Structure and dynamics of fish assemblages in two temperate Atlantic estuarine systems: a comparison between North and South hemispheres

DÍAZ DE ASTARLOA, J. M.; DERISIO, C.; COUSSEAU, M. B.; VASCONCELOS, R.; COSTA, M. J.; CABRAL, H. N.

Bahía Blanca

Congreso; Estuarine and Coastal Sciences Association Symposium 44. "Science And Management Of Estuaries And Coasts: A Tale Of Two Hemispheres"; 2008

Universidad Nacional del Sur

This study compared the structure and dynamics of fish assemblages of the Tagus estuary (Northeastern Atlantic, Portugal) and Mar Chiquita lagoon (Southwestern Atlantic, Argentina). Despite the distance between these two geographical areas, some similarities can be recognized: both are located in the temperate Atlantic area and both can be considered as shifting areas between biogeographic provinces. In both areas, fish assemblages were composed by species with different life history and habitat use patterns, namely resident, marine-estuarine opportunist, marine occasional, freshwater occasional and diadromous species. The relative contribution of these ecological groups was different in the two estuarine systems. Also, several differences were also noticed in the spatial and temporal patterns of habitat use by fishes. The fish assemblage structure and dynamics of these two estuarine systems were compared with those from other estuaries along the Portuguese and Argentinean coasts.