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A Trophic Model for a Periodically Closed Coastal Lagoon System in the Southern Mexican Pacific

  • Wetland Ecology
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Abstract

Carretas-Pereyra is an estuarine lagoon system located in the southern Mexican Pacific coast. Its connection to the sea is intermittent, because the mouth of the system closes seasonally under natural conditions, but it is often opened artificially for artisanal fishery purposes. In order to know the degree of development, structure, and functioning of this system, under intermittent communication with the sea, a trophic model was built using software Ecopath. The model was composed of 32 functional groups: one for birds, one for crocodylians, 18 for fishes, 9 invertebrates, 2 plankton, and detritus. The pedigree index of the model was 0.62, which mean it is an acceptable model. The results are consistent with findings for lagoon systems with permanent connection to the sea. Some of the ecosystemic mechanisms probably used to face the abrupt changes induced by the opening of a sea inlet are: system omnivory, elevated overhead, efficient metabolism in phytoplankton, species replacement, and species adaptability to dominant environmental conditions. These elements provide stability to the ecosystem and help in its recovery. Detritus, zooplankton, and phytoplankton were important components for the resiliency of the system. In spite of the biological and environmental changes induced by the intermittent opening of an inlet, Carretas-Pereyra has the necessary elements to absorb the impacts and function adequately.

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Acknowledgments

This paper is part of the first author’s Ph.D. dissertation (Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México). The Mexican Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT) granted a scholarship. We are very grateful to the late Adán Enrique Gómez González for providing valuable information to build the trophic model. We also thank Ghelen Mera Ortiz, Izamara Aguilar de Paz and Miguel Morales Corona for helping in laboratory activities. Thanks to the Instituto de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación del Estado de Chiapas for its support for the acquisition of laboratory equipment. This work is dedicated to the memory of Adán Enrique Gómez González.

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Raw data presented as supplementary material.

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Funding

The Mexican Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT) granted a scholarship to carry out this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Zona Deportiva s/n, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico

    Jesús M. López-Vila

  2. Laboratorio Interdisciplinario de Ecología Costera, Centro de Investigaciones Costeras, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Calle Juan José Calzada s/n, 30500, Tonalá, Chiapas, Mexico

    Jesús M. López-Vila

  3. El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Av. Centenario km 5.5, 77014, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico

    Juan J. Schmitter-Soto

  4. Museo de Zoología, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Libramiento Norte Poniente No. 1150, 29039, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexico

    Ernesto Velázquez-Velázquez

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  1. Jesús M. López-Vila
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Jesús M. López-Vila. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Jesús M. López-Vila and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jesús M. López-Vila.

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López-Vila, J.M., Schmitter-Soto, J.J. & Velázquez-Velázquez, E. A Trophic Model for a Periodically Closed Coastal Lagoon System in the Southern Mexican Pacific. Wetlands 41, 55 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-021-01450-5

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