The Ecology of Tijuana Estuary, California: An Estuarine Profile

populations (Massey 1979) The brrds perch on
the taller piants and defend territories throughout
most of the summer They eat insects in the
marsh, but often fly lo creek or channel banks or
even to the beach lo feed (B Massey, prrvate
consultant, pers comm , and White. pers Comm 1.
Sttrdles of aherr behaylor, responses to drsturbance.
and habitat preferences are underway at Tijuana
Estuary (WhfPe, rn prog 1
Although plckleweed forms. monotyptc canopies
In rnany of the regton's lagoonat wetlands, re,
thosa that close to Zldal flushlng on a fairly regular
basts, ~t is ustially rnlxed with severai other
succulents al T~juana Estuary Before 1984,
arrow-grass I Trrgloctnrr concinrrurnl and sea-bltte
(Sudeda esleroa) were common cohabitants, and
sallwort (8alts mar~lrrrrs) and annual plckleweed
iSalrcc~rn!a tjryelavt/) domtrlated areas thal were
~ourly drerned The latter two specrcs were rnost
abundant around rntertrdal poois of the rntddle
marsh (Figure 25) Composifton in this part of the
marsh has changed greatly since 1980 (Chapter
5
The anlmals of the midmarsh eievatlons are
abundant and rich in species Part of the reason is
deperldable moisture and part IS the availabiir!y of
food Algae are everywhere, rn pools and under the
salt marsh canopy (Zedler 1980 1982a) In winter
f~larnentous green algae dominate the eplbenthos
and in summer, filamentous blue-greens form
dense tufted mats over the so11 and plant stein
bases (Figure 26) Over 70 specles of dtatorns
occur w~th~n these fllamentous mats (Zedler
1982a1 The animals that utilize these foods
include Ephydrld flies, whose larvae occur on
decaying plant matter, California horn snails
(Certth~dea calrfornrca), atnphrpods, and snails
(Asstrn,nea and Melarnplus F~gurc? 26) High
Ftgure 25. Intertidal pool with annual prekleweed {background) and sattworl (surroundrng the pool) Mclnt~re
coftcctian, Cbpyrrght f 986 by Zedler.
2 4.