10 The Subtropical Estuarine Complex
of Paranagua Bay, Brazil
P.C. LANA, E. MARONE, R. M. LOPES,
and E. C. MACHADO
10.1 Introduction
Paranagua Bay, on the coast of Parana State in southeastern Brazil
( 48°25'W, 25°30'S ), is part of a large interconnected subtropical estuarine
system that includes the Iguape-Cananeia Bay system on the southern
coast of Sao Paulo State. Rather than being an estuary, Paranagua Bay
( 612 km 2 ) is best defined as an estuarine system comprised of two main
water bodies, the Paranagua and Antonina bays (260 km 2 ) and the Laranjeiras and Pinheiros bays (200 km 2 ). The system connects to the open sea
through three tidal channels, with the main entrance area around Mel
Island (152km 2 ; Fig. 10.1). The structural properties of the bay are typical for a marine ingression environment. Forced regressions, following
sea-level maxima at approx. 120,000 and 5,100 B.P., have formed an upper
and a lower geomorphologic zone, represented by a drowned, narrow
paleo-valley west of Paranagua City and by wide beach ridge plains east
of Paranagua, respectively (Angulo 1992; Angulo and Lessa 1997). An
extensive coastal plain surrounds Paranagua Bay and the upper reaches
of the bay originate about SO km inland at the piedmont of the Serra
do Mar mountain range. Mangrove swamps and marshes mainly fringe
the interior of the system, while ocean-exposed areas adjacent to the
mouth are composed of extensive sand beaches and some rocky shores
(Angulo 1992).
10.2 Environmental Settings
The climate of the region depends on the north or south displacement of
the semi-permanent anti-cyclone gyre in the South Atlantic and on the
Ecological Studies, Vol. 144
U. Seeliger and B. Kjerfve (eds.)
Coastal Marine Ecosystems of Latin America
©Springer· Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2001
of Paranagua Bay, Brazil
P.C. LANA, E. MARONE, R. M. LOPES,
and E. C. MACHADO
10.1 Introduction
Paranagua Bay, on the coast of Parana State in southeastern Brazil
( 48°25'W, 25°30'S ), is part of a large interconnected subtropical estuarine
system that includes the Iguape-Cananeia Bay system on the southern
coast of Sao Paulo State. Rather than being an estuary, Paranagua Bay
( 612 km 2 ) is best defined as an estuarine system comprised of two main
water bodies, the Paranagua and Antonina bays (260 km 2 ) and the Laranjeiras and Pinheiros bays (200 km 2 ). The system connects to the open sea
through three tidal channels, with the main entrance area around Mel
Island (152km 2 ; Fig. 10.1). The structural properties of the bay are typical for a marine ingression environment. Forced regressions, following
sea-level maxima at approx. 120,000 and 5,100 B.P., have formed an upper
and a lower geomorphologic zone, represented by a drowned, narrow
paleo-valley west of Paranagua City and by wide beach ridge plains east
of Paranagua, respectively (Angulo 1992; Angulo and Lessa 1997). An
extensive coastal plain surrounds Paranagua Bay and the upper reaches
of the bay originate about SO km inland at the piedmont of the Serra
do Mar mountain range. Mangrove swamps and marshes mainly fringe
the interior of the system, while ocean-exposed areas adjacent to the
mouth are composed of extensive sand beaches and some rocky shores
(Angulo 1992).
10.2 Environmental Settings
The climate of the region depends on the north or south displacement of
the semi-permanent anti-cyclone gyre in the South Atlantic and on the
Ecological Studies, Vol. 144
U. Seeliger and B. Kjerfve (eds.)
Coastal Marine Ecosystems of Latin America
©Springer· Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2001