ESTUARY BIOME By Adriana Marjanovic and Danielle Novak

ESTUARY BIOME By: Adriana Marjanovic and Danielle Novak http: //www. nehalemtel. net/~lnwcouncil/Assessment/Estuary 1. JPG

Definition: �An estuary is a body of water formed where FRESHWATER from rivers and streams flows into the ocean, mixing with the SEAWATER.

How does it work? • Although influenced by tides, estuaries are protected from the full force of ocean waves, winds, storms by the reefs, barrier islands, or fingers of land, mud, or sand that surround them. • The inflow of both freshwater and sea water provide high levels of nutrients in both the water column and sediment, making estuaries among the most productive natural habitats in the world. • Estuaries come in all shapes and sizes and are often referred to as bays, lagoons, harbors, inlets, or sounds.

Why Estuaries are important: �Estuaries protect water quality by filtering out dirt and pollution. �They are often our center of coastal communities where people sail, fish, swim, and bird watch. http: //agritech. tnau. ac. in/fishery/images/Exe_estuary_from_balloon. jpg

Species In Estuaries: �The plants and animals that thrive in estuaries like to live in the water that is part fresh and part salty. �These include: � Horseshoe crabs, Ospreys, Manatees, Mangroves, and Sea grasses http: //nintharticle. com/horseshoecrab. jpg http: //www. cfcbsa. org/en-us/news/e-newsletters/pict/manatee. jpg

Species In Estuaries: �Hundreds of fish and shellfish, such as scallops, shrimp, and salmon live in estuaries at some point of their life. http: //www. somethingfishy. ie/teacherslessons/lesson 7/Estuary. Food. Web. B. gif

Challenges that Estuaries face: �More than half of the people in the US live within 100 miles of coast including the shores of the Estuaries. � as we move, we are upsetting the natural balance of estuaries � we endanger estuaries by polluting the water and building on the land surrounding them � These activities lead to unsafe drinking water, beach and shellfish bed closings, harmful algae blooms, decline in fisheries, and loss of habitat which in turn kills fish

Other Problems �Algae blooms �Pathogens �Toxic Chemicals �Invasive Species http: //plants. ifas. ufl. edu/guide/bloom 1. jpg http: //farm 1. static. flickr. com/224/512744374_90099 f 2 e 71. jpg http: //www. aquatonics. com/images/magicgallery/Chinese_mitten_crab_Eriocheir_sinensis. jpg

Well Known Estuaries �San Francisco Bay http: //upload. wikimedia. org/wikipedia/commons/d/d 2/San_Francisco_Bay_aerial_view. jpg

Well Known Estuaries �New York Harbor http: //farm 2. static. flickr. com/1308/664046829_2 d 5 e 6 b 3250. jpg

Well Known Estuaries �Chesapeake Bay http: //www. steelbuildingshq. com/wp-content/uploads/Chesapeake-Bay-Bridge -Tunnel 2. jpg

Future Protection of Estuaries �The recent oil leak has not only effect the Estuaries but also the 400 species that call an Estuary home. �It is important to recognize our place within the community and work towards protecting our biomes http: //www. nola. com/news/index. ssf/2010/04/more_than_400_species_in_poten. html http: //oceanworld. tamu. edu/resources/oceanography-book/Images/ixtox 1. jpg http: //www. sustainabilityninja. com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/oil-spill. jpg

Source: �http: //www. epa. gov/nep/kids/about/why. htm