Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The role of salt marshes in the Mira estuary (Portugal)

  • Published:
Wetlands Ecology and Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Mira estuary is a narrow entrenched pristine estuary of the Ria type, about 30 km long. It comprises an area of 285 ha of salt marsh, of which250 ha have been proposed for reclamation for aquaculture. Dredging, village and recreation development menace the yet undisturbed estuarine ecosystem. To assess the biological importance of this wetland, a multidisciplinary study was conducted in apart of the salt marsh, considered as being representative of the whole area. Halophytic vegetation covering 75% of the total salt marsh site is dominated by Spartina maritima (28% of total vegetation area). Total primary production attains63,766 kg/yr (dw). A net export of 1541 kg/yr of COM to the relatively oligotrophic adjacent waters was also found. Insects and birds are described for the first time in the saltmarsh. Macrobenthic communities are dominated by Hediste diversicolor, Nepthys caeca and Scrobicularia plana. The fiddler crabUca tangeri attains here its north distribution limit. The mud flats and creeks associated with the salt marsh act as a nursery for 40.8% of the fish species present. The food web is dominated by detritivorous species like the grey mullets. The results obtained in this study support the need for an effective conservation of this area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Almeida, P.M.R. 1996. Biologia e ecologia da Liza ramada (Risso, 1826) e Chelon labrosus (Risso, 1826) (Pisces, Mugilidae) no estuário doMira (Portugal). Inter-relaç õ es com o sistema estuarino. Ph.D. Thesis. Fac. Ciê ncias Universidade Lisboa.

  • Andrade, F.A.L. 1986. O Estuário do rio Mira: Caracterizaç ã o geral e análise quantitativa da estrutura dos macropovoamentos bentó nicos. Ph.D. Thesis. Fac. Ciê ncias Universidade Lisboa.

  • Bertness, M.D. 1992. The ecology of a New England salt marsh. American Scientist 80: 260–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bettencourt, A.M.M. 1985. Programa de trabalhos e parecer sobre o estabelecimento de instalaç õ es de piscicultura no estuário do rio Mira: DGO, MQV.

  • Bettencourt, A.M.M. de, Abreu, M.C. de, Revez, M.A., Leitã o, A.B.C., Catarino, F.M. Serô dio, J., Neves, R.J.J., Baptista, P.O, Lança, M.J., Alves, M.J., Costa, M.J., Raposo, P. and Costa, J.L. 1992a. Final report on the Mira estuary studies. Comparative studies of salt marsh processes. ECE-DG XII-Lisbon.

  • Bettencourt, A.M., Gomes, M.L.R., Vilas-Boas, L.F. and Cauwet, G. 1992b. Refractory dissolved organic carbon (RDOC) over an estuarine tidal cycle-implications for carbon budgets in Natural Water and Water Technology: Organic Matter in Natural Waters and Water Technology, European Science Foundation. Res. Conf. Espinho.

  • Bettencourt, A.M.M. de and Matos, J.S. 1988. Hidrologia e Qualidade da Água, Plano Director Municipal de Odemira, EGF.

