Envirothon+Current+Events+Page

MARLI: Wisconsin Freshwater Estuary Initiative · Freshwater estuary: 1. A drowned river mouth 2. A zone where lake and river waters mix 3. Influence from seich or wind tides 4. Bar or split partially enclosing river mouth 1. Drowned river mouth: results from the rebounding of the Earth’s crust after having been pushed down by retreating ice glaciers 10,000 years ago 2. River-lake transition zone: where the streams run onto lakes the mixing can affect temperature, turbidity and chemical compositions a. This can impact water density; currents; sediment, nutrient, and contaminant transport 3. Seich and wind tides: seich: an oscillation (periodic back and forth water movement) caused by winds or changes in barometric pressure. Wind tide: a vertical rise in water level on leeward side of water body 4. Barrier spits and baymouth bars: accumulations of sand and gravel that form entirely or partly across the river mouth SAM: Salt and Freshwater Estuaries: Where the mouth of a freshwater river leads into the ocean, they are often teaming with life (aquatic and terrestrial) -Salinity in this area has a range from 0.5 to 35 ppt. -They are obviously strongly effected by tides -Also serve as a vital for recreational and commercial activities (fishing, hunting (both from a large to small scale, they brought 3.9 billion last year alone in revenue for the seafood industry), also eco tourism) -Marinas are unfortunately having a negative impact on these areas (estuaries are often in great areas of launching a boat, this of course leads to larger amount of boat traffic) -Over fifty percent of US residents live on or near the coastline -A large amount of nutrient recycling occurs in estuaries, but are at risk due to the sudden increase in phosphates

-Estuaries can also be divided into tidal zones (supratidal, intertidal, and subtidal)
Sam: NYS COASTAL & ESTUARINE LAND CONSERVATION PROGRAM PLAN -Founded in 2007 in cooperation with NOAA -Gives funds to preserves and start up land trusts, if the project is up to State and Federal tandards -Over 15 million New Yorkers live and work by the coast

access.
Areas that now Receive (or will receive) Finance are

= Peconic Estuary = = = Long Island Sound

= = Long Island South Shore/Atlantic Ocean

= Hudson River Estuary = = Hudson - Raritan Estuary =

Kim:Regional Sediment Management Plan

This article reviews the goals and plans of the Regional Sediment Management Workgroup in the New York and New Jersey watershed area. The group hopes to clean up the contaminated sediments in this area through a variety of actions and by keeping the public involved in the process. The three main goals of the Workgroup were: improve the community/ecosystem, promote sustainability and technical credibility. Their plan calls for solutions to three main components of sediment management: sediment quality, sediment quantity and management of dredged material. However, there are several major limitations preventing them from implementing this plan mainly funding and the absence of adequate research and understanding necessary to carry out actions to cover sediment management. The Workgroup plans to overcome these by creating public support for the effort so as to receive government funding and grants to continue research and implement technology for dredging.

Kim: __Material for Estuaries:__

· Estuaries are formed where rivers meet the ocean · actual formation of some estuaries is believed to have occurred during the last ice age · river and tidal currents play very important roles in mixing the lower and upper layers of water (estuarine circulation) · one side in the estuary is often saltier than the other side · cover helps provide a constant temperature in the mud, which is beneficial for many marine organisms · Salinity constantly changes in estuaries · When freshwater mixes with saltwater it is called brackish water. The water of estuaries and salt marshes can be brackish · out-going tides can reduce salinity slightly · degree of salinity can also be influenced by factors such as the level and intensity of the tides, the melting of snow in the spring, heavy precipitation, and dry periods during the summer season · salinity can be weak upstream in the estuary, about 0.5 ppt, and very high downstream, up to 30 ppt · The zone where freshwater changes to saltwater is called a pycnodine · a salt-wedge estuary tends to form in situations with low turbulences; therefore, little mixing occurs. It often happens in certain places that there is virtually no salt content at the water's surface, but the salinity is very high at the bottom. · If the estuary is shallow or turbulent, the salt and freshwater will mix causing a gradual salinity change · By following the saltwater wedge, some marine organisms can advance farther into the estuary · An estuary is constantly changing and tends to accumulate sediments from rivers, streams and brackish marshes located inland, and salt marshes and sand dunes located near the mouth Sediments can be composed organic and inorganic materials · estuaries are shallow and semi-enclosed, temperatures can be slightly higher than in open areas · the rise and fall of tides brings nutrients into the estuary and also cause turbulence, which bring nutrients from the bottom of the estuary to the surface · The rise and fall of tides can be felt far up-river, especially in bigger estuaries · In the summer there is an abundance of biological activity in the estuary · Plentiful nutrients combined with warm shallow waters set the stage for a profusion of activities · Estuaries tend to be in areas of high productivity and have high-quality habitats for many species of wildlife · Phytoplankton, along with bacteria and fungi, are the basis of life in the estuary and are carried by the currents, they must remain in a place where the salinity fits their needs · zooplankton benefit from an abundant food supply · Only certain types of plants can flourish in the physical conditions peculiar to estuaries, and each of these plants can grow in only certain parts of the estuary · the amount of flooding influences plant type and growth · the plants that grow in areas that are usually under water need to be adapted to an oxygen shortage · In fall and winter, most plants in all parts of the estuary decay and become detritus · Some have a much shorter life cycle, lasting only a matter of days or weeks and continue to grow and decay even in extremely cold weather · Plants modify coastal ecosystems by trapping sediments, slowing down currents, producing food, and giving shelter to organisms · When conditions are suitable for growth, Eelgrass beds can be one of the most productive systems in the world · Molluscs are plentiful in estuaries. Some hide in the sediment while others live on sediments or plants, can be carnivores or can feed by filtering water · Lobster, crabs, sand shrimp, and amphipods (a type of small shrimp) are found in estuaries. They can serve as food for birds, fish, and mammals · Worms are prey for a great variety of animals, some are carnivores, others eat seaweed or detritus (non-living materials), some move freely through the mud, others build permanent tubes through which they filter particles from the water · Fish use the estuary for spawning, the development of fry (very small fish), and as nursery areas for juveniles. · Many species have migratory patterns that take advantage of the plankton. · Food, as well as shelter, is abundant in an estuary