Aquatic ecology and Biodiversity

Unit 10- Coastal ecosystems

10.3.5. Biota of estuaries
Estuaries are homes to all kind of terrestrial or land-based plants and animals. They are also homes to unique aquatic plants and animals, such as sea grass, sea turtles and sea lions. Organisms that live in the estuary face two major challenges- variable of salinity and regular tidal influence. Most solutions are behavioral adaptations such as burrowing or simply closing shells when there isn't enough water. The bivalve closes its valves when the level of salinity becomes too low. Some marine worms and amphipods bury themselves in sediments
The common flora and fauna of estuarine environment are as follows:
I. Flora
•Diatoms - Skeletonema, Coscinodiscus, Biddulphia. Synedra. Navicula Asterionella, Hemidiscus, Chaetoceros, Pleurosigma, etc
•Algae - Sprogyra, Eudorina, Pandorina, Lyngbya, Microcystis, Oscillatoria, Spirulina, etc
• Chara Seagrasses- Cymodocea serrulata, Enhalus acoroides, Halophila ovalis etc.
•Salt marsh vgetation- Salicornia, Sueda, Spartina etc
• Mangroves - Avicennia, Rhizophora, Ceriops, etc
II. Fauna
• Protozoa- Euglena, Vovox, Ceratium, Peridinium, Noctiluca, Vorticella, etc
• Coelenterata- Sea anemones, hydrozoan medusae
• Rotifera- Brachionus spp
• Annelida- Tubifex sp, Arenicola sp, Nereis sp, etc
• Arthropoda- Cyclops, Calanus, Acartia, Oithona, Penlia, Moina, Uca,Neptunus, Scylla, Hermit crabs, Palaeomon, Metaphenaeus, shrimps, isopods, barnacles, Gammarus, Sphaeroma, etc
• Finfishes – Mullets (Mugil sp.), Therapon sp. Lates calcarifer, eels, mud skipper etc.
• Aquatic Mammals – Dolphins, sea cow and manatee
• Terrestrial mammals – Rodents, rabbits, tigers, etc.
• Reptiles – Crocodile, sea snake, tree snakes etc
• Birds - Cormorants, pelicans, etc