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Marine Biology Lecture 7: Estuaries
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What is an estuary? Definition Biological perspective
“Partially enclosed embayment where fresh and salt water meet.” Biological perspective One of the most biologically productive types of ecosystems in the world
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Types of estuaries in Oregon
Drowned river mouth River dominated Bar built Blind
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Bar-built estuary Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
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Stony Brook Harbor, Long Beach
Bar Built Estuary Stony Brook Harbor, Long Beach
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Parts of an estuarine system
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Salinity profiles Positive “salt wedge” estuary
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Salinity classifications (cont.)
Negative (“evaporate”) estuary
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Effects of tides on salinity
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Other physical characteristics
Substrate General description Relationship to salinity
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Other physical characteristics (cont.)
Temperature Wave action and currents Turbidity Oxygen
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Salinity tolerance of organisms
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Osmoconformers vs. osmoregulators
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Estuarine food webs Sources of energy Primary consumers Key predators
Organic matter Phytoplankton Algal mats Plants Primary consumers Planktovores Detritovores Key predators
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Estuarine food webs
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Focus: Niche partitioning in birds
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Prey location tactics
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Common estuarine animals in Oregon
Worms (a variety) Clams (a variety) Snails (in some) Ghost shrimp (Calianassa californiensis) Sand shrimp (Crangon spp.) A variety of crabs Cancer magister can be found in estuaries, although they are stenohaline and found near the bottom Predatory fish Birds
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Common estuarine organisms in Oregon
Worms: a variety Abarenicola sp.
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Common estuarine organisms in Oregon
Saxadoma nutalli: butternut clam Macoma nasuta: bent-nosed clam Photos: Melissa Phipps Protothaca staminia: littleneck Mya arenaria: soft-shelled clam
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Common estuarine organisms in Oregon
Snails Cerithidea sp.: California horn snail
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Common estuarine organisms in Oregon
Callianassa californiensis: the ghost shrimp
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Common estuarine organisms in Oregon
Crangon sp.: the sand shrimp
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Salt Marshes Mangroves
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Mangrove prop roots
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