ESTUARY VOCABULARY Abiotic factors non-living parts of the estuary habitat. Ex. Water, temp. – soil, sunlight Biotic living parts of estuary habitat. Ex. Animals, plants, bacteria, etc. – Parts of estuary: Barrier beach sandy part, protects estuary from storms, waves – Channels fresh water, rivers streams leading to estuary – Marginal areas consists of bushes, small trees, purpose: provides, food, – shelter Salt marsh MOST PRODUCTIVE ON EARTH, 75% of all marine life is – born or lives in here, cafeteria & nursery Brackish water mixture of salt & fresh water – Coastal land near shore of ocean – Estuary place where fresh and salt water meet – Crustacean animals with hard exoskeleton, jointed legs. Ex. Lobster, crabs – Mollusks animals with soft bodies (blob)inside a shell. Ex. Oyster, – mussels Decomposer means break down. Ex. Bacteria and fungi – Detritus decaying, dead plants/animals – Erosion wearing away of soil by water – Intertidal zone area between high & low tides – Photosynthesis process how plants get food, need sun. – Plankton microscopic plants/animals –
ESTUARY VOCABULARY Abiotic factors – non-living parts of the estuary habitat. Ex. Water, temp. soil, sunlight Biotic – living parts of estuary habitat. Ex. Animals, plants, bacteria, etc. Parts of estuary: Barrier beach – sandy part, protects estuary from storms, waves Channels – fresh water, rivers streams leading to estuary Marginal areas – consists of bushes, small trees, purpose: provides, food, shelter Salt marsh – MOST PRODUCTIVE ON EARTH, 75% of all marine life is born or lives in here, cafeteria & nursery Brackish water – mixture of salt & fresh water Coastal – land near shore of ocean Estuary – place where fresh and salt water meet Crustacean – animals with hard exoskeleton, jointed legs. Ex. Lobster, crabs Mollusks – animals with soft bodies (blob)inside a shell. Ex. Oyster, mussels Decomposer – means break down. Ex. Bacteria and fungi Detritus – decaying, dead plants/animals Erosion – wearing away of soil by water Intertidal zone – area between high & low tides Photosynthesis – process how plants get food, need sun. Plankton – microscopic plants/animals
ESTUARY-VOCABULARY.docx