Once brackish species have invaded an 

 intertidal area, it is likely that they will 

 persist. With continually augmented 

 streamflows, as would occur with upstream 

 wastewater discharges, species with salt- 

 tolerant, vegetatively reproducing adults 

 might never die out. At San Diego River 

 marsh, the cattail population that invaded in 

 1980 enjoyed a second expansion in 1983, 

 when rainfall and streamflow continued late 

 into spring. With drier conditions in 1984 

 and 1985, the population declined (Zedler and 

 Beare 1986). 



3.6 ESTUARINE CHANNELS AND TIDAL 

 CREEKS 



The channel habitats are important for a 

 wide variety of organisms including 

 macroalgae, phytoplankton, invertebrates, 

 fishes, and birds (Figure 3.18). The 

 California least tern and other fish-eating 

 species feed in the deeper-water habitats, 

 while shorebirds probe the sediments of the 

 intertidal zone at low tide. 





Figure 3.18. The channel and tidal creek habitats support an abundance of species including the 

 marbled godwit, which probes the mud for food, the topsmelt, which attaches its eggs to macroalgae, 

 the diamond turbot, which feeds on the benthic organisms, and gaper clams (Tresus nuttallii), ghost 

 shrimp, and commensal arrow gobies, which live within the sediments. Mclntire collection, © 

 1986 by Zedler. 



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