Tropical Estuary Research Articles

Effects of tidal cycle on greenhouse gases emissions from a tropical estuary

The potential effects of tidal and diel cycles on fluxes and concentrations of carbon dioxide (pCO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) along with associated biogeochemical processes remain poorly understood in tropical estuaries. The present study, based on six-hourly sampling for nine consecutive days at three locations along the salinity gradient in the Mahanadi estuary of India, revealed that the tidal forcing affected pCO2 and CH4 in the mixing zone with elevated concentrations during low tide with maximum concentrations up to 21,606 μatm and 285 μM, respectively. pCO2 increased with decrease in tidal height within low and high tide duration as well, possibly due to higher relative contribution of freshwater with high CO2. N2O, on the other hand, showed no significant variability with tidal cycle or water level fluctuation during high and low tide. Barring the offshore region, the study area was source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

Width/length–weight relationships and condition factor of seven decapod crustaceans in a Brazilian tropical estuary

The analysis of body relationships and condition factors are useful tools in studies of marine populations, and they have been widely used in fishery research and management. In this study, width–weight (WWR) and length–weight (LWR) relationships and Fulton’s condition factors were analyzed for six commercially important decapod crustacean species from the Paraguaçu River estuary (Todos os Santos Bay), eastern Brazil, namely Callinectes danae, C. exasperatus, C. marginatus, C. ornatus, Goniopsis cruentata and Ucides cordatus, and one non-indigenous species, Charybdis helleri. In total 5,704 individuals were measured and weighed during five years (2012–2017). The three allometric growth types for the crustacean species were observed, being most frequently the negative allometric growth. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed significant differences between the sexes and climatic seasons in WWR/LWRs for the four species of the genus Callinectes, C. helleri, G. cruentata and U. cordatus, except for females and males of C. danae in WWR. The means for condition factor were generally higher for females than for males during the dry period, and in general, indicating good conditions for crustacean species. This study provided morpho-biometric parameters information will contribute stock management of traditional artisanal fisheries, and enable future comparative studies of populations of the same species.

A functional perspective of nematode assemblages as proxy of quality in tropical estuarine tidal flats

Functional aspects of biological communities influence ecosystem processes and it is urgent to understand how human disturbances affect functional diversity and ecosystem functions and services. Our purpose was to address the use of different functional metrics of nematode assemblages to evaluate the ecological status of tropical estuaries subjected to different human activities, aiming to advance and improve the knowledge about the usefulness of functional attributes as indicators of environmental quality. Three approaches were compared: functional diversity indexes, single trait, and multi traits using the Biological Traits Analysis. The RLQ + fourth-corner combined method was used to identify relationships among functional traits, inorganic nutrients, and metals concentrations. Lower values of FDiv, FSpe, and FOri indicate a convergence of functions, characterizing impacted conditions. A dominant set of traits was related to disturbance, mainly inorganic nutrient enrichment. All the approaches allowed for the detection of disturbed conditions, however, multi traits was the most sensitive one.

Estimation of Chlorophyll-a, TSM and salinity in mangrove dominated tropical estuarine areas of Hooghly River, North East Coast of Bay of Bengal, India using sentinel-3 data

The study aims to assess variations in spatio-temporal characteristics of water quality parameters from three tropical estuaries, namely Muri-Ganga, Saptamukhi, and Hooghly, in the western portion of the Indian Sundarbans. Reliable retrieval of near-surface concentration of water quality parameters such as Chlorophyll-a, SST & TSM from diverse aquatic ecosystems with broad ranges of tropical requirements has always remained a complex issue. In this study, application of Case 2 Regional Colour Correction (C2RCC) processor has been tested for its accuracy across different bio-optical regimes in both inland and coastal waters. Satellite images for the same period were also collected and analysed using the C2RCC processing sequence to retrieve parameters like the depth of water, surface reflectance, water temperature, inherent optical properties (IOPs), chlorophyll-a, salinity, total suspended matter (TSM), etc., using the SNAP software. In situ sampling from specific locations within these estuaries and water quality analysis were conducted for the period 2017–2019. The OLCI retrieved datasets were compared and corroborated with field survey datasets. It was observed that the highest amount of TSM was recorded at Diamond Harbour during the 2018 pre-monsoon season (301.40 mg/L field-based value and 308.54 mg/L estimated value). Similarly, chlorophyll-a had higher concentrations throughout the monsoon season (3.03 mg m−3, (field survey), and 2.96 mg m−3, (estimated) at Fraserganj and Sagar south points. A very good correlation was observed for all seasons for Chl-a (r = 0.829) and TSM (r = 0.924) between the OLCI data and in situ measurements. Higher correlation and significant ‘r’ values highlight the importance of having both field-based as well as remotely-sensed information in understanding any dynamic system in a sustained manner. Results also confirm that the water quality model using OLCI Chl-a and TSM products outperforms conventional techniques. The study demonstrates the efficacy of using Sentinel 3 OCLI data for shallow marine and estuarine remote sensing applications, especially for monitoring TSM and Chl-a concentrations.

