EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Estuaries filter out sediments and pollutants from rivers and streams before they flow into the ocean, providing cleaner waters for humans and marine life.

Detailed explanation-2: -Because they are biologically productive, estuaries provide ideal areas for migratory birds to rest and refuel during their long journeys. Because many species of fish and wildlife rely on the sheltered waters of estuaries as protected spawning places, estuaries are often called the “nurseries of the sea."

Detailed explanation-3: -The diversity of habitats enclosed in estuaries supports enormous abundance and diversity of species e.g. fish, shellfish, lobsters, marine worms, reeds, seagrasses, mangroves, algae, and phytoplankton. Visiting species include birds which roost and feed, pelagic fish to spawn and use as nurseries.

Detailed explanation-4: -An estuary is an area where a freshwater river or stream meets the ocean. In estuaries, the salty ocean mixes with a freshwater river, resulting in brackish water. Brackish water is somewhat salty, but not as salty as the ocean. An estuary may also be called a bay, lagoon, sound, or slough.