9 The Lagoon Region and Estuary Ecosystem
of Cananeia, Brazil
J.G. TUNDISI and T. MATSUMURA-TUNDISI
9.1 Introduction
The lagoon region and estuary of Cananeia extends for approximately
110 km along the southern part of the coastal plain of Sao Paulo State,
Brazil (25°S, 48°W). A distinctive feature of the estuarine-lagoon complex
is the presence of several islands, Cardoso, Cananeia (27 km 2 ), Comprida
(70 km 2 ), and Iguape Island. The islands are isolated from the continent
by interconnected channels, the Cubatao and Cananeia Sea and the Trapande Bay, which are 1-3km wide and up to 20m deep (mean depth 6m).
The backwaters and small rivers are shallower and characteristically
fringed by mangrove vegetation. The system connects with the Atlantic
Ocean through channels at the northern (Barra de Icaparra) and southern (Barra de Cananeia) end of Comprida Island (Tessler and Souza
1998; Fig. 9.1).
9.2 Environmental Setting
The climate is dominated by interplay of air masses of tropical fronts and
cold fronts of polar origin (Fig. 9.2). Tropical air masses prevail from the
end of spring (September) to the end of summer (February), while polar
air masses dominate in fall and winter (March to September). Periods of
frequent perturbation in February/March are related to warm air masses
with stationary fronts and high precipitation and, in September/October,
to the transition from predominantly cold to warm air masses with stationary fronts and intense fog. Perturbations are less frequent during common cold fronts in April/May (Garcia Occhipinti 1963; Franco da Silva
1989). Clear days occur during 10% of the year and are common in winter,
Ecological Studies, Vol. 144
U. Seeliger and B. Kjerfve (eds.)
Coastal Marine Ecosystems of Latin America
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 200 I
of Cananeia, Brazil
J.G. TUNDISI and T. MATSUMURA-TUNDISI
9.1 Introduction
The lagoon region and estuary of Cananeia extends for approximately
110 km along the southern part of the coastal plain of Sao Paulo State,
Brazil (25°S, 48°W). A distinctive feature of the estuarine-lagoon complex
is the presence of several islands, Cardoso, Cananeia (27 km 2 ), Comprida
(70 km 2 ), and Iguape Island. The islands are isolated from the continent
by interconnected channels, the Cubatao and Cananeia Sea and the Trapande Bay, which are 1-3km wide and up to 20m deep (mean depth 6m).
The backwaters and small rivers are shallower and characteristically
fringed by mangrove vegetation. The system connects with the Atlantic
Ocean through channels at the northern (Barra de Icaparra) and southern (Barra de Cananeia) end of Comprida Island (Tessler and Souza
1998; Fig. 9.1).
9.2 Environmental Setting
The climate is dominated by interplay of air masses of tropical fronts and
cold fronts of polar origin (Fig. 9.2). Tropical air masses prevail from the
end of spring (September) to the end of summer (February), while polar
air masses dominate in fall and winter (March to September). Periods of
frequent perturbation in February/March are related to warm air masses
with stationary fronts and high precipitation and, in September/October,
to the transition from predominantly cold to warm air masses with stationary fronts and intense fog. Perturbations are less frequent during common cold fronts in April/May (Garcia Occhipinti 1963; Franco da Silva
1989). Clear days occur during 10% of the year and are common in winter,
Ecological Studies, Vol. 144
U. Seeliger and B. Kjerfve (eds.)
Coastal Marine Ecosystems of Latin America
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 200 I