Temporal variation in diversity, abundance and size class structure of planktonic copepods from a tropical estuary

Temporal variation in diversity, abundance and size class structure of planktonic copepods from a tropical estuary

Population Dynamics of Four Fin Fish Species from a Tropical Estuary

Population Dynamics of Four Fin Fish Species from a Tropical Estuary

Microplastics in surface waters of tropical estuaries around a densely populated Brazilian bay

Brazil is the fourth largest producer of plastic waste in the world, but studies on pollution of rivers and estuaries by microplastics are still scarce. This study is located in the state of Bahia (Northeast region) in ten estuarine environments around Todos dos Santos Bay (TDB), the largest Brazilian bay, where more than 3 million Brazilians live. The aim of the study was the evaluation of the input of microplastics into the TSB by river. Microplastic abundance, size, morphology and water quality were determined during three sampling campaigns. All river samples were highly polluted with microplastics (mostly <150 μm), up to 33,000 items m−3, exceeding values observed in most estuaries worldwide. The poor quality of the river water reflect the deficient treatment of domestic wastewater in the state of Bahia (49% are not treated), and in this study is shown a correlation with the abundance of microplastics, indicating their possible main source. Artisanal fishing can also contribute locally to this pollution. Morover, the results highlight the importance of sampling small microplastics (<100 μm) to avoid important underestimation of this pollution. Based on these data, the three major rivers would discharge 3.88 trillion items into the Bay each year, equivalent to 4.75 × 105 m2 of plastic. Further research in surface water systems is essential, given that the average wastewater treatment rates in the country and in the Northeast and North regions are only 43%, 32%, and 12%, respectively.

Mercury Contamination in Sediments and Fish from an Urban Tropical Estuary: Ecological and Human Health Risks

Mercury Contamination in Sediments and Fish from an Urban Tropical Estuary: Ecological and Human Health Risks

Spatio-temporal variation of dissolved inorganic nutrients and chlorophyll a in a tropical Amazon estuary in northern Brazil

Resumo O presente estudo foi desenvolvido no estuário do furo do Muriá ou Maripanema, localizado no setor Costa Atlântica do Salgado, norte do Brasil, com o objetivo de conhecer a dinâmica dos nutrientes dissolvidos na interface água-ar e os mecanismos de interação desses nutrientes com os parâmetros abióticos e bióticos (clorofila a). Esse sistema sofre a influência da sazonalidade, que envolve aspectos dos regimes de marés. Para tal, foi avaliada a variabilidade espacial e temporal dos nutrientes inorgânicos dissolvidos em conjunto com os parâmetros físico-químicos por meio de diagramas de mistura, razões estequiométricas e análise de componentes principais. O N-amoniacal foi a forma mais representativa de nitrogênio inorgânico dissolvido em ambas as estações com valores máximos de ~199 μM, subsidiando a produtividade primária, com valor máximo de clorofila a de 122 μg.m-3. O elevado nível de N-amoniacal esteve associado também ao lançamento de efluentes domésticos, à aquicultura e à degradação da matéria orgânica que ocorrem nas áreas de manguezais ao longo do furo do Muriá. O fosfato, entre os nutrientes dissolvidos, foi o que mais sofreu ação neutralizadora, com baixas concentrações, de forma a não oferecer sinais de eutrofização. As concentrações de sílica sofreram influência das variações de marés e fluxos das águas. No geral, os resultados obtidos permitiram observar uma entrada excessiva de nutrientes ao longo do furo do Muriá, com oscilações em suas concentrações influenciadas pela sazonalidade, pelas marés e pelas atividades antrópicas, indicando um ambiente altamente dinâmico que influencia diretamente a produtividade primária da região.

