Salinity and stable isotope dataset for Guayas estuary waters

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Geochemistry
• Oceanography

Background:

• The Guayas estuary, a crucial South American estuarine system, supports significant ecological and economic activities.
• Understanding water sources and environmental dynamics is vital for managing this valuable resource.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the origins of different water types within the Guayas estuary.
• To identify active environmental processes in the inner and outer estuarine zones.
• To provide supporting data for research on water origins in the Guayas estuary and Gulf of Guayaquil.

Main Methods:

• Collected approximately 400 water samples across the Guayas estuary during dry and rainy seasons.
• Utilized Van Dorn bottles for water sampling at specified depths.
• Analyzed water samples for salinity and stable isotopes of oxygen (δ¹⁸O) and hydrogen (δ²H).

Main Results:

• Established a robust dataset of salinity and isotopic compositions for Guayas estuary waters.
• Identified distinct water types and their origins within the estuarine system.
• Provided foundational data for interpreting stable isotope evidence of water origins.

Conclusions:

• The collected data and analyses offer insights into the hydrological processes of the Guayas estuary.
• This dataset supports further research into the complex water dynamics of the region.
• The study highlights the importance of isotopic analysis in estuarine research.