Ocean Zones - Estuary

What is the defining difference between the marine, freshwater, and estuary biomes?

• Salinity (dissolved salt)

• Sunlight

• Oxygen

• Amount of Water

Which aquatic biome is characterized by where rivers meet oceans?

• Marine

• Freshwater

• Coral Reef

• Estuary

When salt and fresh water mix, what is the new water substance called?

• Brackish Acid
• Fresh Water
• Salt Water
• Brackish Water

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Why does the water level in an estuary rise and fall?

• ocean tides bring water in and out of the shore, causing flooding in the estuary

• rivers add new water off and on through the day

• people all flush their toilets at the same time and it fills the estuary

• lots of rain makes the flooding

Why is it important that plants like cattails and mangroves live only in the region of the estuary that is brackish water and stays partly flooded during the day?

• they have adaptations for living in freshwater and saltwater and need the waters to flood their roots each day.

• because if they lived close to the ocean, the turtles would eat them all

• because the water is too cold farther up by the river

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

Why does it matter how much salt is in the water for organisms?

• the wrong amount of salt causes organisms to become ill or die

• they don't like the way it tastes

• salt makes it easier to swim

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

Why is it important that plants like spatterdock and animals like fish have adaptations for living in salty water, underwater all day?

• they live on the ocean side of the estuary, which is covered in salty water most of the time

• the ocean water is the correct temperature for them

• that is the best place to find food

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Why is there usually a lot of mud in some parts of the estuary?

• The river carries small particles of sand and dirt, which settle to the ground and become mud when the water levels go down.

• Pollution has caused all of the plants to die, leaving mud.

• The plants lived in the wrong part of the estuary and then died.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Estuaries are known as the __________ of the sea.

• nurseries
• shopping malls
• grocery store
• garden

It refers to the amount of salt in water.

• waves

• salinity

• temperature

• mud flat