In addition to providing economic, cultural and ecological benefits to communities, estuaries deliver invaluable ecosystem services. Ecosystem services are fundamental life-support processes upon which all organisms depend .Two ecosystem services that estuaries provide are water filtration and habitat protection.
Habitats associated with estuaries, such as salt marshes and mangrove forests, act like enormous filters. As water flows through a salt marsh, marsh grasses and peat (a spongy matrix of live roots, decomposing organic material, and soil) filter pollutants such as herbicides, pesticides, and heavy metals out of the water, as well as excess sediments and nutrients
Life
It is important to protect estuaries because they serve as spawning and nursery grounds for many ecologically and commercially important fish and shell-fish invluding bluefish, strip bass, shrimp, and crabs Hope this helps :)
it is in a lake
fish and shellfish live there
true
Estuaries and marshes are both wetland ecosystems that provide important habitat for a variety of plants and animals. However, estuaries are areas where freshwater rivers meet seawater, creating a unique mix of salt and fresh water, while marshes are wetlands dominated by herbaceous plants like grasses and sedges. Estuaries tend to have higher biodiversity due to the mixing of two different water sources, while marshes are important for filtering water and preventing erosion.
Because estuaries hold organisims which eat enery in a food chain.
They are safe places for young animals to grow up.
Estuaries are important for many reasons. Estuaries are among the most biologically productive ecosystems on the planet. More than two thirds of the fish and shellfish we eat spend some part of their lives in estuaries. These ecosystems also provide many other important ecological functions; they act as filters for terrestrial pollutants and provide protection from flooding. Estuaries also have economic importance. These dynamic bodies of water provide us with an important source of food, but are also a popular tourist destination. Millions of people visit the nation's estuaries each year to boat, swim, bird watch and fish. thank you Blake Hope this helps you, sincerely Blake Rosenberg.
What is happening to estuaries?
Estuaries are coastal areas where freshwater rivers meet and mix with salty ocean water. They are highly productive ecosystems that provide important habitat for a variety of fish, birds, and other wildlife. Estuaries also serve as natural filters, trapping pollutants and sediments before they reach the ocean.
Estuaries are important nurseries for many species of fish, crustaceans, and shellfish. These organisms rely on the shallow, nutrient-rich waters of estuaries for protection from predators, access to food, and optimal conditions for growth and development before moving to deeper waters as adults.