Southeast Region. The locations of the 20 selected 

 ELMR Southeast estuaries are shown in Figure 10 

 (next page), and the common and scientific names 

 of the 40 selected ELMR Southeast species are listed 

 in Table 12 (p. 29). Results of the ELMR study in the 

 Southeast region are summarized in Distribution 

 and Abundance of Fishes and Invertebrates in Southeast 

 Estuaries, ELMR Report No. 12 (Nelson et al. 1991). 

 Life history tables for Southeast ELMR species have 

 been completed in draft form, but life history sum- 

 maries are still being developed. 



Estuaries of the South Carolina and Georgia coasts 

 are characterized by low-elevation, marshy shore- 

 lines with a dendritic pattern of tributary tidal 

 streams. Estuaries of North Carolina and Florida 

 are generally lagoons bounded by extensive barrier 

 islands (NOAA 1985a). Tides are semidiurnal, and 

 range from less than a meter in North Carolina and 

 Florida to two meters in Georgia (NOAA 1990a). 



The 40 species selected in the Southeast region are 

 generally of the warm-temperate fauna of the Caro- 

 linian marine biogeographic province. Diadromous 

 species include Atlantic sturgeon, American eel, 

 alewife, blueback herring, American shad, and 

 striped bass. The actual fauna of Florida's Biscayne 

 Bay and Indian River includes many species from 

 the tropical Caribbean marine province, including 

 grunts (Haemulidae), snappers (Lutjanidae), grou- 

 pers and sea basses (Serranidae). Therefore, the 

 selected ELMR species list does not adequately rep- 

 resent the actual south Florida estuarine fauna. 



Table 13 (p. 30) readily conveys the occurrence of 

 the selected 40 ELMR species in each of the 20 

 Southeast estuaries. This table depicts the highest 

 relative abundance of the adult or juvenile life stage 

 of each species, in any month, in any salinity zone 

 within each estuary. The spawning, egg, and larval 

 life stage categories are not considered. This table 

 also suggests the zoogeographic distribution of spe- 

 cies among Southeast estuaries. For example, ale- 

 wife does not occur south of the North Carolina 

 estuaries. Many species common or abundant in 

 Georgia and the Carolinas are rare or completely 

 absent in Biscayne Bay, Florida. A few species, such 

 as blue crab, bay anchovy, and striped mullet are 

 ubiquitous, considered at least common in all 20 

 Southeast ELMR estuaries. 



To examine seasonal patterns of species presence/ 

 absence in Southeast estuaries, the revised and up- 

 dated ELMR data set for North Carolina estuaries 

 was selected (RPI 1996). This data set utilizes five 

 salinity zones: 0-0.5 ppt (tidal fresh), 0.5-5 ppt, 5-15 

 ppt, 15-25 ppt and >25 ppt. The revised ELMR data 

 also consider the presence of eggs and spawning as 

 a single life history stage (spawning-egg). Num- 

 bers of species present, ranked as "rare" or greater, 

 were counted by month and by salinity zone for the 

 adult, juvenile, and larval life stages. In Figure 11 

 (p. 31) the numbers of species were averaged across 

 estuaries and plotted by month for these life stages. 

 In Figure 12 (p. 32), the annual maximum number of 

 species is plotted by salinity zone for each life stage. 

 Although these summaries are not statistical analy- 

 ses, they do provide insights into the seasonal and 

 geographical distribution of selected species in the 

 estuaries: 



• The number of species appears to be lower in 

 the tidal fresh (0-0.5 ppt) and seawater (>25 ppt) 

 zones. However, this may be partially because 

 the selected ELMR species are primarily estua- 

 rine, not freshwater or marine resident species. 



• Juveniles and adults are the predominant life 

 stages present in estuaries, followed by larvae 

 and eggs-spawning. 



• The number of species present as juveniles and 

 adults is generally highest from June through 

 September, and lowest from December through 

 February. 



• The number of species present as larvae is gen- 

 erally highest in the 15-25 ppt zone, and peaks 

 in April. 



Text continues on p. 33. 



27 



