What is a estuary

What is a estuary

By Dr. Kyle Muller

You have probably heard or read the word estuary more than once. It can have several meanings, but usually, speaking in terms of ecology and environment this word refers to areas with swampy conditions, which share a series of geographical and ecological characteristics. If you want to learn more about What is a estuarycontinue with the reading of this ecology article in which we tell you that and all about its characteristics and more.

What is a estuary

ยฟWhat is Estero? When referring to a estuary, the most common is that we are talking about some Flat geographical areathat because of the inability of the land to drain the water completelyis partly bogged down. However, the switching areas that are flooded due to rains or river floods are also called estuary.

These are areas with high biodiversity, with depths usually below three meters and in subtropical or tropical regions. They also tend to show very poor oxygen waters, a large amount of vegetation, both below and above the water level, and a large amount of decomposition sediments.

In Spain, in addition, the salt water lakes formed artificially, almost always to exploit their own salt. There are several that are no longer used as exploitation and have become natural reserves for local birds and fauna.

As the estuaries are one of the lentic ecosystems, here we explain everything about what are lentic ecosystems, their characteristics and examples.

What is a estuary - What is a estuary

Examples of estuaries

Now that you know what the estuaries and their characteristics are, we will know some of the examples. There is a good amount of estuaries throughout the world, especially if we take into account the different characteristics attributed to the term according to the geographical area.

However, The best known estuaries are the following:

  • Esteros del Iberรก, in Argentina.
  • Esteros del Guadalquivir, in Doรฑana, in Spain.
  • Esteos de Camaguรกn, in Venezuela.
  • Esteros between the Arauca River and the Meta River, in Colombia.

Now that you know some of the examples of estuaries, we will know the characteristics of the estuaries of the Iberรก, for example, in addition to the animals that inhabit the other estuaries.

What is a estuary - examples of estuaries

Estero animals

Esteros tend to be areas with a Great biodiversity. Here we detail the ESTEROS FAUNA from different parts of the world:

Animal animals in Argentina

Some of the characteristics of the estuaries of Iberรก is that they have a great diversity of animals. In fact, in the estuaries of Iberรก, species such as:

  • The deer of the pampas (Bezoarticus Ozoceros).
  • The deer of the swamps (Blasterus said).
  • The Aguarรก Guazรบ (Chrysocyon Brachyurus).
  • The carpincho or capibara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris).
  • The howmers (Alouatta).
  • The Boa Curiyรบ (Eunectes Noteeus).
  • The caimanes or yacarรฉs overo and black (Coiman crocodilus).
  • El Pirincho (Guira Guira).

In addition, they are found in their fish fish such as:

  • La Dorada (Sparus aurata).
  • THE PACUS (Myleus Pacu).
  • The assembly (Pterodoras granulosus).
  • The tararira (Hoplias Malabaricus).
  • The palometa (Pygocentrus nattereri).
  • The surubies (Pseudoplatystoma).
  • The mojarras (Gerreidae).

In this environment they also lived Yaguaretรฉs, necklace pecarรญs, chip wolves, antiques and tapirs, although all these species disappeared from this area and are considered extinct there from the first half of the twentieth century. This is areas of great environmental importance, vital for the subsistence of a large number of species.

Estero animals in Spain

In Spain, on the other hand, estuaries are exploited to obtain food in a regular but controlled way. The Estero fishing in Cรกdiz Bay It is a usual practice in each season. It is called Parsque seasonin fact, and it was traditionally done when the areas were used for saline exploitation.

When salt extraction work ended in the season, the fish trapped in the rafts were removed. Thus, a whole holiday was organized by the end of the Salinera campaign, in which the fish collected was consumed and the surplus was sold or distributed.

Today, there are estuaries in the area that produce fish and seafood Throughout the year thanks to the fish that are raised and reproduced there naturally. In Spain, these products are increasingly valued by restaurants, since it is fish and seafood of higher quality and unique flavor.

Among the most common fish of the Estero or fishing is:

  • Estero lubina (DECENTRARCHUS LABRAX).
  • La Dorada (Sparus aurata).
  • The smooth (Mugil Cephalus).
  • The sole (Solea Solea).
  • The eel (Anguilla Anguilla).

Sometimes, Sargos, Corvinas and Rey Fish, small fish that keep great resemblance to the Boquerรณn can also be taken. With regard to seafood, which is raised in the areas around the salinas, in the silt, there are:

  • The coquins (Donax trunculus).
  • The clams (Ruditapes philippinarum).
  • The crabs (Brachyura).
  • Los Morgos (Ensis Siliqua).
  • The beroberes (Cardiidae).

These products are of higher quality thanks to the fact that both fish and seafood feed naturally what they find in the environment, unlike the fish fish, which is raised with feed.

They are also particularly known Estero shrimpwhich feed on plankton and microalgae and with which the well -known shrimp tortillitas, and the Estero prawnswhose marketing is booming and are cooked.

What is a estuary - Estero animals

What is a estuary -

What is a estuary -

If you want to read more articles similar to What is a estuarywe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.

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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