Does dredging activity exert an influence on benthic macrofauna in tropical estuaries? Case study on the northern coast of Brazil

Does dredging activity exert an influence on benthic macrofauna in tropical estuaries? Case study on the northern coast of Brazil

Phosphorus Biogeochemistry in a Tropical Estuary and the Management Challenges Associated with Regional Climate Change

Phosphorus Biogeochemistry in a Tropical Estuary and the Management Challenges Associated with Regional Climate Change

Spatio-temporal variation of major ion chemistry and nutrient stoichiometry in a tropical monsoonal estuary: insight into biogeochemical processes

Major ions and nutrient chemistry of surface water from the Devi river estuary, eastern India has been studied in order to understand the governing biogeochemical processes. Concentration of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, SO4 and PO4 increases toward higher salinity; however, NO3 and dissolved silica (DSi) decreases from upper to lower estuary. All major ions, except NO3 and DSi, show the highest and lowest concentration in summer and monsoon season, respectively. Increased surface runoff has resulted in the highest concentration of NO3 and DSi in the monsoon period. The Na, Cl, SO4, NO3 and PO4 ions show conservative mixing behavior in the estuary throughout the year. Non-conservative behavior of DSi is attributed to the combined process of mineral weathering and biological removal by diatoms. Enrichment and depletion of Ca and Mg in the estuary is owed to carbonate mineral precipitation and dissolution processes. Decreasing carbonate saturation indices (SI) with reducing pH accompanied by lowering of DO% suggests the influence of organic matter degradation on the carbonate precipitation and/or dissolution potential. Nutrient stoichiometric ratios—NO3:PO4, DSi:PO4 and DSi:NO3—are found to vary spatially and seasonally as a result of differences in geochemical processes prevailing in the fresh- and marine-water environment. A prominent PO4 limitation is observed in the upper estuary during summer and winter. However, this limitation reduces toward the lower estuary owing to precipitation of Fe-sulfide under the influence of higher salinity. In contrast, the influx of PO4-limited freshwater into the estuary controls the nutrient stoichiometric ratios in the monsoon season. The spatial variation of chlorophyll concentration in the estuary is in accordance to the nutrient stoichiometric ratios. Thus, this study emphasizes on the role of unique biogeochemical processes in controlling the spatial and seasonal distribution of major ions and nutrient stoichiometry in a tropical estuarine system.

Community structure of microzooplankton in a tropical estuary (Uppanar) and a mangrove (Pichavaram) from the south-east coast of India

Marine biology,marine ecology,Phytoplankton, marine algae, zooplankton, nekton, benthos, corals and coral reefs, ecology, zoogeography and systematics, primary production and experimental work on ecosystem including energy flow at different trophic levels, population dynamics and theoretical models, recycling of matter, influence of environmental factors on metabolic activity, marine microbiology, mariculture and experimental work on propagation of cultivable species, biology of fishes, marine reptiles, sea birds and mammals, physical, chemical, geological and meteorological features of the environments related to marine biology, marine environmental damage caused by pollution and engineering works, underwater observations, conservation of living resources, modifications in methodology and techniques and development of new apparatus related to marine sciences

Characterization of phytoplankton functional groups in a tropical shellfish harvesting estuary (Ashtamudi) and adjacent nearshore waters (southwest coast of India).

A pioneering study on phytoplankton marker pigments, by adopting the HPLC-CHEMTAX analytical approach, was carried out in one of the major shellfish harvesting estuaries (Ashtamudi estuary-AE) on the southwest coast of India and also its adjacent nearshore waters (< 20m depth) to study the dynamics of phytoplankton functional groups (PFGs). The AE, in general, appeared to be warm (> 29°C) during the non-monsoon seasons, along with the prevalence of higher salinity (> 25) and NH4-N (> 5µM) levels. However, during the summer monsoon (SM), the prevailing substantial river influx converted the AE into a low salinity (< 10) dominated system, provided with enhanced levels of NO3-N (4.6-12.6µM) and PO4-P (0.2-1.4µM), specifically on its upper reaches. The dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) in the AE was mainly comprised of ammonium (NH4-N), approximately up to ~ 81.8% of the DIN, regardless of seasons, which signifies the eutrophic state of the estuary, the upstream sampling locations, in particular. Concerning the phytoplankton community, a pronounced spatio-temporal variation in chlorophyll a biomass was discernible in the AE, with an exceptional increase (6.4-12.1mgm-3) during the SIM period. The prevalence of a conspicuous increase in chlorophyll a (av. > 5mgm-3) along with enhanced zeaxanthin (av. > 1.5mgm-3) recorded in the AE during the non-monsoon (specifically SIM period) season apparently signified the characteristic governance of cyanobacterial community. During the SM period, the estuary sustained more or less similar concentrations of certain marker pigments, i.e. alloxanthin, zeaxanthin, fucoxanthin and chl b, which representing the co-occurrence of cryptophytes, cyanobacteria, diatoms and chlorophytes, respectively. In contrast, the nearshore waters, wherein enhanced nitrate (NO3-N) and phosphate (PO4-P) levels prevailed, irrespective of seasons, sustained dominance of fucoxanthin over other marker pigments, which indicated the numerical supremacy of diatoms. The CHEMTAX analysis, adopted for estimating the chlorophyll a equivalents of various PFGs, corroborated the supremacy of cyanobacterial derived chlorophyll a in the estuary, and it was conspicuous during the non-monsoonal seasonal periods. Even though the estuary has shown remarkable spatio-temporal hydrographic inconsistencies, that variability was not much operative in generating extreme changes in the nutrient components and subsequent phytoplankton community compositions. From the conspicuous increase in N:P and Si:P ratios, resulting mainly from the low levels of P, it can be concluded that the AE has been a P-limited system for phytoplankton growth (especially for large-sized phytoplankton, e.g. diatoms and dinoflagellates), mainly during the non-monsoonal seasonal periods. Perhaps, this P-limitation, along with the prevalence of warm water column and enhanced NH4-N levels, could be the potential causes of the preponderance of cyanobacterial populations in the AE.

