Term
|
Definition
soft bottom, intertidal
low-energy habitat
sandy substrate that is unstable and shifting (no solid place for attachment)
occur where sediments accumulate
|
|
|
Term
| sediment and water motion |
|
Definition
- large particles sink
- small particles are suspended
- finer sediments in calm, sheltered areas
- coarser sands in wave action
|
|
|
Term
|
Definition
- coarse sediments drain quickly because they are more oxygenated
- fine sediments drain slowly
- well sorted drain quickly
- poorly sorted drain slowly
|
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| little primary production, meaning that minimal oxygen is produced. oxygen is quickly depleted by respiration and decomposition |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| inhabit film of water around sand grains |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| water between the sand grains. only source of oxygen for infauna. meiofauna live here. |
|
|
Term
| more oxygen in coarse or fine sediments? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| fine sediments accumilate organic matter. more decomposition, less porous. only top few centimeters are oxygenated. sediments below are anoxic. |
|
|
Term
| visible black band around mudflats |
|
Definition
| anaerobic bacteria decompose organic matter without oxygen, and give out hydrogen sulfide as a byproduct. |
|
|
Term
| adaptations to low oxygen levels |
|
Definition
- pump water through burrow
- use siphons to reach water abovve
- respiratory pigments (hemoglobin)
|
|
|
Term
| feeding in the sand or mud |
|
Definition
| most animals feed on detritus, which are particles of dead organisms. deposit feeders pick up sediments, suspension feeders catch particles. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| moon snail, shore birds, fishes |
|
|
Term
| moon snail (polinices spp) |
|
Definition
| burrow through top layer, use radula to drill hole in burried clam, slurp up clam's soft body |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| prey on infauna at low tide |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| locomotion in the sediment |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| physical characteristics of estuaries |
|
Definition
- semi-enclosed area where seawater and freshwater meet
- lower species diversity, but species are very abundant
- heavily affected by human activity
- high produtivity
- warm termperature (shallow)
|
|
|
Term
| high productivity in estuaries |
|
Definition
- salinity ranges because of salt/freshwater mix
- nutrient imput from land
- shallow water - more sunlight, lots of photosynthesis
|
|
|
Term
| human impacts on estuaries |
|
Definition
| fishing, agriculture, development |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| extreme salinities possible. intermediate salinity is brackish water. seawater sinks, freshwater floats |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| animals permanently attached to substrate. subject to varying salinity |
|
|
Term
| high tide versus low tide |
|
Definition
| more freshwater at low tide because salt wedge moves down. more saltwater at high tide because salt wedge moves up. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| soft, sticky mud. rich in organics due to decomp. particles settled by size, coarser in upper areas and finer carried towards sea. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| cells lose water in seawater, cells gain water in freshwater. |
|
|
Term
euryhaline orgamisms
IMPORTANT |
|
Definition
| tolerate wide salinity range |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| cannot tolerate varying salinity range |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
- live on/in mud
- access to water (siphons, burrows)
- locomotion through mud difficult, easier to locomote on surface
|
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| fresh or saltwater estuary. open to sea or seperated from it. |
|
|
Term
| elkhorn slough - "seasonal estuary" |
|
Definition
| freshwater input mostly in winter. salinity varies throughout year, low in winter but high in summer. |
|
|
Term
| elkhorn slough flushed by tides |
|
Definition
| twice daily, demidiurnal. |
|
|
Term
| elkhorn slough diversity of life |
|
Definition
| phytoplankton, plants, infauna, crawler inverts, birds. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| goes through elkhorn slough, crucial resting/feeding stop on migration route |
|
|
Term
| threats to elkhorn slough |
|
Definition
| invasive species, pollutants (runoff, ddt), development |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| exponential growth, no predators or pathogens. compete with native species. |
|
|