  • Bettencourt, A.M.M. de, Neves, R.J.J., Lança, M.J., Batista. P.J. and Alves M.J. 1994. Uncertainties in import/export studies and the outwelling theory. An analysis with the support of hydrodynamic modelling In: Mitsch, W.J. (ed.), Global Wetlands: Old World and New. pp. 235-256. Elsevier: Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boorman, L.A., Hazelden, J., Loveland. P.J. and Wells, J.G. 1994. Comparative relationships between primary productivity and organic and nutrient fluxes in four salt marshes. In: Mitsch, W.J. (ed.), Global Wetlands: Old World and New. pp. 181-199. Elsevier: Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cardenas, S. 1977. Régimen alimenticio del sapo Halobatrachus didactylus (Shneider, 1801) (Pisces: Batrochoididae), en la bahía de Cádiz (Españ a Sodoccidental). Vie et Milieu 28: 111–129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cattrijsse, A., Makawaia, E.S., Dankwa, H.R., Hemminga, M. and Hamerlynck, O. 1994. Nekton communities of an intertidal creek of a European estuarine brackish marsh. Marine Ecology Progress Series 109: 195–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa, J.L. 1993. Abundance and distribution of the toadfish Halobatrachus didactylus in the Mira estuary: seasonal variations and ruling factors. Journal of Fish Biology 43 (Sup. A): 330.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa, M.J. 1988. The Tagus and Mira estuaries (Portugal) and their role as spawning and nursery areas. Journal of Fish Biology 33 (Sup. A): 249–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa, M.J., Almeida, P.R., Costa, J.L. and Assis, C.A. 1994. Do eel grass beds and salt marsh borders act as preferential nurseries and spawning grounds for fish? — An example of the Mira estuary in Portugal. Ecological Engineering 3: 187–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dame, R. T., Chrzanowski, T., Bildstein, K., Kjerfve, B., Mc Kellar, D., Nelson, Spurrier, J., Stancyk, S., Stevenson, SH., Vernberg, J. and Zingmark, R. 1986. The outwelling hypothesis and North 134 Inlet, South Carolina. Marine Ecology. Progress Series 33: 217–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dame, R.F. and Lefeuvre, J.C. 1994. Tidal exchange: importexport of nutrients and organic matter in new and old world salt marshes: conclusions. In: Mitsch, W.J. (ed.), Global Wetlands: Old World and New. pp. 303-305.Elsevier: Amsterdam.

  • Dame, R.F. and Stillwell, O. 1984. The influence of environmental factors on floating macrodetritus flux in the North Inlet Ecosystem. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 18: 721–726.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Danais, M. 1985. Production primaire du schorre et transports de matiérie organique flottante en baie du Mont Saint Michel. Rapport, fonctionnement des systè mes ecologiques en baie du Mont Saint Michel. CEE Environment et IRIEC.

  • Dankers, N., Binsbengen, K., Zegers, Laane, R. and Van der Loeff, M.R. 1984. Transportation of water, particulate and dissolved organic and inorganic matter between a salt marsh and the Ems — Dollard estuary, the Netherlands. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 19: 143–165.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dickerman, J.A. Stewart, A.J. and Wetal, R.G. 1986. Estimates of net annual above ground production: sensitivity to sampling frequency. Ecology 67: 650–659.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fairbridge, R.W. 1980. The estuary: its definition and geodynamic cycle. In: Olausson, E. and Cato, I. (eds.), Chemistry and Biogeochemistry of Estuaries. John Wiley.

  • Gillet, P. 1990. Biomass, production et dynamique des populations de Nereis diversicolor in upper estuarine creek. Journal of Biological Education 19: 141–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hackney, C.T. 1977. Energy flux in a tidal creek draining an irregularly flooded Juncus Marsh. Ph.D. Thesis, Mississippi State University.

  • Haines, E.B., Chalmers, R.B., Hanson, R B. and Sherr, B. 1977. Nitrogen pools and fluxes in a Georgia salt marsh. In: Wiley, M. (ed.), Estuarine Processes 2. pp. 241-254. Academic Press: New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopkinson, C.S., Gosselink, J.G. and Parrando, R. T. 1980. Production of coastal Louisiana marsh plants calculated from phenometric techniques. Ecology 61: 1091–1098.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Humpreys, T.J. 1985. Production of Nereis diversicolor in an upper estuarine creek. Journal of Biological Education 19: 141–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • J.E.N. 1972 ‘Necessidades da água-estudos e análise’. DGCRNI, Jen Lisboa.

