Bay and Estuary Basics

What is an estuary?

• The land area that drains water into a lake river or pond

• The area where river meets the ocean, where fresh water and salt water mix.

• The large body of salt water that covers most of earths surface.

• The underground system that provides drinking water to an area.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Which letter marks the estuary in the diagram shown?

• B

• C

• A

• D

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Which of the following are alternative names for estuaries?

• Bays

• Lagoons

• sounds

• all of the above

Why are estuaries important to our environment?

• Estuaries filter pollutants

• Estuaries provide nurseries for marine life

• Estuaries act as home for many wildlife

• All of the above

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

The high productivity of estuaries has been attributed to primary production units. What of the following would not be considered a primary production unit in an estuary ecosystem?

• Phytoplankton suspended the floating in the sunlight zone

• Benthic algae, a type of plant living on what ever sunlight touches.

• Juvenile zooplankton brought to shore with the tide before hatching.

• Macroflora such as marsh, grass that provide nursery grounds for shellfish.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

The blue crab is one of the fastest swimming crabs on the planet. This ability can be attributed to the crabs?

• Paddle like' rear feet

• Large claws

• body shape

• Jointed legs

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

What is brought to estuaries in a variety of ways, which is responsible for increasing estuary salinity?

• Rivers

• Streams

• Tides

• urban runoff

Many shore birds feed on the mud flats in estuaries, which of the following would be

• Tidal ingress

• Tidal recess

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Ocean ecosystems are mainly in shallow water close to shore

• True

• False

an Intertidal/shore ecosystem organism must. . .

• cope with being exposed to the air at least once a month

• coped with being exposed to salt water daily.

• cope with low sunlight

• All except low sunlight.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-4