
Estuarine Ecohydrology
Resources
Description
Key Features
* Focuses on the principal components of an estuary
* Presents theories, models, and real-world solutions to serve as a toolkit for designing a management plan for the ecologically sustainable development of an estuary
Readership
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. What is an estuary?
1.2. Humanity and estuaries
1.2.1. Sedimentation from sediment eroded from cleared land in the hinterland
1.2.2. Overfishing and trawling
1.2.3. Destruction of wetlands
1.2.4. Eutrophication
1.2.5. Pollution
1.2.6. Dams.
1.2.7. Dykes for flood protection.
1.2.8. Human health risks.
1.3. The future of estuaries and the quality of life of the human population living on its shores
1.4. The solution
1.5. Ecohydrology science: the structure of this book.
2. Estuarine water circulation
2.1. The average residence time
2.2. The age of water
2.3. Exposure time vs. residence time
2.4. Vertical mixing and stratification
2.5. Lateral stratification, trapping, and shear
2.6. The importance of the bathymetry on flushing
2.7. The importance of flows near the river mouth on flushing
2.8 The special case of lagoons
3. Estuarine sediment dynamics
3.1. Geomorphological time scales
3.2. Sediment dynamics
3.2.1. The distinction between mud, silt and sand
3.2.2. Sand dynamics
3.2.3. Mud dynamics
3.2.4. Engineering implications
3.2.5. Biological implications
3.3. Net sediment budgets
3.3.1. The age of estuaries
3.3.2. Net erosion or progradation
3.3.3. Formation of mud flats
3.3.4. Formation of tidal wetlands by the vegetation colonizing bare intertidal areas
3.4. The size of the mouth
4. Tidal wetlands
4.1. Description
4.2. Hydrodynamics
4.3. Wave attenuation by wetland vegetation
4.4. Ecological processes within a tidal wetland
4.4.1. Mangroves
4.4.2. Saltmarshes
4.4.3. Supratidal mud flats
4.5. Enhancement of estuarine fisheries productivity by ouwelling from tidal wetlands
4.6. Groundwater
4.6.1. Mangroves
4.6.2. Saltmarshes
4.7. Physics-biology links
5. Estuarine food webs
5.1. Simple food webs in clear waters
5.1.1. Definitions
5.1.2. Clear waters
5.2. The key role of detritus
5.3. The role of groundwater
5.4. Link to pelagic food web (fisheries)
5.5. Estuarine ecology
5.6. Over-stressed ecosystems
5.7. Seagrass and coral reefs
6. Ecohydrology models
6.1. Engineering models
6.2. Ecosystem models
6.2.1. Predator-prey relationship
6.2.2. Estuarine ecosystem models
6.2.3. An estuarine ecohydrology model
6.3. Coral reef ecohydrology model
7. Ecohydrology solutions
7.1. Freshwater
7.2. Estuaries
7.3. Coastal waters
7.4. Managing human health threats
7.5. Habitat creation
7.5.1. Saltmarshes
7.5.2. Mangroves
7.5.3. Seagrass
7.5.4. Coral reefs
7.5.5. Sediment capping
7.6. Protection against natural hazards
7.7. A future for estuaries and coastal waters?
8. References
9. Index
Product details
- No. of pages: 168
- Language: English
- Copyright: © Elsevier Science 2007
- Published: August 1, 2007
- Imprint: Elsevier Science
- eBook ISBN: 9780080550350
About the Authors
Eric Wolanski

Eric is a member of the editorial board of Journal of Coastal Research, Journal of Marine Systems, Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology, and Continental Shelf Research. He is a member of the Scientific and Policy Committee of the Japan-based International Center for Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas, a Visiting Professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and a member of the College of Experts of the Australian Research Council.
Affiliations and Expertise
Eric Wolanski

Eric is a member of the editorial board of Journal of Coastal Research, Journal of Marine Systems, Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology, and Continental Shelf Research. He is a member of the Scientific and Policy Committee of the Japan-based International Center for Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas, a Visiting Professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and a member of the College of Experts of the Australian Research Council.