An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water that connects rivers and streams to the ocean. It has both marine characteristics like salinity and tides from the ocean, and freshwater characteristics like sediment flows from rivers and streams. Estuaries contain both abiotic factors like pH, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, as well as biotic factors like fish populations and other organisms. Estuaries are located in intertidal zones, dominated by salt-tolerant plants, and are important environments that provide nutrients to food webs and habitats for birds and juvenile fish while protecting coasts from erosion.

2.  Partially enclosed body of water that is open
to the sea/ocean(salt h2o) and has rivers and
streams(freshwater) running into it.

3.  Marine  Freshwater
characteristics characteristics
◦ Salinity ◦ Flow of freshwater
◦ Tides ◦ Flow of sediments
◦ waves (sand, silt, gravel)

4.  Abiotic Factors  Biotic Factors
◦ pH ◦ Number of fish
◦ Salinity ◦ Types of fish
◦ Dissolved Oxygen ◦ Other Organisms we
◦ Turbidity observe/catch
◦ Lat/Long.
◦ Observation of
weather

6.  Type of estuary
◦ Located in the intertidal zone between land and
salt/brackish water
◦ Dominated by salt tolerant plants
◦ Important for environment
 to the food web and export nutrients to water
 Provide habitats for birds and other land animals
 Serve as nurseries for juvenile fish
 Protect coast from erosion from hurricanes