Estuaries Review

Which best explains why estuaries are an important habitat for many marine organisms in comparison to the open ocean?

• There is less food in estuaries.

• There are more predators in estuaries.

• There is more salt available in estuaries.

• There are more nutrients available in estuaries.

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Which best explains why inhabitants of an estuary must adapt to frequent environmental changes?

• Estuaries receive little sunlight.

• The water temperature is constantly warm.

• The salinity of the water is constantly changing.

• Low levels of oxygen are absorbed by the water.

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Which describes an estuary?

• A large body of fresh water.

• A large body of salt water.

• The wide, lower course of a river where fresh and salt water mix.

Which best describes the water found in estuaries?

• brackish

• salt water

• freshwater

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Estuaries are dynamic ecosystems where salt water and fresh water mix. Usually this happens as fresh water flows from a river to an ocean. When would you expect the concentration of salt in the estuary water to be LOWEST near the mouth of the river?

• when the river flow is low and the tide is low

• when the river flow is high and the tide is low

• when the river flow is low and the tide is high

• when the river flow is high and the tide is high

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Which best explains how estuaries help protect the coastline from storms?

• Estuaries provide hiding places for animals.

• Estuaries provide high concentrations of nutrients, allowing great diversity of life.

• Estuaries provide resting places for migrating birds.

• Estuary trees take the impact of high winds, slowing down the wind speed.

How does over-harvesting of oysters impact the water quality of an estuary?

• increase in pollution usually filtered by oysters

• decrease in CO2 levels due to increase in pollution

• decrease in organic matter usually filtered by oysters

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Which best describes the types of organisms found in estuaries?

• They can survive in salt water.

• They cannot tolerate brackish water.

• They are only found in freshwater.

• They tolerate both freshwater and salt water.

Which best explains the importance of estuaries?

• Estuaries are freshwater areas that support a large amount of living things.

• Estuaries are areas where freshwater and salt water collide, resulting in a large amount of biodiversity.

• Estuaries are tropical areas that support an abundance of life found usually in cold regions of the ocean.

• Estuaries are nutrient­-rich areas because they have large amounts of carbon dioxide seeping into the water from the ground below.

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Which best explains how estuaries support plant and animal life?

• The dry land removes pollutants.

• The water provides energy for growth.

• The habitat areas provide nutrients and shelter.

• The cold temperatures decrease dissolved oxygen.

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