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Estuary
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments and are an example of an ecotone. Estuaries are subject both to marine influences such as tides, waves, and the influx of saline water, and to fluvial influences such as flows of freshwater and sediment. The mixing of seawater and freshwater provides high levels of nutrients both in the water column and in sediment, making estuaries among the most productive natural habitats in the world. Most existing estuaries formed during the Holocene epoch with the flooding of river-eroded or glacially scoured valleys when the sea level began to rise about 10,000–12,000 years ago. Estuaries are typically classified according to their geomorphological features or to water-circulation patterns. They can have many different names, such as bay ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eutrophication
Eutrophication is the process by which an entire body of water, or parts of it, becomes progressively enriched with minerals and nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. It has also been defined as "nutrient-induced increase in phytoplankton productivity". Water bodies with very low nutrient levels are termed oligotrophic and those with moderate nutrient levels are termed mesotrophic. Advanced eutrophication may also be referred to as dystrophic and hypertrophic conditions. Eutrophication can affect freshwater or salt water systems. In freshwater ecosystems it is almost always caused by excess phosphorus. In coastal waters on the other hand, the main contributing nutrient is more likely to be nitrogen, or nitrogen and phosphorus together. This depends on the location and other factors. When occurring naturally, eutrophication is a very slow process in which nutrients, especially phosphorus compounds and organic matter, accumulate in water bodies. These nutrients de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coast
The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in natural Ecosystem, ecosystems, often home to a wide range of biodiversity. On land, they harbor important ecosystems such as freshwater or estuarine Wetland, wetlands, which are important for bird populations and other terrestrial animals. In wave-protected areas they harbor Salt marsh, saltmarshes, Mangrove, mangroves or Seagrass meadow, seagrasses, all of which can provide nursery habitat for finfish, shellfish, and other aquatic species. Rocky shores are usually found along exposed coasts and provide habitat for a wide range of Sessility (motility), sessile animals (e.g. Mussel, mussels, starfish, Barnacle, barnacles) and various kinds of Seaweed, seaweeds. Along Tropics, tropical coasts with clear, nutrient-poor water, Coral reef, coral ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mattole River
The Mattole River is a river on the north coast of California, that flows northerly, then westerly into the Pacific Ocean. The vast majority of its course is through southern Humboldt County, though a short section of the river flows through northern Mendocino County. Communities, from north to south, closely associated with the Mattole River include: Petrolia, Honeydew, Ettersburg, Thorn Junction, and Whitethorn. The river enters the ocean at the Mattole Estuary about west-southwest of Petrolia and south of Cape Mendocino. History "Mattole" refers to an Athabaskan Indian people, the Mattole. They historically called themselves ''Mattóal'' or ''bedool'', but were referred to by neighboring Wyott Indians as ''Medol'' or ''me'tuul''. The local tradition is that ''Mattole'' means "clear water". The Mattole lived principally on the Mattole and Bear rivers. During the Bald Hills War, this tribe mustered its warriors but it was outgunned and practically exterminated be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
