Austin Jackson
Estuary
Definition
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments.
Mutualism
A relationship between two organisms that benefit from each other.
Commensalism
A type of symbiotic interaction in which one organism benefits from the host without causing benefit nor harm to it.
Parasitism
A type of symbiotic interaction in which one organism lives at the expense of the host.
Pro and Con of humans in estuary biomes
Con
The greatest threat to estuaries is, by far, their large-scale conversion by draining, filling, damming or dredging. These activities result in the immediate destruction and loss of estuarine habitats. Until the last few decades, many estuary habitats in North America were drained and converted into agricultural areas; others were filled to create shipping ports and expand urban areas. In some areas, the estuarine habitat loss is as high as 60 percent.
Pro
Riparian (streamside) buffers are a major component to maintaining healthy streams and waters and their conservation is a critical element of any holistic watershed program. Riparian areas are often severely damaged during the land development process, leading to unintended negative impacts to our streams and rivers. Composed of trees, shrubs and grasses, these buffers help to reduce pollution entering waterways by slowing down and filtering runoff, thus extending retention time and improving water quality. Buffers also help to reduce flooding and erosion by stabilizing shorelines and absorbing high velocity flows. In addition, they serve an important role for wildlife as a shoreline transition zone and travel corridor, not to mention increasing overall biodiversity and improving in-stream health.
Salmon
• Salmon are rich in essential vitamens and can decrease the risk of coronary disease and certain cancers.
Seal
Seals have a layer of fat under skin called blubber, which keeps them warm in cold water. Their slick fur coat is streamlined for gliding through water.
Heron
• Herons have huge wingspan, usually two times bigger than their body size. Wingspan of herons can reach 5.5 to 6.6 feet.