An estuary is a body of water usually found where a river meets the sea, mixing fresh water draining from the land with salty seawater into a brackish habitat unlike either parent body. This salty-fresh mix is a nursery ground for a large share of the fish humans catch, and supports plant and animal communities specifically adapted to fluctuating salinity and tide.
Facts
Disputed
Annual Precipitation (mm)990mm is the source global ocean+land blended figure; the source does not isolate an estuary-specific figure. Estuaries occur on coastlines in every climate zone, so the same global ocean blend already used on the Marine and Open Ocean biome entities is applied here. Typical Low Temperature (C)13C is the low end of a single named example cited by the source, the Alan Estuary in England, not a global figure. Estuaries occur in every climate zone from tropical to Arctic wherever a river meets tidal water, and no single settled global range was found on an accessible source. Typical High Temperature (C)17C is the high end of the same single named example, the Alan Estuary in England, not a global figure; see this entity's temperature-low-c StatusNote for the same caveat. Estuary
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Demonstrates
Estuaries are a classic corridor for migratory fish and birds moving between fresh water, the open sea and the shore.
Source Estuaries (NOAA Ocean Service)
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Source GBIF: Vittina natalensis
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Sources
1. Precipitation (Wikipedia)
WikipediaWikipedia, Precipitation, lead sectionQuote, Wikipedia, Precipitation, lead section
the globally averaged annual precipitation is 990 millimetres (39 in), but over land it is only 715 millimetres (28.1 in)
View the Source 2. Estuary Biome (Earth Eclipse)
Earth EclipseTemperature sectionQuote, Temperature section
The temperature in Alan estuary in England, for example, ranges from 13 to 17 degrees Celsius or 55 to 63 degrees Fahrenheit.
View the Source Estuaries (NOAA Ocean Service)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNOAA Ocean Service, Estuaries, overview section
Estuaries and their surrounding wetlands are bodies of water usually found where rivers meet the sea.
- In Category: Biomes
- Demonstrates: Migration
View the Source Estuary (Wikipedia)
WikipediaDefinition sectionQuote, Definition section
They can have many different names, such as bays, harbors, lagoons, inlets, or sounds, although some of these water bodies do not strictly meet the above definition of an estuary and could be fully saline.
View the Source European Eel (Wikipedia)
Greater Flamingo (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia: Seahorse
Home To: Seahorse, Wikipedia 'Seahorse': can be found in seas, brackish estuaries and lagoonsView the Source Wikidata: Pfiesteria Piscicida
Smalltooth sawfish (Wikipedia)
Home To: Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata), IntroductionView the Source Cardisoma guanhumi (Wikipedia)
Wikidata: Blue Swimmer Crab
Wikidata: European Flat Oyster
Wikidata: Uca Pugilator
North American River Otter (Wikidata)
Canada goose (Wikidata)
Wikidata: Pale-edged stingray
Wikidata: Josephoartigasia monesi
Pied stilt (Wikipedia)
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Its habitat is in wetlands and estuaries.
View the Source Wikipedia: Cuban crocodile
Home To: Cuban Crocodile, Lead sectionQuote, Home To: Cuban Crocodile, Lead section
Its preferred habitat comprises freshwater and brackish water environments, such as mangrove swamps, coastal lagoons, estuaries, marshes, floodplains, and river deltas.
View the Source Common shelduck (Wikipedia)
Home To: Common shelduck, lead paragraph (habitat biome), EntityId 362721, target B268362Quote, Home To: Common shelduck, lead paragraph (habitat biome), EntityId 362721, target B268362
It is widespread and common in the Palearctic, in Europe and northwest Africa mainly breeding on temperate coasts, saline pools and estuaries, and in Asia on inland salt lakes; increasingly it is also using open freshwat
View the Source Wikipedia: Whiteleg shrimp
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Litopenaeus vannamei grows to a maximum length of , with a carapace length of . Adults live in the ocean, at depths to , while juveniles live in estuaries.
View the Source Wikipedia: Bald Eagle
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However, bald eagles will occasionally nest in large estuaries or secluded groves within major cities, such as Hardtack Island on the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, or John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which are surrounded by a great quantity of human activity.
View the Source Wikipedia: Mute Swan
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A notable flock of non-breeding birds is found on the River Tweed estuary at Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northeastern England, with a maximum count of 787 birds.
View the Source Harbour porpoise, Wikipedia
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They inhabit fjords, bays, estuaries and harbours, hence their name.
View the Source Mozambique Tilapia (Wikipedia)
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Among others, it occurs in rivers, streams, canals, ponds, lakes, swamps and estuaries, although it typically avoids fast-flowing waters, waters at high altitudes and the open sea.
View the Source Carcinus maenas (Wikipedia)
Home To: European Green Crab, Ecology
Carcinus maenas can live in all types of protected and semiprotected marine and estuarine habitats, including those with mud, sand, or rock substrates, submerged aquatic vegetation, and emergent marsh, although soft bottoms are preferred.
Home To: Carcinus maenas, Ecology
Carcinus maenas can live in all types of protected and semiprotected marine and estuarine habitats, including those with mud, sand, or rock substrates, submerged aquatic vegetation, and emergent marsh, although soft bottoms are preferred.
View the SourceWikipedia: Pacific oyster
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M. gigas is an estuarine species, but can also be found in intertidal and subtidal zones.
View the Source Sea spider, Wikipedia
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They are most common in shallow waters, but can be found as deep as 7,000 metres (23,000 ft), and live in both marine and estuarine habitats.
