Subtropical Convergence Environments, Fachbücher von Jorge P., Clarisse Castello, Seeliger, Ulrich Odebrecht

1 Introduction and Overview.- 2 Regional Climate.- 3 Coastal Plain and Patos Lagoon.- 4 Environment and Biota of the Patos Lagoon Estuary.- 4.1 Geological Setting.- 4.2 Hydrographic Characteristics.- 4.3 Environmental Chemistry.- 4.4 Tidal Marsh and Wetland Plants.- 4.5 Submersed Spermatophytes.- 4.6 Benthic Macroalgae.- 4.7 Microalgae.- 4.8 Bacteria and Protozooplankton.- 4.9 Zooplankton.- 4.10 Benthic Invertebrates.- 4.11 Physiological Adaptations of Invertebrates and Fish.- 4.12 Ichthyoplankton.- 4.13 Fish Fauna.- 4.14 Bird Fauna.- 4.15 Marine Mammals.- 5 Energy Flow and Habitats in the Patos Lagoon Estuary.- 5.1Primary Production Cycles.- 5.2 Trophic Structure.- 5.3 Irregularly Flooded Marginal Marshes.- 5.4 Unvegetated Intertidal Flats and Subtidal Bottoms.- 5.5 Seagrass Meadows.- 5.6 Rubble Structures and Hard Substrates.- 6 Coastal and Marine Environments and Their Biota.- 6.1 Geomorphological Setting.- 6.2 Physical Oceanography.- 6.3 Chemical Characteristics.- 6.4 Coastal Foredune Flora.- 6.5 Coastal Foredune Fauna.- 6.6 Bacterioplankton.- 6.7 Phytoplankton.- 6.8 Protozooplankton.- 6.9 Zooplankton.- 6.10 Benthic Beach Invertebrates.- 6.11 Continental Shelf Benthos.- 6.12 Ichthyoplankton.- 6.13 Pelagic Teleosts.- 6.14 Demersal and Benthic Teleosts.- 6.15 Early Life History of Silverside Fishes.- 6.16 Demersal Elasmobranchs.- 6.17 Cephalopods.- 6.18 Marine Mammals and Turtles.- 6.19 Sea and Shore Birds.- 6.20 Genetic-Biochemical Differentiation among Marine Organisms.- 7 Relationships and Function of Coastal and Marine Environments.- 7.1 The Foredune System.- 7.2 The Beach and Surf Zone.- 7.3 The Continental Shelf and Slope.- 8 Estuarine-Marine Interactions.- 9 Fisheries.- 10 Natural and Human Impact.- 11 Management Considerations.- References.