APES: estuaries/wetlands
estuary
a kind of wetland where freshwater and salt water meet and mix
plants in wetlands
adapted to be very water tolerant
plants in estuarys
adapted to be water and salt tolerant
wetland
an area of land (often low lying) where the soil is covered/saturated/flooded with water for all or most of the year
human activity that affects wetlands
being turned into aquaculture
soils in wetlands
hydric (makes soil anaerobic, lack O2), tend to be inorganic/nutrient rich
soils in estuarys
mostly anoxic below 1-2 cm deep, tend to be nutrient rich
economic benefit of estuaries
recreation and tourism (increases profits from jobs, tours, fishing, and hunting)
human activities that affect wetlands/estuaries
1. draining/filling them for agriculture or development 2. runoff/urban storm drainage (sediment, fertilizers/pesticides, soil, sewage) 3. over-harvesting 4. water diversion 5. dredging 6. recreation vehicles damaging/injuring critters
seven environmental benefits of wetlands/estuaries
1. highly productive 2. carbon sequestration 3. nursery helps sustain ecosystems and the lifestyle of the organisms that there are 4. nesting/migration sites for birds 5. marshes act as filters and sponges (trap SS, sediments, and toxic materials) 6. minimize flooding (slow movement of water to upland regions 7. decrease erosion along coastline (absorbing wave action/showing flood waters)
two impacts tides have on estuaries
1. impact salinity (through mixing of freshwater and salt water with different salinity) 2. impact temperature (because tides bring together water from ocean and upland freshwater that have different temperatures)
five economic benefits of wetlands/estuaries
1. important nursery for recreational and commercial fish and shell fish because there are tons of food and habitat heterogeneity (fish are sold for profit) 2. buffer upland areas from damage due to storms/floods/hurricanes (decrease amount of money spent to repair) 3. carbon sequestration (decrease the cost of migrating climate change) 4. recharging of groundwater (less money for waste water treatment) 5. property product (decrease cost for insurance)