ABSTRACT
SUMMARY: Elements of a physical and biological nature exert influences to create and maintain the dynamics of estuarine ecosystems such as in the case study area of Jobos Bay, an ecological unit sculpted by natural and anthropic factors, located in the southeastern shore of Puerto Rico, an island in the Caribbean. This chapter will provide a compilation of the processes and elements that define the structure and dynamics of the submerged and terrestrial components of this unique ecosystem and the struggles that Jobos Bay has faced for the management of its resources. The first part describes abiotic environmental elements, like geology, hydrology, and climate. The second portrays the five major ecological communities: mangrove forests, littoral woodlands, mud flats, seagrass beds, and coral reefs. Aspects of the energetics that characterize these vulnerable and complex communities are explained. Finally, environmental management issues are discussed to depict the influence of human activities in the peripheral land cover. Baseline information is provided for future scientific, education, conservation, and management projects.
