An Overview of Ecological Processes in the Río de la Plata Estuary.

ACHA E. M.; MIANZAN H. W.

New Orleans, USA

Simposio; American Geophysical Union Joint Assembly, Oceanographic Processes in Freshwater Dominated Continental Shelves Session.; 2005

American Geophysical Society

The Rio de la Plata, one of the most important estuarine environments in South America, is characterized by a salt-wedge regime. Large extension and shallow water depth make the estuary highly susceptible to atmospheric forcing. The estuary is a highly productive area, which sustain important artisanal and coastal fisheries in Uruguay and Argentina, mainly based on the whitemouth croaker, Micropogonias furnieri. The main goal of this paper is to summarize recent knowledge on this system, integrating physical, chemical and biological studies.