estuary
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An estuary is a coastal area where a river meets the ocean and freshwater mixes with saltwater. Estuaries are important because they provide rich habitats for many plants and animals, and they also protect nearby communities from storm damage.
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Article
32 sectionsContents
- Definition
- Estuarine ecosystem
- Estuarine Ecosystem Services
- Classification based on geomorphology
- Drowned river valleys
- Lagoon-type or bar-built
- Fjord-type
- Tectonically produced
- Classification based on water circulation
- Salt wedge
- Partially mixed
- Well-mixed
- Inverse
- Intermittent
- Physiochemical variation
- Implications of eutrophication on estuaries
- Effects of eutrophication on biogeochemical cycles
- Effects of eutrophication on estuarine plants
- Effects of eutrophication on estuarine animals
- Effects of eutrophication on human activities
- Implications for marine life
- Human impact
- Examples
- Africa
- Asia
- Europe
- North America
- Oceania
- South America
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|Río de la Plata estuary thumb|Mattole River estuary
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water where freshwater from rivers or streams meets and mixes with saltwater from the open sea. Estuaries form transition zones between riverine and marine environments and are classified as ecotones, areas where different ecosystems overlap. They are influenced by both marine processes (such as tides, waves, and saline water intrusion) and fluvial processes (including freshwater flow and sediment input). The mixing of seawater and freshwater provides high levels of nutrients both in the water column and in sediment, making estuaries among the most productive natural habitats in the world.