WSS5- 01-010 Interactions Among Organisms In Estuaries

An estuary is another kind of ecosystem. Which of the following best describes an estuary?

• a. It is the land area that drains water into a lake, river, or pond.

• b. It is the large body of salt water that covers most of the earth's surface.

• c. It is the underground system that provides drinking water to an area.

• d. It is the area where a river meets the ocean, where mixing of fresh water and salt water happens.

Estuaries come in many forms and sizes. What other names have they been called?

• a. bays and lagoons

• b. harbors and intels

• c. sounds and sloughs

• d. all of the above

Why are estuaries important to our environment?

• a. They provide homes for many species of wildlife.

• b. They are important nursery areas for a variety of marine organisms.

• c. They help to filter pollutants from the water.

• d. All of the above

One of the fastest swimming crabs in the world is the blue crab. Which of the following is an adaptation of the crab for the said ability?

• a. jointed legs

• b. large claws

• c. body shape

• d. paddle-like rear feet

Water is brought to an estuary from a variety of sources. Which of the following would contribute to an increase in the salinity of the estuary?

• a. rivers

• b. streams

• c. urban runoffs

• d. tides

Many shore birds feed on the mud flats of estuaries. When would be the best time for the bids to catch stranded fish and invertebrates? This happens during ____________.

• a. low tide

• b. high tide

• c. daytime

• d. nighttime

Water in the most entuaries is brackish because of the mixing of fresh water from rivers and saltwater from incoming tides. What is most likely to happen to the water in the bay if there is lack of water in the bay watershed?

• a. increase salinity

• b. decrease salinity

• c. stay the same

• d. rise

if the plankton are removed from the estuary, what may happen to the estuarine food web?

• a. Plankton are producers so their removal may not have an effect.

• b. The other animals in the estuary will have to find other food sources.

• c. Removal of any organism like the plankton will greatly affect the ecosystem.

• d. Filter feeders like oysters and clams don't depend on the presence of plankton.

Estuaries can be described as to where they form. Which of the following describes and estuary? It is where the ____________.

• a. lake evaporates

• b. river meets the sea

• c. river becomes dammed

• d. wetland becomes filled in

Based on how estuaries form, which of the following best describes the salinity of estuary water? Its salinity is __________.

• a. equal to the salinity of river water

• b. less than the salinty of river water

• c. less than the salinity of ocean water

• d. greater than the salinity of ocean water