Assessing Estuarine Biota in Southern California

In southern California, most estuarine wetlands are gone, and what little habitat remains is degraded. For this reason, it is often of interest to assess the condition of estuaries over time, such as when determining the success of a restoration project. To identify impacts or opportunities for restoration, we also may want to know how a particular estuary, or area within an estuary, compares with neighboring areas. Comparisons among wetlands require knowledge of different estuary types. The seven types of estuaries described in this paper can be easily grouped into two functional types, fully tidal and seasonally tidal, based on a simple biotic index: presence of horn snails. A description of the distribution, diversity, and abundance of organisms in estuaries is one way to assess resources, determine the success of a habitat restoration, and compare estuaries to evaluate the biotic consequences of degradation. In this review, I summarize techniques that may be useful for managers charged with biotic inventory and monitoring, emphasizing techniques to categorize wetlands and quantify plants, invertebrates, fishes, birds, and trematode parasites.