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Laguna Mecoacan
Laguna Mecoacan is located in the state of Tabasco. It is connected to the Dos Bocas Lagoon and to the Gulf of Mexico through an ample opening, which is limited by two littoral barriers formed by an old beach and sand dunes. Mecoacan has an elongated shape with its main axis parallel to the coast. The average depth is 1.20 meters, with maximum values of 3.0 meters around the Dos Bocas Barrier and 5.0 meters in the natural channel of El Bellote. It has a leveled floor with abundant organic banks. The Dos Bocas Lagoon is small, it consists of two natural channels that surround the Isla Morelos formed by terrigenous sediments. The west channel is the deepest with a depth of 5.0 meters and is the natural communication between the Dos Bocas Barrier, the Seco River and the Mecoacan Lagoon through another natural channel called the Bellote, which has a depth of 8.0 meters. Throughout the year and always influenced by atmospheric conditions, the area presents temperatures that range from 22.5 to 32.5 C and salinity levels from 4.7 to 34.1 ppt, always lower than the adjacent open ocean. Hydrologically, Mecoacan has a west area, mainly influenced by ocean water, and an east area influenced by an influx of runoff water that keeps salinity at low levels. The mangrove vegetation situated on the coasts of the lagoon is very important; it has economic, ecologic, scientific, aesthetic, and cultural value. Additionally, it is one of the most productive tropical ecosystems from which men have benefited. There are three main species in the area: Aviccenia germians, the most dominant, reaching heights of 22 meters, Rhizophora mangle and Laguncularia racemosa. Oysters represent a crucial part of the economy of the state of Tabasco. It is the main source of income for many cooperative fishermen who extract the oysters, and to a smaller scale capture the grudge, which has, coupled with natural mortality, provoking an increase in the mortality rate as a byproduct of the activity. The area of Mecoacan is also rich in crude oil, another important resource and a source of pollution. In the year 1979, an oil spill occurred in the Ixtoc-I well, causing minimum damage to the lagoon thanks to the active dynamic between tides and winds, but leaving high concentrations of hydrocarbons in the oysters. Consequently, the specie Crassotrea virginica serves as a gauge for pollution by hydrocarbons in the oyster population, since the amounts found in their tissue is proportional to the amounts found in their surrounding environment. Coordinates: 18.42° N 93.15° W Selected Characteristics: (Castañeda and Contreras, 2001) Surface Area: 52 km2 Average Salinity: 19 ppt References: Castañeda L.O. and F.E. Contreras. 2001. Serie: Bibliografia Comentada sobre ecosistemas costeros mexicanos 2001. Centro de Documentacion Ecosistemas Litorales Mexicanos. Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Division C. B. S. Depto. de Hidrologia. Publicacion electronica (CD). ISBN:970-654-912-9. Mexico, D.F. Keywords: Lagoon, Ixtoc-I oil well, Hydrocarbons, Oysters, Crassotrea virginica |
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and J.W. Tunnell, Jr., Editors. 2010.
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Web electronic publication. http://www.gulfbase.org, 09 February 2010. |
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