Guaraqueçaba Ecological Station

Template:Short description Template:Template other Guaraqueçaba Ecological Station (Template:Langx) is an ecological station in the municipality of Guaraqueçaba, Paraná, Brazil.

Location

The Guaraqueçaba ecological station with an area of was established on 31 May 1982. It is in the coastal marine biome. It is administered by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.Template:Sfn It lies within the Guaraqueçaba municipality of the state of Paraná.Template:Sfn The ecological reserve is fully contained in the Guaraqueçaba Environmental Protection Area (Área de Proteção Ambiental de Guaraqueçaba).Template:Sfn It is part of the Lagamar mosaic.Template:Sfn

Environment

The region is a flat area of unconsolidated sediment of continental and marine origins. The highest point is above sea level.Template:Sfn The conservation unit is in the Benito creek at the confluence of the mouths of the Tagaçaba and Serra Negra rivers, the Itaqui creek at the confluence of the mouths of the Pacotuva and Boquaçu rivers, and in the mouths of the Guaraqueçaba, Poruquara, Birigui and Sabuí rivers. There are numerous channels and black water pools between these estuaries.Template:Sfn The unit covers areas of mangroves to the west of the Baía dos Pinheiros, to the north of the Baía de Guaraqueçaba and to the west of the Enseada do Benito, as well as the islands of Laranjeiras, Rabelo, Pavoçá, Sambaqui, Bananas and Galheta.Template:Sfn

The station lies in the humid tropical zone with high rainfall, particularly from February to April.Template:Sfn Average rainfall is . Temperatures range from with an average of .Template:Sfn The vegetation is Atlantic rain forest, transitional forests and mangroves.Template:Sfn The Rhizophora mangle, Laguncularia racemosa and Avicennia schaueriana are the main trees of the mangrove, and flower from March to October. They are arranging into clearly defined zones, with the Rhizophora mangle closest to the river margin.Template:Sfn In addition to fish and birds, there are many species of crustaceans, molluscs and other invertebrates in the mangroves.Template:Sfn

Conservation

The Ecological Station is a "strict nature reserve" under IUCN protected area category Ia.Template:Sfn The station was created to preserve the mangrove and island ecosystem, protect endangered species, maintain gene banks and support scientific research.Template:Sfn The Red-tailed amazon (Amazona brasiliensis) is a protected species in the station.Template:Sfn

• Guaraqueçaba Environmental Protection Area (Large red outline) and conservation units and communities it includes
  Guaraqueçaba Environmental Protection Area (Large red outline) and conservation units and communities it includes
• Boat on the estuary
  Boat on the estuary