A CHARACTERIZATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN ESTUARINE SYSTEMS

Abstract

Modifications to the structure and functioning of southern African estuarine systems can be placed into two major categories; those changes that have been driven by global forces such as climatic and sea-level fluctuations, and those that have resulted from direct human interference and are of a local or regional nature. Both the above categories will determine the rate and magnitude of physiographic and hydrodynamic changes within southern African estuaries, and therefore have a major impact on the characterization of individual systems in the future.