amount of tide water. Salinity is changing both in the upper and lower layer of the estuary, because the tide flow is very turbulent.
  • Mixed estuary vertically: Practically the volume of fresh water is insignificant with respect to that of tide, dominating the tide the estuary with a homogeneous salinity, in addition there is no vertical stratification in the water column
  • Inverse estuary: In them there are no water contributions from the rivers, but they are found in areas with high evaporation. This high evaporation causes salinity to increase due to the loss of water and the sinking of water due to the increase in density being more saline.
  • Intermittent estuary: These are those that can be of one type or another depending on precipitation, since they are in an area that precipitation is very variable.

Estarios: characteristics, types, flora and fauna - types of estuaries

Flora of estuaries

The estuaries are formed by a very varied flora. The most representative species of these areas are Aquatic type plants And among them are:

  • Enea (Typha Domingensis)
  • Junco (Juncus spp)
  • Bijao (Thalia geniculata)

Here you can meet many aquatic plants: names and characteristics.

In the estuaries, mangroves are also present, these are formed by tree species resistant to brackish conditions and adapted to humid soils. Exist like 70 species of mangrove treesbut the most prominent are:

  • White mangrove (Racy Laguncularia)
  • Black mangrove (GERMINANAS AVICENNIA)
  • Red mangrove (Rhizhophora Mangle)
  • Gray mangrove (Know Erectus)

In this other post you can learn more about what a mangrove is and its characteristics.

Another vegetation associated with mangroves and is present in estuaries are Marine pasturesas (Thalassia Testudium). These pastures form walls in shallow and crystalline substrates. Finally, we want to indicate that, in the estuaries of one or two meters deep, when receiving enough light you can form a dense bed of background plants, or also called algae plain. And, of course, in the waters of the estuaries there is also phytoplankton.

Fauna of the estuaries

As with the flora, we can also find a great diversity of Animal species in estuaries.

  • The smallest animals that inhabit this ecosystem are those that form The zooplanktonwe can find it in the water during the night but, when the sunlight comes out it hides in the lowest and dark areas of the estuary. Zooplankton feeds on organic matter that is suspended and phytoplankton.
  • Zooplankton is consumed by species of Fish of the estuaryamong them are the herring, the sardines, the anchovies, etc., and not only eat zooplankton, also phytoplankton. Know more about estuary fish in this other ecology article Verde about the classification of fish.
  • In the group of The crustaceans From the estuaries are the blue crab, the pistol shrimp and the prawns. Know the crustaceans better: what are, types, characteristics and examples.
  • Within The mollusks In the estuaries are the black oyster and the pyadgua. Here you can learn more about mollusks: characteristics, types and examples.
  • Species of mammals and birds They also live this ecosystem. On the one hand, species of mammals such as the crab and otter mapache and, on the other, species of birds such as piqueros, the cormorant, the pelican and the night herons.
  • Between Reptiles that inhabit estals, there is a special species that lives in this ecosystem and is in danger of extinction. We talk about the Cayman and this one more reason why it is so important to conserve and protect these natural spaces.

Estarios: characteristics, types, flora and fauna - Fauna of estuaries

Impacts suffered by estuaries

In short, after seeing all the characteristics of the estuaries, we can conclude that they are very important ecosystems for living beings and are of special interest to scientific studies. But these are constantly threatened by anthropic activities or activities carried out by people:

  • They are being contaminated by pesticides, industrial and domestic waste.
  • Intensive fishing and cultivation They are other harmful factors. Know more about this problem in this other article on the overexploitation of natural resources: causes and consequences.
  • All types of constructions that are carried out in their environment, such as structures used to control fresh water flowlike dams, make the natural balance of the system altered.
  • The recreational use given to fishing and hunting can have a Strong impact if banning laws are not respected. Veda laws are those that determine the time in which certain species can be hunted and fish so as not to alter its balance and that of the ecosystem.

If you want to read more articles similar to Estarios: Characteristics, Types, Flora and Faunawe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.

Literature
  • Josรฉ V. Chang Gรณmez, Ing. M. SC. Estarin processes course: https://www.dspace.espol.edu.ec/bitstream/123456789/6230/13/Capitulo%204%20Clases%20de%20estuarios.pdf
  • ICM estuaries. CSIC (Higher Council for Scientific Research): http://www.physocean.icm.csic.es/introc/lecture12-es.html
Kyle Muller
About the author
Dr. Kyle Muller
Dr. Kyle Mueller is a Research Analyst at the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department in Houston, Texas. He earned his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Texas State University in 2019, where his dissertation was supervised by Dr. Scott Bowman. Dr. Mueller's research focuses on juvenile justice policies and evidence-based interventions aimed at reducing recidivism among youth offenders. His work has been instrumental in shaping data-driven strategies within the juvenile justice system, emphasizing rehabilitation and community engagement.
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