Survival in an Estuary Life in a Transition Zone

Assignment  Create a brochure on Estuaries  Include the following information  What is an estuary  Landforms  Life  Importance  Human Impact  NC Estuaries  Front Cover Drawing and Slogan  Rubric on next slide

Item Topic What is an Estuary Fully explained with 2 examples Fully explained only 1 example Fully explained with no examples Not fully explained with no examples No explanation but examples No explanation No examples Landforms5 explained4 explained3 explained2 explained1 explainedNone Life5 included4 included3 included2 included1 includednone Importance7 included6 included5 included4 included3 included2 or less Human Impact 7 included6 included5 included4 included3 included2 or less NC Estuaries3 Facts2 Facts1 FactNA None Front Cover Drawing and Slogan Drawing and Slogan Connected Drawing and Slogan not connected Drawing or Slogan only NA None

Points/Grade  Possible points 35  Divide your points by 35 will give you a percentage  Ex: You scored 32  32/35(100)  91% would be your score

What is an estuary? An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water where two different bodies of water meet and mix

Estuaries  Estuaries are formed where fresh water meets and mixes with ocean water.  Estuaries are found where rivers meet the sea.  Estuaries are found where rivers meet chemically distinct lakes.

Estuary Features and Landforms  Each estuary includes a variety of habitats. Some may be bordered by marshes.  Estuary features such as swamps or lagoons form behind barrier islands and beaches.

Estuary Features and Landforms  Bays, harbors, sounds, and inlets are all estuaries.  Bayous are formed by channels of slow moving water leading from a river or lake.

Estuary Features and Landforms  Salt marshes form in estuaries in areas protected from high- energy waves.  Tidal flats are part of many estuaries. Oyster and clams are harvested here.

Estuary Features and Landforms  Mangrove forests surround wetland areas in southern estuaries.  In mountainous areas, estuaries may be found in seaside fjords.

Estuary Life  Many types of plants grow in estuaries.  Estuaries provide food, shelter, and water to variety of plants and animals

Spawning & nursery grounds for many orgs Why? Few predators, abundant food, diversity of habitats, high turbidity Filters pollutants from water Buffer to mainland during storms (absorbs excess water)

Food & resting place for migratory birds Source of commercially important species; clams, oysters, blue crabs Food & habitat for many orgs (much detritus!) Popular sport & recreation areas; fishing, sailing, swimming

Landfill – draining & filling in to build homes, etc. (destroys habitat) Mining – for minerals, oil, sand, & gravel Construction – dams/channel dredging (changes spawning migrations, water circulation, & local salinity) Sediments – from construction, dredging, & erosion (increases turbidity which inhibits photosynthesis & smothers gill breathers) Chemicals – pesticides/sewage (decrease species diversity)

Overharvesting – clams, oysters, mussels, & fish Thermal Pollution – industries use water as coolant; heated water returned to estuary (incr. water temp = decrease O 2 ) com/watch?v=XLum SN4G5P4

Threats to Estuaries

Estuaries Additional Details Nutrient-rich river water spills into the estuary and mixes with nutrient-rich ocean water which makes them a productive ecosystem in which organisms raise their young. Large amount of plankton feed small fish etc. Birds, mammals, & larger fish feed on the smaller fish and plants. Migratory birds rest & breed here. Pollution & rising sea levels threaten most estuaries. North Carolina estuaries are threatened by runoff from urban development & agricultural areas.

Estuaries of NC

Estuaries