Salinity effects

In the Trinity-San Jacinto Estuary, Mediomastus californiensis was found at high levels of abundance in every sampling site, regardless of salinity. They are known to be able to thrive in salinities of between 4 and 26 ppt.

Rangia cuneata were found to be indicative of areas consisting of <10 ppt. Paraprionospio pinnata were found in areas of 20 to ~33 ppt. The following moderately euryhaline species have been shown to favor anywhere between 5 to 30 ppt: Cossura delta, Glycinde solitaria, Littoridina sphinctosoma, Lyonsia hyalina floridana, Macoma mitchelli, Mediomastus californiensis, Mulinia lateralis, Nereis succinea, and Parandalia fauveli.

Diversity decreases significantly in benthic communities as a result of a major drop in salinity. Open water areas are more likely to be affected by salinity drops. Salinity drops in studied areas were from between 18-30 ppt to 5-18 ppt.

Significant declines of as little as 10 ppt in salinity can be lethal for most known sponges, even those adapted to tolerate estuarine conditions.

In a 25 year long study, red drum were most abundant in regions of <15 ppt and 15-18 ppt.