Microbial Bioactives
Microbial Bioactives | Online ISSN 2209-2161
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Volume 5 Number 1 2022
REVIEWS (Open Access)
Ecological Integrity at the Edge: A Systematic Synthesis of Climate and Anthropogenic Stressors in Estuarine Ecosystems
Ahsan Habib 1*, Md. Anisur Rahman 1, Md. Sajib Hossain Suvo 2 3, Sohrab Hossain 1, Biplab Biswas 1, Monirul Islam 1, Md. Kawser 2 3, Md Saiyed Qutubul Alam 2 3, Meer Sakib Hasan Shishir 2 3, Most. Samia Mahin Onty 2 3, Nafi Khan Rhine 2 3, Khurshed Alam 2 3
Microbial Bioactives 5 (1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.25163/microbbioacts.5110705
Submitted: 10 October 2022 Revised: 04 December 2022 Accepted: 12 December 2022 Published: 14 December 2022
Abstract
Estuarine ecosystems are dynamic interfaces between terrestrial and marine environments, supporting high biodiversity and productivity while providing critical ecosystem services. These habitats, including intertidal flats, saltmarshes, and subtidal zones, function as nurseries for numerous fish and invertebrate species, and sustain migratory shorebirds by offering abundant benthic prey. Estuarine productivity is driven by complex interactions between physical factors such as tidal exchange, salinity gradients, and sediment dynamics, and biological processes including primary production, nutrient cycling, and benthic-pelagic coupling. Anthropogenic pressures, including industrial development, pollution, habitat reclamation, and climate change, are altering estuarine structure and function, resulting in reduced biodiversity, shifts in species composition, and loss of critical habitats. Managed realignment and habitat restoration have emerged as adaptive strategies to counteract these impacts, promoting ecological resilience and biodiversity conservation. Systematic studies and meta-analyses highlight that estuarine responses to environmental changes are highly site-specific, influenced by geomorphology, hydrology, and anthropogenic stressors. Understanding these patterns is crucial for predicting ecosystem responses and informing conservation and management practices. This review synthesizes current knowledge on estuarine ecology, emphasizing the role of benthic communities in trophic dynamics, habitat provisioning, and ecosystem services. By integrating long-term observational data with experimental and modeling studies, we identify key drivers of estuarine productivity and vulnerability. Effective management requires coordinated approaches that consider ecological, physical, and socio-economic factors to maintain estuarine health in the face of ongoing environmental change.
Keywords: Estuarine ecology; benthic communities; intertidal flats; habitat restoration; tidal dynamics; anthropogenic impacts; ecosystem productivity
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