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Science10 Marine Ecosystems in W.A.: Estuaries

WHAT are estuaries?

Estuary: a semi-enclosed body of water which has a free connection to the open sea and within which seawater is measurably diluted by fresh water derived from land drainage. Some unique Great Lakes coastal wetlands are referred to as freshwater estuaries. They occur where rivers and Great Lakes water mix in shallow wetlands located near the mouth of a river.

Animation: Estuaries, Nature's Water Filters. (Click on the image below to open the animation.)

One particular service estuaries provide is filtering nutrients and pollutants from land runoff. This animation, demonstrates how estuaries remove toxins, sediment, and nutrients as water flows from land to sea. An interactive Pollution Game will help enhance your understanding of what causes decreased water quality and which practices are beneficial to improving water quality.

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The Northern Agricultural Region (NAR) of Western Australia includes many estuaries important for their ecological and recreational values. However, pressures such as population growth and poor water quality are impacting on these sensitive ecosystems. This video is the result of a series of estuary workshops the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council held across the NAR. It documents estuary attributes that the local communities value the most and highlights some of the management issues facing the estuaries.

SOURCE: NACC (2013), "Estuaries of the Northern Agricultural Region, Western Australia," YouTube, URL: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ZFn1R_gAovc?rel=0

This programme defines what an estuary is, explains where they are found, and describes the ways that they are formed. It also includes a case study of a typical estuary and how tidal flow, salt water wedging, seasonal change, human use and pollution are effecting it.

SOURCE: Clickview, Estuaries (2017), Rated: E, Duration: 17 mins, URL: https://clickv.ie/w/HHln