Efectos del huracán "Pauline" (1997) sobre la fauna asociada a la planta Eichhornia crassipes en la Laguna Coyuca, Pacífico Sur de México

ABSTRACT

Effects of hurricane "Pauline" (1997) on the fauna associated with the plant Eichhornia crassipes in Laguna Coyuca, South Pacific of Mexico. Reports on the effects of hurricanes on marine and coastal nvironments often deal with coral reefs, but little is known about their effect on the communities associated with the water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes. From January 1997 (pre-hurricane) through April 1998 (post-hurricane) we made montly collections of fauna in E. crassipes roots from Laguna Coyuca, Mexico (17º00’-16º54’ N, 99º58’-100º05’ W). The hurricane affected Coyuca on October 9th, 1997 and caused mortalities of that fauna. During the three subsequent months the absence of E. crassipes and its associated fauna in the study area was evident, but in January 1998, we found a partial reestablishment of E. crassipes and its associated fauna. Four months later, this community was almost back to pre-hurricane levels. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (2) 603-611. Epub 2008 June 30.

RESUMEN

Observaciones sobre los efectos que el huracán "Pauline" produjo a su paso por la laguna Coyuca, sur del Pacífico de México la madrugada del 9 de octubre de 1997, indican que el disturbio tropical ocasionó en el área la desaparición temporal de la fauna asociada a las raíces del lirio acuático en relación a la fauna registrada durante los meses anteriores al fenómeno; durante los tres meses posteriores se registró la disminución de E. crassipes en el área de estudio. En enero de 1998 se observó el inicio de su recuperación y se recolectaron los primeros organismos asociados a sus raíces; cuatro meses más tarde el lirio acuático y su fauna asociada casi alcanzaban los mismos niveles registrados antes del huracán.