Download Estuaries and salt marshes are homes for many plants, mammals

What is an estuary?
Estuaries and salt marshes are homes for many plants, mammals, reptiles, and birds.
Estuaries are also important homes for fishes, snails, crabs, clams, and baby animals
called larvae. We call these habitats “wetlands,” because the soil of the marsh and the
bordering edges of the estuary are frequently influenced by tides from the ocean and
water flowing from the land. Sometimes there is a lot of water and the estuary rises;
marshes become flooded with water. There are times when there is less water and the
estuary level drops; the marsh is drier. Rises in water levels make the land “wet.” But,
as levels change, constantly rising and falling, the amount of wetness changes.
Why is an estuary like a…
1. Sponge? An estuary soaks up water. As excess rains flood rivers and streams,
wetlands form to absorb water that may otherwise flood dry living areas needed by both
animals and people.
2. Hotel? As birds migrate hundreds and thousands of miles across North America, they
stop in marshes and estuaries to eat and rest before continuing on their journey.
3. Egg beater? A coastal wetland is a place for nutrient-rich freshwater from a river or
stream to mix with saltwater from the bays. As plants photosynthesize, oxygen is added to
the mix. Fishes and shellfish take advantage of this life-giving soup.
4. Cradle? An estuary provides a protective haven for young animals: plenty of food and
places to hide from predators. Seagrasses and other vegetation give cover.
5. Strainer? The grasses of an estuary act like a sieve. Soil, branches, leaves, and even
trash that has washed into the estuary are strained. This allows cleaner water to pass on
downstream and into the Gulf of Mexico.
6. Cereal? Plants absorb nutrients and help cycle them through the food web. As the
grasses of the estuaries decay, or rot, a nutritious food for animals and fertilizer for other
plant life are supplied.
7. Soap? Estuaries trap, neutralize, and decompose sewage and other wastes. Excess
nutrients and chemical toxins are absorbed as well. Through chemical reactions and
processing by plants, water is cleaned before it passes downstream.
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