Gulf of Urabá (Caribbean Colombia), a Tropical Estuary: A Review with Some General Lessons About How it Works

Gulf of Urabá (Caribbean Colombia), a Tropical Estuary: A Review with Some General Lessons About How it Works

Zooplankton functional traits in a tropical estuarine system: Are lower and upper estuaries functionally different?

Functional diversity measures help to understand the underlying mechanisms explaining the relationship between organisms and environment. This work examined the mesozooplankton community of an estuary under the hypothesis that the upper (&amp;lt; 25 psu) and lower (&amp;gt; 25 psu) zones are functionally different in terms of feeding strategies, trophic groups, camouflage, buoyancy, and defense against predators, due to the salinity gradient. We used the ‘community-weighted mean trait values’ (CWM) and a fuzzy correspondence analysis (FCA) in combination with three functional indices (FRic: functional richness, FEve: functional evenness, FDiv: functional divergence) to test our hypothesis. Zooplankton samples were taken in the tropical Sontecomapan estuary, southern Gulf of Mexico, in June 2018 and October 2019. A total of 21 zooplankton groups were recognized, all of them present in the lower estuary. Results showed significant differences (p&amp;lt; 0.05) in the FRic and FDiv values between the two zones, as well in the CWM metric. Results of the FCA showed that the lower estuary was characterized by herbivorous filter feeders that use watery bodies, flattened body forms, mucus houses, or ‘wings’ for buoyancy; highly transparent bodies (associated with gelatinous body structure) for camouflage and predators’ avoidance and, shells or carapaces as antipredator tactics. The upper estuary was characterized by omnivorous cruising predators that use their appendages or swim bladders for buoyancy, with ‘medium’ and ‘low’ levels of transparency, associated with chitinous and skin-protected body structures, which provide alternative ways for camouflage and spines or fast swimming behavior to protect from predators. These findings evidenced that the upper and lower zones of an estuary exhibit differences in the function of the zooplankton community and shed new light on the comprehension of estuaries’ ecological function.

Differential food utilization of benthic amphipods of a tropical estuary: a stable isotopic (δ13C and δ15N) investigation.

Globally, stable isotopic methods are rapidly being employed in food web studies to quantify the relative proportions of diverse primary carbon sources in an animal diet. Tropical estuarine ecosystems, one of the vital marine habitats, harbor complex food webs due to the multiplicity of habitats and resources. The complex system of inputs and exchanges of organic matter sometimes complicate identification of the carbon sources that support the higher trophic levels. To assess the primary food sources of four abundant amphipod species in the anthropogenically influenced upper Vashishti estuary, Carbon and Nitrogen stable isotopes were employed. Seasonal variations were significant for δ13C and δ15N of suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM) and also for δ13C of sediment organic matter (SOM), but not for the isotopic values of individual amphipod species. Significant variations in the δ13C and δ15N values between amphipods suggested species-specific diets. Mixing model output indicated discrepancies in seasonal variations of food preferences between species. Trophic level values of all amphipod species indicated seasonality with lower values during post-monsoon. The low δ15N values of SPOM, SOM, and amphipod species were possibly due to the anthropogenic input of nitrogen in the estuary.

