ESTUARINE
ECOSYSTEM
WHAT IS AN ESTUARY?
An Estuary is where the water from
rivers and streams meets the salt water
from the ocean. These areas house
fragile and unique habitats where you
will find an immense amount of
biodiversity.
ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEM
Partially enclosed coastal ecosystem where
freshwater and seawater mix to form a
complex system
An area with a combination of
unique physical and chemical
factors
Estuaries are productive areas where rivers
meet the ocean
– The salinity (saltiness) of estuaries ranges from less
than 1% to 3%
– They provide nursery
areas for oysters,
crabs, and
many fishes
– They are often
bordered by
extensive coastal
wetlands Figure 34.7A
Fresh water and sea water mixing in an estuary
CLASSIFICATION OF ESTUARIES
ON THE BASIS OF:
- Geomorphology
- Distribution of Salinity and Density
- Type of Circulation
CLASSIFICATION OF ESTUARIES:
Based on Geomorphology
1. Coastal plain/drowned river valley
– Bar-built
3. Fjord
7. Tectonic
COASTAL PLAIN ESTUARIES
Classifying estuaries by origin/geomorphology
Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay – coastal plain estuaries
CLASSIFICATION OF ESTUARIES:
Based on Geomorphology
1. Coastal plain/drowned river valley
2.Bar-built
sand bars and barrier islands form
protection for the river, thus forming the
estuary
BAR-BUILT ESTUARIES
(a) Coastal plain (c) Fjord
(b) Bar-built (d) Tectonic
Classifying estuaries by origin/geomorphology
Matagorda and San Antonio Bays (Texas) – bar-built estuaries
CLASSIFICATION OF ESTUARIES:
Based on Geomorphology
1. Coastal plain/drowned river valley
2. Bar-built
3. Fjord
(glaciers cut a U-shaped valley along
the coastline and this will be filled
with seawater during high tide.
FJORDS
Classifying estuaries by origin/geomorphology
Incised Fjords between Glacier Bay National Park and Juneau, Alaska
A Norwegian fjord-a deep glacially formed estuary that has been flooded
by the sea
CLASSIFICATION OF ESTUARIES:
Based on Geomorphology
1. Coastal plain/drowned river valley
– Bar-built
3. Fjord
4. Tectonic
(sinking of a piece of the earth surface)
TECTONIC ESTUARY
Classifying estuaries by origin/geomorphology
San Francisco Bay in California – a tectonic estuary created by faulting
CLASSIFICATION OF ESTUARIES:
Based on Salinity and Density Distribution
1. Well-mixed
2. Weakly Stratified
3. Strongly Stratified
4. Fjord
5. Arrested Salt Wedge
CLASSIFICATION OF ESTUARIES:
Well-mixed
No change in salinity between surface and
bottom;
Frequently found among drowned river valleys or
bar-built estuaries where mixing is strong
compared to tidal and river flow;
Transport of fresh water and salt water mainly by
horizontal eddy diffusion; and
Net flow is seaward
CLASSIFICATION OF ESTUARIES:
Weakly Stratified
Small variation in salinity between surface and
bottom (few ppt);
Salt water at bottom near mouth of estuary, and
fresh water at surface near river entrance. In
between we find salinity gradient;
Generally net flux seaward at surface and
landward at the bottom;
Commonly found among drowned river valleys and
rarely in bar-built estuaries.
CLASSIFICATION OF ESTUARIES:
Strongly-stratified
Surface salinity differs from bottom salinity by several
ppt;
Strong salinity gradient at mid depth;
Net flux seaward at surface and landward at the bottom;
Salt water can penetrate near the bottom to considerable
distance. Mixing at interface along distance;
Commonly found among drowned river valleys.
– Note that same estuary may change from well-mixed to weakly
stratified to strongly stratified depending on time and
external conditions
CLASSIFICATION OF ESTUARIES:
Fjord
Special case of strongly stratified estuary;
Salinity distribution commonly in three layers;
– Brackish surface, intermediate layer with salinity
gradient, more saline bottom water;
Circulation mainly at surface and mid layers.
Bottom layer only involved during storm;
In fjord with shallow sill at mouth, circulation only
at surface. Bottom water entirely isolated and can
become anoxic and formation of H2S. Can be
flushed during storm;
CLASSIFICATION OF ESTUARIES:
Arrested Salt Wedge
Special case of strongly stratified estuary;
Involving large river;
Fresh water can flow out of estuary above salt
wedge;
Virtually no mixing between two water masses;
Inner edge of wedge intersects river bottom and
moves up- and downstream depending on river
flow;
Little circulation within salt wedge;
FUNCTIONS OF AN ESTUARY
Provide nursery areas for various kinds of fish
and shellfish
Feeding areas for various species of birds,
including migratory species
Transition zone between fresh water and marine
environment, particularly for mobile species
Habitat/protection for commercial and non-
commercial invertebrate species.
HABITAT
Estuarine community consists of:
Salt marshes
wetland area covered with water from the estuary during
high tide and covered with vegetation that can withstand
inundation
Seagrass beds
Mudflats
Mudflats are areas rich in mud and exposed during low tide.
Contains anaerobic conditions with prolific bacteria.
Salt Marshes (San Francisco Bay)
Food particle production and utilization in a typical estuary
INTERACTIONS AMONG
ORGANISMS IN AN
ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEM
TROPHIC LEVELS IN AN
ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEM
PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL
PARAMETERS
A. Tide
b) Tidal current
During flood tide seawater will enter the estuary in high speed
especially if the estuary is narrow
d) Tidal bore
seawater will enter the estuary like a wall
PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL
PARAMETERS
When a river meets the sea: several fast changes
The river bring lots of suspended sediment (how do we tell?)
Sand and large partiles Fine particles and mud
Deposited at estuary when Carried further before
Current slow deposited
PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL
PARAMETERS
B. Salinity gradient
Changes : i) upstream to downstream
ii) high tide and low tide
iii) depth
iv) width of estuary
PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL
PARAMETERS
B. Salinity gradient
Which is denser? Seawater or freshwater?
Mixing of freshwater (0 ppt) with seawater
(35 ppt)
Salinity in-between
a) Well mixed estuary with the resulting salinity
b) Stratified estuary with the resulting salinity
PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL
PARAMETERS
B. Salinity gradient
What is isohaline?
PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL
PARAMETERS (cont.)
Temperature
-Changes due to different depth and
width of estuary. Also affected by
salinity.
PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL
PARAMETERS (cont.)
D. Turbidity
- determines how far light can penetrate water
column;
- estuaries contains suspended sediment, organic
and inorganic matter, most wastes disposed in
rivers resulting in high turbidity and low
visibility.
- Why brown colour?
PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL
PARAMETERS (cont)
E. Suspended Sediment (Why do they
float?)
- fine particles.
Cause water to be turbid;
Limit light penetration;
Decrease photosynthetic activities; and
Decrease oxygen concentration.
Reduce filtration processes of filter feeders;and
Mortality for some organisms (eg. Corals)
PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY
HIGH
Because :
3. Much nutrient from freshwater input;
4. Abundance of vascular plants(salt marshes) and
algae; and
5. Salt marshes able to trap organic matter and
nutrient.
BIODIVERSITY
HIGH:
ii) Only a few true estuarine species;
iii) Most species are daily or seasonal
‘visitors’:
a. Looking for food
b. Protection
c. Reproduction
d Nursery
