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)