CONTENTS 



PREFACE i 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I i 



CH. 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE TIJUANA RIVER 



NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE 1 



1 . 1 The International Setting 1 



1 .2 Estuary Type Characterization 1 



1 . 3 The Estuarine Habitats 3 



1 . 4 Biological Significance 5 



1 . 5 Protection Efforts 5 



1 . 6 National Recognition 5 



1 .7 The National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) 6 



1 . 8 The Research 7 



1 . 9 Management 7 



CH. 2 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS THAT SHAPED THE ESTUARY 9 



2 . 1 Geologic History 9 



2.2 Mediterranean-type Climate 12 



2 . 3 Land Use History 15 



2 . 4 Streamflow History 2 



2.4.1 Major Flood Events 2 



2.4.2 Wastewater Inflows 2 2 



2.4.3 Tidal Prism 2 2 



CH. 3 ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES AT TIJUANA ESTUARY 2 5 



3 . 1 Physiographic Diversity 2 5 



3 . 2 Transition from Upland to Wetland 2 6 



3.2.1 Plants of the Wetland-Upland Transition 2 6 



3.2.2 Animals of the Wetland-Upland Transition 2 8 



3.3 Intertidal Salt Marsh 2 8 



3.4 Salt Pannes . 3 9 



3 . 5 Brackish Marsh 4 1 



3 . 6 Estuarine Channels and Tidal Creeks 4 5 



3.6.1 Algae 46 



3.6.2 Benthic Invertebrates 4 7 



3.6.3 Fishes-Adults and Juveniles 5 3 



3.6.4 Ichthyoplankton 5 5 



3.6.5 Birds 57 



3 . 7 Intertidal Flats 5 8 



3 . 8 Dunes and Beach 61 



3 . 9 Riparian Habitats 6 5 



3.10 Dynamics of Featured Species 66 



3.10.1 Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Habitat Use by Waterbirds 6 6 



3.10.2 Species of Special Concern 7 2 



