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

2. What is an estuary?
An estuary is a partly enclosed body of water where fresh water coming down from rivers meets and mixes with salt water from the sea
The water in estuaries does contain some salt, but not as much as the ocean. We call this water “Brackish Water”

3. Label and Color River Water (Fresh Water) Ocean Water (Salt Water)
Flow of Fresh Water
River Water
(Fresh Water)
Ocean Water
(Salt Water)
Estuary Water
(Brackish Water)
Flow of Salt 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

4. 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

5. Estuaries do not last forever
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

6. 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 due to having both salt and fresh 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”

7. Estuaries in North Carolina
There are numerous estuaries in NC
The biggest in Pamlico Sound
Water drains into this system from eastern NC and southeastern VA, from the Chowan, Roanoke, Pasquotank, Pamlico and NEUSE RIVERS
Estuaries help control erosion and reduce flooding on the mainland
Sand bars buffer the impact of waves
Swamps and marshes take the initial impact of winds and release excess water into groundwater and river supplies

8. Estuary Facts
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

9. Draw and label it in your estuary diagram
Estuary Fish
Pick any fish
Draw and label it in your estuary diagram
Mullet
Rockfish
Flounder
Kahawai
Trevally
Sole
Red Cod
Parore
Gurnard

10. Estuary Birds Many birds come to the estuaries to eat
What do you notice about their beaks?
How might this help living in an estuary?
Egret
Willet
Heron

11. Estuary Animals Mud Shrimp Cockles River Otter
Feed on the waste material found in the mudflats of estuaries
Cockles
Have strong shells to protect them from wave action, drying out, and beaks of predators
River Otter
Carnivorous and feed off a lot of the fish and crustaceans living in 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.
Turtle
One of the few species that spends its entire life in the estuary

12. Estuary Plants
Draw and label one of these plants on your estuary diagram!
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
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

13. 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