Estuaries Essay examples - 695 Words

Estuaries Estuaries are bodies of water along our coasts that are formed when fresh water from rivers flows into and mixes with salt water from the ocean. In estuaries, the fresh river water is blocked from streaming into the open ocean by either surrounding mainland, peninsulas, barrier islands, or fringing salt marshes. This mixing of fresh and salt water creates a unique environment that brims with all kinds of life. The estuary gathers and holds an abundance of life-giving nutrients from the land and from the ocean. They provide a unique habitat for over 75 percent of our nations commercial fish. This along with commercial and recreational fishing, boating and tourism provides many jobs and lots of enjoyment for those who†¦show more content†¦Estuaries provide us with a whole suite of resources, benefits, and services. Some of these can be measured in dollars and cents, others can not. Estuaries are an irreplaceable natural resource that must be managed carefully for the mutual benefit of all who enjoy and depend on them. Oceanographyically an estuary is a semi enclosed coastal body of water having a free connection to the open sea and within which the sea water is measurably diluted with fresh water derviving from land drainage.1 The rive water which enters the estuary mixes to some extent with the salt water thereing and eventually flows out to the open sea in the upper layer. A corresponding in flow of sea water takes place below the upper layer. The inflow and the outflow are dynamically associated so that while an increase in river flow tends to reduce the salinity of the estuary water it also causes an increased inflow of sea water which tends to increase it, thus an approximate steady state prevails. Estuaries are classified into four types. (1) Vertically mixed (TYPE A) This happens in generally shallow waters where the mixture is homogeneous from the surface to the bottom at any particular place along the estuary. The salinity increases as the distance from the head to mouth increases. (2) Slightly Stratified (TYPE B) This is similarShow MoreRelatedWater and Estuary2274 Words   |  10 PagesAn integrated study of the Mpenjati estuary-beach system. (Biological component) Abstract A study was carried out to find the abundances of animal organisms between both sides of the Mpenjati estuary. Zooplankton, Macro fauna, Meiofauna and Fish was sampled .Each of the species that reside in the estuary contribute to the diversity of the area and are essentially driving forces, ensuring optimal functioning of the ecosystem. The purpose of sampling such ecosystems is to find out how the interactionsRead MoreHow Estuaries Are Diverse And Rich Environments Essay968 Words   |  4 PagesEstuaries are incredibly diverse and rich environments. An estuary allows for diverse populations of fishes and other invertebrates because of the varying salinities and rich food sources (Keefer, Caudill, Peery, Moser, 2013). If an estuary is long enough there is a gradient as the fresh and salt water begin to mix (At the river s end, 2005). This gradient provides protection for some species and breeding grounds for other species. The unique habitat is makes a great nursery for juve nileRead MoreEstuaries : San Francisco Bay1584 Words   |  7 Pages As you may know, a estuary, particularly is a enclosed body of water aside the coast where freshwater from rivers and streams intertwine with the salt water from the ocean. As a matter of fact, estuaries are places of transition from land to sea and freshwater to salt water. An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water formed where freshwater from rivers and streams flows into the ocean, mixing with the salty sea water. Estuaries and the lands surrounding them are places of transition fromRead MoreThe Ecosystem Of The Chesapeake Bay1973 Words   |  8 Pagesits way into the largest estuary system in the United States. The Estuary System An estuary system is â€Å"the resulting collisions of sweet and salt-fresh river water flowing seaward and ocean water inland.† It is an aquatic system where salt and freshwater are constantly mixing. An estuary system is one of most active systems of the planet; it is a hybrid system that contains the best and worst qualities of the ocean, river, and lake systems it conglomerates. Estuaries are unique in nature becauseRead MoreEstuarine Pollution in Eutrophicatin972 Words   |  4 Pages Rivers and estuaries have been useful to human beings more than just as a water source. They have been the centre of interest of frontier settlement, which leads to more human activities and wastes, which leads to dumping rubbish into the most convenient place - the waterways. What becomes a problem is that more and more toxic chemicals are being dumped to a point that the waterways could no longer filter it. One of the problems that is becoming a global crisis is eutrophication. Therefore, thisRead MoreThe Chesapeake Bay1439 Words   |  6 Pagesits way into the largest estuary system in the United States. The Estuary System An estuary system is â€Å"the resulting collisions of sweet and salt-fresh river water flowing seaward and ocean water inland.† It is an aquatic system where salt and freshwater are constantly mixing. An estuary system is one of most active systems of the planet; it is a hybrid system that contains the best and worst qualities of the ocean, river, and lake systems it conglomerates. Estuaries are unique in nature becauseRead MoreThe Effect Of Global Warming On The Environment1003 Words   |  5 Pagesn.d) Warmer water can hold less dissolved oxygen and plants grow and die more quickly. Therefore it can be deduced that cooler water allows for a more comfortable environment for animals and vegetation. Ms. Hovey conducted a study on the Severn Estuary in the UK and noticed that the temperature of the water has increased. Increasing temperature of the water can result from Global Warming. As Global Warming alters temperature and weather patterns, it could have an impact on plant and animal lifeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Casting Into The Unknown By Marcelo Gleiser1060 Words   |  5 Pagestrip, standing in the dock allowed me to absorb the beautiful landscape and gives me a different experience then looking at maps. I can only imagine what was going through Harry Hudson’s and Giovanni da Verrazzano’s mind as they stumbled upon this estuary. The water completely fascinates people, including myself, and like our assigned class reading â€Å"Casting into the Unknown† by Marcelo Gleiser, the author alludes to the ocean as a representation of his collective identity, sense of freedom and mysteryRead MoreChesapeake Bay And The Bay1574 Words   |  7 PagesProgram n.d.). The Chesapeake Bay includes Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, as well as Washington D.C. (Chesapeake Bay Program n.d.). The Chesapeake Bay is an estuary where salt and freshwater meet which is one of the largest estuaries consisting of more than 100 estuaries (Chesapeake Bay Program n.d.). The freshwater flows from the Bay’s tributary rivers with about 50% of it coming from the Susquehanna river (â€Å"Geological History† n.d.). Since the saltwater is heavierRead MoreThe Sediments Within The Intertidal Zone998 Words   |  4 Pagesflocculation-deflocculation can explain the variable admixture of sand and clay fractions in individual sample. 3.2. Spatial distribution of the elements in the sediments The total elemental concentrations measured in sediments from both the Hugli River Estuary and Sundarban mangrove wetland varied considerably between elements and stations, which are possibly the reflection of multiple factors such as natural variability in the catchment rocks, several physical processes (material source, the residence