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TOPIC: AQUATIC HABITAT: ESTUARINE HABITAT
CONTENT:
- Characteristics of Estuarine Habitat,
- Types of Estuary
- Distribution of the plants and animals in estuarine habitat
- Adaptive features of the plants and animals in the estuarine habitat.
Sub-Topic 1: CHARACTERISTICS OF ESTUARINE HABITAT:
An estuarine habitat is ecological zone where river and sea water meet, thus establishing brackish conditions. Brackish water has a salinity which fluctuates with the tides and the wet and dry seasons. It is neither salt water nor freshwater, but the intermediary between both. It occurs where freshwater interact with salt water.
Characteristics of Estuarine Habitat
Some characteristics of estuarine habitat include:
- It has a fluctuating salinity
- It has Poor aerated substratum or saturated soil that lack oxygen.
- There is mild wave action.
- There is high and low tidal influence.
- Soil erosion is prominent.
- It is exposed and prone to flood periodically.
EVALUATION
- Define estuarine habitat.
- Outline three characteristics of estuarine habitat.
Sub-Topic 2: TYPES OF ESTUARY
- Mashes
- Deltas
- Lagoons
- Bay
- Swamps
- Mashes: brackish water mash is usually found in intertidal areas which are periodically flooded and drained by the tides. They are especially common along the coastal areas near estuaries
- Deltas: this is where a river divides into many channels before entering into oceans or sea. it is formed at the mouth of a river as it enters the sea.
- Lagoon: a body of ocean water that enters into the land through a canal therefore has the opportunity of mixing with fresh water from rivers and streams.
- Bay: it is a small body of sea water which enters into land and mixes up with fresh water from rivers and streams.
- Swamps: a swamp is wetland with vegetation found in temperate and tropical regions. Brackish water mash is usually found along coastal areas or intertidal areas which are periodically flooded and drained by the tides.
Types of Estuary based on salt mixing
We have the following:
- Salt wedge estuary.
- Vertically homogeneous estuary.
- Partially mixed estuary.
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