Sewage contamination assessment in an urbanized tropical estuary in Northeast Brazil using elemental, isotopic and molecular proxies

The Capibaribe Estuarine System (CES) is a tropical estuary located within a densely populated metropolitan region in the Brazilian Northeast, providing multiple ecosystem services including artisanal fisheries, tourism, and navigation. A significant load of domestic and industrial effluents is causing visible environmental degradation that needs to be characterized. This study evaluated the degree of contamination by domestic sewage and the relative contribution of organic carbon (OC) sources in sediments, measuring carbon-to-nitrogen atomic (C/N)a ratios, δ13C of OC, and linear alkylbenzene concentrations (LAB). The SIAR mixing model indicated that estuarine phytoplankton and sewage contribute 73% and 22% to OC, respectively, based on sedimentary (C/N)a ratios that varied from 8.5 to 13, and δ13C ranging from −25.21 to −21.63‰. This suggests that eutrophication of CES is triggered by sewage inflow. The CES was moderately contaminated by LAB, and the highest concentrations observed in the inner portion, from 287 to 1349 ng g−1 dry weight, suggests the retention of sewage. The mixing isotopic model indicated a significant dilution process of sewage-derived OC by estuarine phytoplankton. The lowest LAB in the lower estuary (317–320 ng g−1 dw) probably resulted from marine dilution. Principal component analysis demonstrated that mud regulates sedimentary OC content, and that the sewage plume regulates sedimentary LAB. High degradation of LAB isomers probably reflects the net heterotrophic condition of this system, also suggesting these compounds are introduced into CES partially degraded. Our results pointed out that degraded OM is a result of chronic and long-term sewage input. Considering the implications of sewage pollution to environmental and public health, there is an urgent need of better policies to improve domestic effluent treatment capacity, reducing contamination of estuarine environments.

Fish community structure and functional guild composition in a large tropical estuary (Vembanad Lake, India).

The fish guild structure of 96 fish species inhabiting the Vembanad Lake, an open, large, well-mixed coastal estuary along the south-west coast of India, was studied based on samples from upper (freshwater), middle (estuarine), and lower (saline) zones representing three major seasons (monsoon, post-monsoon, and pre-monsoon). Functional group assessment revealed seven ecological guilds (marine estuarine opportunists, freshwater, marine estuarine dependent, estuarine, catadromous, anadromous, and amphidromous), six feeding guilds (detritivore, zooplanktivore, herbivore, zoobenthivore, omnivore, and carnivore), three vertical distribution guilds (demersal, benthopelagic, and pelagic), five reproductive-mode functional groups (oviparous with pelagic eggs, oviparous with benthic eggs, oviparous guarders, viviparous and ovoviviparous), and five flow-preference guilds (rheophilic A1, eurytopic, rheophilic A2, rheophilic B, and rheophilic C). The estuary was characterized by high species diversity, low individual species abundance, complex guild structure, varying fish diversity from upper to lower estuary and higher proportion of marine rather than 'true' estuarine species. The absence of a significant relationship between season and fish guild structuring could be due to high resource availability in the estuary and low ecological connectivity between upper and lower estuarine zones as a result of anthropogenic interventions in the middle zone. Salinity variations considerably influenced the fish guild formation in the estuary. A drastic change in the hydrography of the estuary over the past sixty years due to topographical alterations has transformed the fish guilds resulting in a considerable increase in freshwater species and a reduction in marine and estuarine-dependant species.

Ecohydrological features and biodiversity status of estuaries in Bengal delta, Bangladesh: A comprehensive review

An estuary represents a transition point between freshwater and saltwater and has a complex but productive environment due to a strong interplay between geological, physical, chemical, and biological processes. In Bangladesh, the ecological factors and biodiversity of different estuaries have been investigated for the last 35 years. However, the data is widely scattered, not easily accessible, unpublished, and/or in the form of grey literature. In this study, an attempt has been made to aggregate information available on the geo-environmental and biodiversity status of estuaries for their sustainable management. The biological and environmental data of 21 estuaries along the Bangladesh coast were collected from previously published literature and analyzed. The analyses revealed that the estuarine environment of Bangladesh is very dynamic and diverse like other tropical estuaries. The physico-chemical and geological parameters in estuaries significantly varied due to monsoon patterns, nutrient influx, salinity intrusion, riverine discharge, siltation, and human interventions in estuaries. Among the key environmental variables, such as salinity (3.7–30 ppt), pH (7.04–8), dissolved oxygen (3.30–13.63 mg/L), and water temperature (21–30°C) varied. Over 830 faunal and floral species of 273 genera were recorded from the estuarine environment, including 208 fishes, 87 species of phytoplankton, and 67 species of zooplankton in this region. This study suggests the development of an appropriate policy to protect valuable, productive, and diverse ecosystems, especially for erosion control, pollution abatement, and habitat destruction, particularly in the mangrove forests and their associated habitats of Bangladesh.