On the quaternary coastal plains of the northern of Rio de Janeiro State, the Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park Brazil encompass 11 vegetational units varying from shrub vegetation (locally known as "restinga") to inundated forest and 18 coastal lagoons which differ largelly in salinity. Organisms such as reptiles, amphibians, mammals, fish, aquatic and terrestrial plants and processes (carbon cycling) have being study since 1999 under this site of the Brazilian Long Term of Ecological Studies innitiative.