The main aquatic ecosystems of northeastern Mexico are found in the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. This is the area with the largest platform width in Mexico, the largest being that of the Bank of Campeche in the Gulf of Mexico.
Aquatic ecosystems are those in which animals and plants interact or live with living things in the water. They can be freshwater or saltwater.
The Gulf of Mexico is a semi-enclosed sea, part of the American Mediterranean. This region receives an enormous volume of fresh water of continental origin, contributions that vary considerably in space and time.
In the northernmost part of the Gulf of Mexico are the marine ecoregions of the northern Gulf of Mexico shelf, the northern Gulf of Mexico Slope, and the Gulf of Mexico Plain.
The Gulf of Mexico is an area of great importance for its diversity of bird species, as it is on the migratory routes of the eastern part of the American continent. There are 228 species of birds, of which 51 are marine and 114 are aquatic.
In addition, the presence of 29 species of marine mammals has been recorded in the Gulf. Of these, 28 are cetaceans, such as whales and dolphins, and a species of siren, manatee.
On the other hand, Mexico is distinguished by sharing the habitat of 10 of the 11 species of sea turtles that exist today.
Aquatic ecosystems of northeastern Mexico
1- Benthic communities
Among the more complex benthic communities, associations of sessile benthic components have been recognized. Among them are those of sea grasses, carbonate microalgae, pogonophores worms and coral reefs.
The species richness in the abyssal plain is similar to that recognized on the continental shelf, but the composition is different.
Currently, approximately 300 species of benthic ostracods have been recorded, grouped into five faunal associations.
The Gulf of Mexico benthos have been extensively studied in the coastal zone. Habitats include the muddy neritic continental shelf, coral or oyster reefs, and brackish marshes.
Mangrove roots, swamps, and seagrasses are also found in estuaries and coastal lagoons. Some also on rocky beaches and coasts.
2- Pelagic
Pelagic ecosystems stand out in the Gulf of Mexico. In these, there are four fundamental elements due to their condition of interconnectivity.
First, the anticyclonic and cyclonic gyres that come from the Loop Current. Its biotic properties are conservative and determine pelagic productivity through outcrops and shelf currents.
In addition, there has been a variable but permanent presence of a wide cyclonic gyre in the Bay of Campeche.
These ecosystems also have a variation in intensity in the flow of continental water. In particular, of the abundant current of the Mississippi Basin, determinant of these anoxic zones.
In these areas, artificial structures for oil extraction have also been a new interconnectivity network for benthic and pelagic communities.
3- Swamps
Swamps, also called swamps, are a type of wetland. This means that shallow pools of water form in flat areas.
They consist of very dense aquatic vegetation. The species of plants that are presented can be submerged in the water or float in it. These swamp ecosystems are very important for migratory birds that find shelter and food in them.
The aquatic vegetation of the swamps represents one of the most important samples of the aquatic vascular flora of Mesoamerica. In the Pantanos de Centla Biosphere Reserve alone, 569 species of aquatic vascular plants have been recorded.
Among the species found are: Typha latifolia, a type of grass that takes root in the substrate. The chintul, the siba, Eleocharis geniculata, and the Hydrocotyle umbellatus.
There are also floating plants such as hyacinth, mouse ear, broad nymphaea, and sun leaf.
References
- Aquatic Ecosystems of Northeast Mexico. Recovered from goodtasks.com
- Hernandez, D. Aquatic Ecosystems of the Northeast of Mexico. Recovered from es.scribd.com
- Lara-Lara, JR, et al. 2008. Marine ecosystems, in Natural Capital of Mexico, vol. I: Current knowledge of biodiversity. Conabio, Mexico, pp. 135-159. Recovered from iodiversidad.gob.mx
- Morales, M. (2015). Aquatic ecosystems of Mexico. Recovered from prezi.com.