View the Source Wikipedia: Dungeness crab
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In some areas adult Dungeness crabs can be found in or near estuaries.
View the Source Wikipedia: Cuban tree frog
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Cuban tree frogs are known to inhabit a variety of habitats, including estuaries, low-density suburban development, small towns, agricultural areas, particularly ones with exotic plants, and lowland forests and swamps.
View the Source Wikipedia: Callinectes sapidus
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Prepubertal females migrate to the upper reaches of estuaries, where males typically reside as adults.
View the Source Wikipedia: Aurelia aurita
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They can be found in estuaries, bays, fjords, and polluted waters, among other habitats.
View the Source Wikipedia: Alitta virens
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Sandworms are also used as study organisms in investigations of metal uptake in marine biology, as their burrowing habits, preference for coastal and estuarine environments, and detritivorous diets expose them readily to metal buildup in marine sediments.
View the Source Wikipedia: European Anchovy
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It can therefore live in brackish water in lagoons, estuaries, and lakes.
View the Source Australian pied cormorant (Wikipedia)
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The pied cormorant preferably breeds in small (<30 pairs) sheltered colonies (harbours, estuaries and lakes) with rarer occurrences on exposed coasts or islands, no more than 400 m (1,300 ft) from the sea (or food source).
View the Source Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Wikipedia)
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Since the Eastern Taiwan Strait population of humpback dolphins is closely associated with estuaries habitat, the elimination of freshwater discharge from rivers significantly decreases the amount of suitable habitats for dolphins.
View the Source Eurasian oystercatcher (Wikipedia)
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Although the species is present all year in Ireland, Great Britain and the adjacent European coasts, there is still migratory movement; the large flocks that are found in the estuaries of south-west England in winter mainly breed in northern England or Scotland.
View the Source Black-faced cormorant (Wikipedia)
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Occasionally black-faced cormorants can be found in estuaries of rivers.
View the Source Pied avocet (Wikipedia)
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The EUNIS lists brackish and saline coastal lagoons and estuaries as key habitats.
View the Source Vibrio vulnificus (Wikipedia)
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V. vulnificus is usually found in brackish waters, like estuaries, where freshwater mixes with ocean saltwater.
View the Source White-fronted Tern (Wikipedia)
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With large flocks preferring coastal waters, harbours, bays and estuaries where they are content to live on either sand, shell or shingle ground.
View the Source Crangon crangon (Wikipedia)
Home To: Brown Shrimp, habitat statement
Adults live epibenthically (on or near the sea floor) especially in the shallow waters of estuaries or near the coast.
Home To: Crangon crangon, Habitat: Estuary
Adults live epibenthically (on or near the sea floor) especially in the shallow waters of estuaries or near the coast.
View the SourceNatureServe Explorer: Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
NatureServe ExplorerHome To: Pink Salmon, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal riverQuote, Home To: Pink Salmon, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal river
"estuarineHabitatDescEn": "River mouth/tidal river"
View the Source NatureServe Explorer: Chroicocephalus ridibundus
NatureServe ExplorerHome To: Black-headed gull, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal riverQuote, Home To: Black-headed gull, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal river
"estuarineHabitatDescEn": "River mouth/tidal river"
View the Source NatureServe Explorer: Thalasseus maximus
NatureServe ExplorerHome To: Royal tern, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal riverQuote, Home To: Royal tern, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal river
"estuarineHabitatDescEn": "River mouth/tidal river"
View the Source NatureServe Explorer: Sternula antillarum
NatureServe ExplorerHome To: Least tern, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal riverQuote, Home To: Least tern, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal river
"estuarineHabitatDescEn": "River mouth/tidal river"
View the Source NatureServe Explorer: Egretta thula
NatureServe ExplorerHome To: Snowy Egret, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal riverQuote, Home To: Snowy Egret, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal river
"estuarineHabitatDescEn": "River mouth/tidal river"
View the Source NatureServe Explorer: Larus fuscus
NatureServe ExplorerHome To: Lesser black-backed gull, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal riverQuote, Home To: Lesser black-backed gull, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal river
"estuarineHabitatDescEn": "River mouth/tidal river"
View the Source NatureServe Explorer: Larus hyperboreus
NatureServe ExplorerHome To: Glaucous Gull, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal riverQuote, Home To: Glaucous Gull, Species characteristics: River mouth/tidal river
"estuarineHabitatDescEn": "River mouth/tidal river"
View the Source Anomia simplex (Wikipedia)
Home To: Common Jingle Shell, Habitat: EstuaryQuote, Home To: Common Jingle Shell, Habitat: Estuary
Anomia simplex can be found in shallow waters, typically estuaries, mainly along the Atlantic Coast of North America
View the Source SeaLifeBase: Lunarca ovalis summary
SeaLifeBaseHome To: Blood Ark, BiologyQuote, Home To: Blood Ark, Biology
Found in an estuarine environment (Ref. 104365 ).
View the Source SeaLifeBase: Rhizostoma pulmo summary
SeaLifeBaseHome To: Barrel Jellyfish, BiologyQuote, Home To: Barrel Jellyfish, Biology
Found in a river estuary (Ref. 122860 ) and coastal lagoons (Refs. 81044 , 122857 ).
View the Source GBIF: Vittina natalensis
GBIFHome To: Zebra Nerite Snail, Descriptions: habitatQuote, Home To: Zebra Nerite Snail, Descriptions: habitat
Brackish: in small streams, near the mouth, on and under stones, often in mud.
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