Estuary

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

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Why is it important that some birds and trees can only live beside the river at the top of the estuary?

• those birds and trees have adaptations for only freshwater and not any flooding

• because they like the weather there better

• because the river did not wash them away

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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

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NGSS.MS-LS1-5

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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

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

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Why is it important that plants and animals only live in a certain part of the estuary, like near the river, in the brackish water, or by the ocean?

• They can only have adaptations for one type of environment.

• Predators prevent them from living anywhere else.

• The soil is specific for each part of the estuary.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

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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.

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What is an estuary?

• A body of water where freshwater from rivers meets and mixes with saltwater from the ocean.

• A large freshwater lake.

• A deep ocean trench.

• A mountain stream.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

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Which of the following best describes the salinity of an estuary?

• Constantly high salinity.

• Constantly low salinity.

• Variable salinity, depending on tides and river flow.

• No salinity at all.

Why are estuaries often referred to as 'nurseries of the sea'?

• They are breeding grounds for many marine species.

• They are the largest bodies of water.

• They have the highest salinity levels.

• They are devoid of predators.

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What role do estuaries play in the ecosystem?

• They act as filters for pollutants.

• They increase ocean salinity.

• They decrease biodiversity.

• They prevent river flow.

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