GREEN You are responsible for recording everything typed in GREEN on your notes sheet.

A water environment, from pond to ocean, in which plants and animals interact with the chemical and physical features of the environment. They contain a large diversity of organisms and include oceans, salt marshes, estuaries, lagoons, mangroves and coral reefs

An interaction between living and nonliving things found only on landforms.

The areas that buffer or border between water (marine) and land (terrestrial) habitats

Partly closed coastal body of water that is connected to one or more rivers (freshwater) and the ocean (saltwater) that contains a mixture of salt and fresh water (brackish water) and provide habitats for large amounts of aquatic organisms

Artificial (man-made) lake or dam used to store water

LABEL AND COLOR River Water (Fresh Water) Ocean Water (Salt Water) Estuary Water (Brackish Water) Label the sections of the diagram as shown Choose a color and color in the Ocean Water section of the diagram Use the same color, but only LIGHTLY SHADE in the Estuary Water Section of the diagram to symbolize the mix of River Water and Ocean Water Flow of Fresh Water Flow of Salt Water

DEFINE BRACKISH WATER The water in estuaries does contain some salt, but not as much as the ocean. We call this “Brackish Water”

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT ESTUARIES? They contain a mix of nutrients and sediments  Some is carried from the land by rivers  Some is carried from the oceans by tides  They are constantly being mixed by water Estuaries are typically very shallow This allows sunlight to reach all the way to the bottom!  In NC, most estuaries are less than 30 feet deep GREEN You are responsible for recording everything typed in GREEN on your notes sheet.

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT ESTUARIES? (CONT.) These conditions provide a great basis for biological diversity in species (lots of different living things)  Lots of sunlight promotes plant growth  Lots of nutrients and sediments support many plants and animals Estuaries do not last forever  They are temporary features because their basins are eventually destroyed by the inflow of sediments from the rivers and sand from the oceans  Eventually estuaries become dry land GREEN You are responsible for recording everything typed in GREEN on your notes sheet.

ESTUARY FACTS Estuaries have the most productive ecosystems on the planet!  They are home to tons of wildlife including fish, birds, reptiles, mammals and many, many plants Estuaries can support many types of fish because of brackish water Many fish lay their eggs in estuaries- the waters are calm and the abundance of plant life provides a safe environment for baby fish  Estuaries are sometimes called the “nurseries of the sea” GREEN You are responsible for recording everything typed in GREEN on your notes sheet.

ESTUARY FACTS CONT. Estuaries are a type of environmental filter. Plants and animals found here filter out pollutants in the water.  Oysters filter impurities out of water as they eat, collecting the contaminants in their bodies. They can filter up to 25 gallons of water each day!  Bacteria eat organic matter and release toxic gases to the atmosphere, preventing them from being stored up in the estuary Accumulated toxins in estuaries cause many environmental and health problems  Chemical pollution and sedimentation are great threats to the well- being of estuaries and oceans GREEN You are responsible for recording everything typed in GREEN on your notes sheet.

ESTUARY FISH Flounder Mullet Kahawai Sole Rockfish Trevally Parore Red Cod Gurnard Pick any 2 fish Draw and label them in your box

ESTUARY BIRDS Many birds come to the estuaries to eat Write what you observe about these birds beaks. Answer the question: How might this help them in an Estuary? Heron Egret Willet

ESTUARY ANIMALS Cockles Have strong shells to protect them from wave action, drying out, and beaks of predators Mud Shrimp Feed on the waste material found in the mudflats of estuaries Few animals can live their entire lives in estuaries. Most move into estuaries at certain times of the year or during certain parts of their life cycle. Choose 2 animals and describe them in the box Turtle One of the few species that spends its entire life in the estuary River Otter Carnivorous and feed off a lot of the fish and crustaceans living in estuaries

ESTUARY PLANTS Sea Grass Lives in and under water Most plants cannot tolerate any salt but Sea Grass can live in water with a variety of salinity levels Have extensive root systems to help anchor the grass and retrieve nutrients Mangrove Trees Adapted to live in very muddy environments Home to many insects, birds and fish Have aerial roots that extend upward to compensate for lack of oxygen in mud Play an important role in trapping sediments and protecting shore lines Draw and describe one of these plants on your estuary plants box!

ESTUARY VIDEO CLIP Follow the link below to see a 12 minute documentary about Mangrove Forest ecosystems and some of the animals that live there:  Estuary Ecosystem Estuary Ecosystem