12
1.5
Conclusions
Gerardo M.E. Perillo . M. Cintia Piccolo . Mario Pino-Quivira
South America has, in comparison with other regions of the world, probably one of
the largest number of estuaries per km of coastline. However, very little is known about
their characteristics in general and their Geomorphology and Physical Oceanography in particular. There are several reasons why this occur. In the first place, there is a
much lower development both in number and specialities of research groups working in South America when compared with North America, Europe and even Australia/
New Zealand. In our continent it has been a tradition, probably inherited from the
classical Oceanography of the '50S throughout the '70S that this science was only related to "blue water". Most of our oceanographers were trained with this concept in
mind even though the lack of adequate funding and/or ship time and equipment prevented them to do research in that area. Littoral Oceanography ("brown-water oceanography) was always regarded as not a matter of Oceanography, however, this concept is presently changing.
The number of researchers working in estuaries is small in general but by far the
largest number is devoted to Biology and very few working in Geomorphology. Only
Brazil is now having emerging groups working in the Physical Oceanography of estuaries as well as in basic Geomorphology and sediment transport. On the other hand,
Chile has a very small group with interest in the Geomorphology and Dynamics of estuaries. Uruguay is also in the same situation. Argentina has only one group that works
full time on the Geomorphology, Dynamics and sediment transport processes in estuaries and at least three other groups that do research in estuaries only part of the time.
Two of those groups work mostly on Geomorphology and one in Physical Oceanography.
A second reason that may explain why South American estuaries are little known
internationally is the language. It is well accepted that English is the most common
international language; however, the number of researchers fluent in writing English
articles to the level required for international journals is remarkable low. Then, many
investigations on the estuaries seldom pass of the level of local or regional journals
or proceedings of congress plus many reports and thesis of restricted circulation and
published in Spanish or Portuguese. This situation is also valid for Central America
and Mexico as well. Nevertheless, this conditions is also progressing in a positive way
as many researchers trained in North America and Europe are coming back to take
teaching and research positions within their own country.
We consider that estuaries should be studied from a multi and interdisciplinary approach. However, the present status show a dramatic bias towards biological studies and
very little is done regarding their geomorphology and dynamics. However, both aspects
are essential to establish the basic conditions in which all other process must be analysed.
Acknowledgements
Research dealing to the present article has been funded by the Inter-American Institute for Climate Change (lAI), National Science Foundation, the European Economic
Community, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET)
de la Republica Argentina and Universidad Nacional del Sur. Lic Walter D. Melo was
very helpful in doing some of the figures.
1.5
Conclusions
Gerardo M.E. Perillo . M. Cintia Piccolo . Mario Pino-Quivira
South America has, in comparison with other regions of the world, probably one of
the largest number of estuaries per km of coastline. However, very little is known about
their characteristics in general and their Geomorphology and Physical Oceanography in particular. There are several reasons why this occur. In the first place, there is a
much lower development both in number and specialities of research groups working in South America when compared with North America, Europe and even Australia/
New Zealand. In our continent it has been a tradition, probably inherited from the
classical Oceanography of the '50S throughout the '70S that this science was only related to "blue water". Most of our oceanographers were trained with this concept in
mind even though the lack of adequate funding and/or ship time and equipment prevented them to do research in that area. Littoral Oceanography ("brown-water oceanography) was always regarded as not a matter of Oceanography, however, this concept is presently changing.
The number of researchers working in estuaries is small in general but by far the
largest number is devoted to Biology and very few working in Geomorphology. Only
Brazil is now having emerging groups working in the Physical Oceanography of estuaries as well as in basic Geomorphology and sediment transport. On the other hand,
Chile has a very small group with interest in the Geomorphology and Dynamics of estuaries. Uruguay is also in the same situation. Argentina has only one group that works
full time on the Geomorphology, Dynamics and sediment transport processes in estuaries and at least three other groups that do research in estuaries only part of the time.
Two of those groups work mostly on Geomorphology and one in Physical Oceanography.
A second reason that may explain why South American estuaries are little known
internationally is the language. It is well accepted that English is the most common
international language; however, the number of researchers fluent in writing English
articles to the level required for international journals is remarkable low. Then, many
investigations on the estuaries seldom pass of the level of local or regional journals
or proceedings of congress plus many reports and thesis of restricted circulation and
published in Spanish or Portuguese. This situation is also valid for Central America
and Mexico as well. Nevertheless, this conditions is also progressing in a positive way
as many researchers trained in North America and Europe are coming back to take
teaching and research positions within their own country.
We consider that estuaries should be studied from a multi and interdisciplinary approach. However, the present status show a dramatic bias towards biological studies and
very little is done regarding their geomorphology and dynamics. However, both aspects
are essential to establish the basic conditions in which all other process must be analysed.
Acknowledgements
Research dealing to the present article has been funded by the Inter-American Institute for Climate Change (lAI), National Science Foundation, the European Economic
Community, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET)
de la Republica Argentina and Universidad Nacional del Sur. Lic Walter D. Melo was
very helpful in doing some of the figures.