The role of estuarine habitats in regulating growth and survival of juvenile penaeid shrimp.

Modifications of estuarine habitats are inevitable, but information on habitat functions can be used to protect those habitats most valuable to fishery species. Density patterns of young brown shrimp in estuaries reflect the importance of macrophytic vegetation. Brown shrimp appear to be obligate carnivores, feeding on epifaunal and infaunal organisms which are frequently abundant in vegetated habitats. The structure of the vegetation also provides protection from fish predators such as the southern flounder and pinfish. A large number of environmental factors have the potential to interact with functions of vegetation, however, and the value of these habitats should be expected to vary within and among estuaries. Distributions of juvenile white shrimp in estuaries are more variable, and information on habitat interactions is limited. This species appears to be omnivorous, having a better capacity to avoid predation are also less pronounced in white shrimp. Rapid growth, however, may be a predator avoidance characteristic of this species.