Estuaries and Oceans

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.

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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.

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Which best describes the water found in estuaries?

• brackish

• salt water

• freshwater

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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

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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How does the water in an estuary compare to the water in the open ocean?

• Estuaries have less concentrated nutrients and salt.

• Estuaries have more concentrated nutrients and salt.

• Estuaries have less concentrated nutrients and more concentrated salt.

• Estuaries have more concentrated nutrients and less concentrated salt.

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Which would be the impact on the environment if there were no estuaries?

• There would be a drought.

• There would be more pollutants in the oceans.

• There would be a decreased concentration of salt in the oceans.

• There would be less boating, fishing, and swimming in local rivers.

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Estuaries are called “the nurseries of the sea” because many species lay eggs and develop their young in estuaries. Which two features of estuaries support this role most?

• concentrated nutrients and a steep salt gradient

• abundant shelter and concentrated nutrients

• a steep salt gradient and shallow water

• shallow water and abundant shelter