Their ability to help fight climate change has economic value as well. Marshes, mangroves, and seagrass beds in estuaries capture and store carbon from greenhouse gasses-like carbon dioxide-from the atmosphere. They can protect coastal communities from flooding and erosion by soaking up water and storm energy. Salt marshes and seagrass beds serve as natural infrastructure. We also love our planet, and estuaries play an important role in protecting communities from the impacts of climateĬhange. The Tijuana River crosses the U.S.-Mexico border before leading to its estuary on the Pacific Ocean in San Diego, California. With so much variation, it’s no wonder that estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth. Each of these habitats are populated with creatures that thrive in that setting. You might also find oyster reefs, kelp forests, and rocky or soft shorelines. Estuaries are also a major stopover point for migratory animals such as waterfowl.īays, harbors, sounds, and other estuaries include habitats like marshes, mangroves, and seagrass beds. On the West Coast, they also serve as critical nurseries for threatened and endangered juvenile salmon and steelhead making their transition from freshwater to the ocean. Estuaries provide habitat for about 68 percent of the United States’ commercial fish catch and 80 percent of recreational catch. Most of the fish and shellfish we eat-including salmon, herring, crabs, and oysters-spend some or all of their life in estuaries. Credit: California Department of Fish & WildlifeĮstuaries are often called the “nurseries of the sea,” because so many animals love to reproduce and spend the early part of their lives there. Juvenile Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon.
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