  • Kneib, RT. 1997. The role of tidal marshes in the ecology of estuarine nekton. Oceanographic Marine Annual Revue 35: 163–230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirby, C.J. and Gosselink, J.G. 1976. Primary production in Louisiana gulf coast Spartina alterniflora marsh. Ecology 57: 1052–1059.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lammens, E.J. and Van Eeden, M.J. 1977. Waardebepaling van een schor langs de Oosterschelde met betrekking tot zijn moglijke voor voedsel bijdrage tot het estuarium in de vorm van detritus.Studentenverslag D1-1977. Delta Instituut voor Hydrobiologische Onderzoek, Yerseke. 41 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitsch, J.W. and Gosselink, J.G. 1993. Wetlands. Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Montague, C.L. and Wiegert, R.G. 1990. Salt marshes. In: Meyers, R.L. and Ewel, J.J. (eds.), Ecosystems of Florida. pp. 481-516. University of Central Florida Press: Orlando.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nixon, S.W. 1980. Between coastal marshes and coastal waters-a review of twenty years of speculation and research on the role of salt marshes in estuarine productivity and water chemistry. In: Hamilton, P. and MacDonald, K.B. (eds.), Estuarine andWetland Processes. pp. 437-525. Phenum: New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Odum, E.P. 1980. The status of three ecosystem-level hypothesis regarding salt marsh estuaries: tidal, subsidy, outwelling and detritus based food chains. In: Kennedy, V.S. (ed.), Estuarine perspectives. pp. 485-495. Academic Press: New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Serô dio, J., Cabrita, T. and Catarino, F. 1992. The role of epiphytic algal mats in the tidal exchange of suspended matter between salt marshes and estuaries: the case of the Mira Estuary, Portugal. Poster INTECOL's IV International Wetlands Conference, Columbus, USA, 13-18 September 1992.

  • Sola, J.C. and Ibanez, M. 1990. Contribucion al estudio de los ciclos de vida de las especies Scrobicularia plana (Dacosta) y Nereis diversicolor (O.F. Müller) en el estuario del Bidasoa. In: Benthos 6. Act. VI Simposio Iberico Est. Bentos Marino. Palma de Maiorca: 69–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teal, J.M. 1962. Energy flow in the salt marsh ecosystem of Georgia. Ecology 43: 614–624.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vegter, F. 1975. Phytoplankton production in the Grevelingen estuary in relation to nutrient cycles. 10th European Symposium on Marine Biology, Ostende.

  • Wiegert, R.G. and Evans, F.C. 1964. Primary production and the disappearence of dead vegetation on an old fields in the southeastern Michigan. Ecology 45: 49–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolff, W.J. 1977. A benthic food bridget for the Grevelinger estuary, the Netherlands, and a conservation of the mechanisms causing high benthic secondary production in estuaries. In: Cool, J.C. The Ecology of Marine Benthos. University of South Carolina Press.

  • Wolff, W.J., Van Deen, M.J. and Lammers, E. 1979. Primary production and import of particulate organic matter on a salt marsh in the Netherlands. Netherlands Journal of Sea Research 13: 242–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolaver, T.G. and Spurrier, J.D. 1988. The exchange of phosphorus between a eurihaline vegetated marsh and the adjacent tidal creek. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 26: 203–214.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Woodwell, G.M., Whitney, D.E., Hall, C.A.S. and Hourghton, R.A. 1977. The Flax Pond ecosystem study: exchanges of carbon in water between a salt marsh and Long Island Sound. Limnology and Oceanography 22: 833–838.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Ciências, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1700, Lisboa, Portugal

    M.J. Costa & Fernando Catarino

  2. Dep. Ecologia, Universidade de Évora, Largo dos Colegiais, 1, 7000, Évora, Portugal

    Alexandre Bettencourt

Authors
  1. M.J. Costa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fernando Catarino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alexandre Bettencourt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Costa, M., Catarino, F. & Bettencourt, A. The role of salt marshes in the Mira estuary (Portugal). Wetlands Ecology and Management 9, 121–134 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011193421035

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011193421035

Search

Navigation