Why are estuaries such great habitats?
Estuaries provide a broad and diverse range of habitats in which a vast range of organisms live. Some examples of this are:
- sheltered upper estuary mangroves, seagrass beds and marshes
- highly energetic beaches on the ocean side of the estuary
- rocky reefs
- wave built bars in estuary mouths
- deep estuarine channels where swift tidal currents flow
- shallow open salt water and fresh water
- river deltas
- tidal pools
- muddy fringing marshes
- mid-estuary sand banks
- inter-tidal flats
- estuarine beaches