Estuaries occur at the mouths of rivers where seawater becomes diluted by fresh water draining from the land. They are among the most productive ecosystems -- comparable to rainforests and coral reefs -- partly because they tend to be shallow, receive a continuing supply of nutrients from the river and are mixed by the tidal movements of the sea. They are not easy environments for organisms to inhabit, due to variations in salinity and temperature, periodic exposure to the atmosphere and the great influences exerted by human beings (see T12). Nova Scotia has many estuaries (almost as many as there are rivers) and they vary regionally.

This Document Includes:

Physical Features
Freshwater Influence
Tidal Influence
Sediments
Productivity
Cultural Factors

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Additional Keywords:
Eel Grass, sea-level, salinity, nutrients.

Associated Topics:

T6.1 Ocean Currents
T6.2 Oceanic Environments
T6.3 Coastal Aquatic Environments
T8.2 Freshwater Environments
T10.5 Seed-bearing Plants
T10.6 Trees
T11.6 Shorebirds and Other Birds of Coastal Wetlands
T11.7 Seabirds and Birds of Marine Habitats
T11.12 Marine Mammals
T11.13 Freshwater Fishes
T11.14 Marine Fishes
T11.17 Marine Invertebrates
T12.7 The Coast and Resources
T12.11 Animals and Resources

Associated Habitats:

H1 Offshore
H2.5 Tidal Marsh
H3.1 Open-Water Lotic (Rivers and Streams)
H3.3 Bottom Lotic (Rivers and Streams)