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FRAGILE ESTUARINE SYSTEMS–ECOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 1
Author(s) -
Wohlschlag Donald E.,
Copeland B. J.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
jawra journal of the american water resources association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.957
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1752-1688
pISSN - 1093-474X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-1688.1970.tb00441.x
Subject(s) - ecosystem , estuary , ecology , fragility , environmental science , productivity , food chain , energy flow , fish <actinopterygii> , biology , fishery , energy (signal processing) , chemistry , mathematics , statistics , economics , macroeconomics
Studies of fish species and populations indicate a high degree of fragility for estuarine ecosystems. Slight stresses tend to disrupt energy flow systems and lead to lower levels of biological productivity, shortened food chains and poorer diversity of species. For individual species low‐level stresses tend to suppress metabolism and growth processes. Minor stresses can also substantially reduce populations. Stress processes are quantifiable and amenable to mathematical modeling.