The River Influence Controls Water Quality and Spatio-Temporal Microalgal Distribution in Pacific Estuaries (Padre Ramos and Salinas Grandes) of Nicaragua

Abstract

Estuaries are coastal wetlands that deserve special attention because they are vulnerable, biodiversity- and service-rich environments. However, estuaries of tropical areas have been scarcely studied regarding water quality and biodiversity in spite of strong developments of their agricultural and livestock sectors. Two estuaries on the Pacific Nicaragua in which snapper cages had been set up were studied regarding water physicochemical properties, microalgae and cyanobacteria along with their dynamics over a hydrological year. Both environments showed excellent water quality (oligotrophy and absence of harmful organisms) arising from their fluvial features. During the rainy season, there was a decline in chemical compounds and microorganisms. In the dry period nutrients and salinity promoted different assemblages of microscopic primary producers that were never too dense. Nutrient inputs from shrimp farms, agricultural crops and snapper cages did not appear to increase eutrophication and cyanobacterial blooms did not occur. Furthermore, the strong fluvial character of these estuaries seems to prevent the entry of harmful dinoflagellates from marine areas.