The Ecology of Tijuana Estuary, California: An Estuarine Profile

c~n~entrations of insects, especially water
boatmen (Tr,chocor,x/a spp 1, occur in the pools
typifies this community (~~gure 271 Cordgrass has
proven easy to monitor (Zedler 1983b), amenable
They feed on the algae and in turn provide food for to transplantation (Zedler 19841. and responsive to
the Californta killtflsh (Fundulus parv~p~nn,~), which manipulative experimentation (~ovin 1984) still,
spawn and develop in these pools (Fritz 1975) our knowledge of the total community is
incomplete Insects that live in and on the
cordgrass are just beginning to be studied (Figure
A varletY of birds are often Seen foraging in the 28, covin ,986) with new species
midmarsh hab~tat Common are the wlllet that are new to science are (e g ,
(Catoptrophorus seml~almatus), marbled godwit /ncerte//a sp and Cr,cotopus sp , Figure 28) Both
(Llm0Sa fedoa), long-billed curlew (Numenlus of these tiny have larvae that live w,thln the
amencanus), great blue heron (Ardea herodtas), leaves of cordgrass (J covln, SDSU, pers comm )
Common egret (Casrnerodlus albus), and Beldlng's H~~~ snails, lined shore crabs (Pachygrapsus
Savannah sparrow (Wh~te, pers comm )
crasslpes), and yellow shore crabs (Hemlgrapsus
oregonens~s) are abundant, but their hab~ts are not
The lower marsh of Tijuana Estuary is the most well known They feed on the algal mats and
well-studied habitat of the entire system The detrltus and are themselves eaten by the larger
dominant plant, Pacif~ cordgrass (Spartlna fol~osa), marsh birds
Figure 27. The cord~rass community. showing the fiddler crab (right) and the lined shore crab (in burrow).
California horn snails are attached to the cordgrass stems and on the mud. A California least tern is poised, ready
to dive for fish in the channel. Mclntire cotlection, copyright 1986 by Zedler.