why are bays and estuaries important?
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Texas bays and estuaries provide vital ecosystems and nursery habitat for many important Gulf species, feeding and resting places for migrating birds, and billions of dollars to the Texas economy.
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To protect wildlife And we can maintain a healthy and functional ecosystem. Some species cannot survive outside of their own natural habitat without human intervention such as in zoos and aquariums. ... So the preservation of these habitats helps to prevent the entire ecosystem being harmed.
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Why are blue crabs important? As both predator and prey, blue crabs are a keystone species in the Chesapeake Bay food web. The crustaceans are both predators and prey in the Bay's food web: ... Because blue crabs feed on marsh periwinkles, they help regulate periwinkle populations.
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Swamps also protect coastal areas from storm surges that can wash away fragile coastline. Saltwater swamps and tidal salt marshes help anchor coastal soil and sand. The swamp ecosystem also acts as a water treatment plant, filtering wastes and purifying water naturally.
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The physical environment includes land, air, water, plants and animals, buildings and other infrastructure, and all of the natural resources that provide our basic needs and opportunities for social and economic development. A clean, healthy environment is important for people's physical and emotional wellbeing.
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Estuaries support a diversity of species of fish, shellfish, aquatic plants and animals. The protected waters provide vital nesting, breeding and feeding habitats for many species. Estuaries also filter pollutants out of the water flowing through them, including pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals.
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Why are coral reefs important? Coral reefs provide an important ecosystem for life underwater, protect coastal areas by reducing the power of waves hitting the coast, and provide a crucial source of income for millions of people. Coral reefs teem with diverse life. Thousands of species can be found living on one reef.
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Although nitrogen is the element primarily controlling eutrophication in estuaries and coastal seas, and phosphorus is the element primarily controlling eutrophication in lakes, other elements can have a major influence on the community structure of aquatic ecosystems and can influence the nature of the response to ...
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Rocky shores offer a stable base for the attachment of a variety of animals and plants. Sandy shores, with the moving sand particles, offer a very different challenge for animals and plants which would live there.
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An estuary is the area where a river meets the sea or ocean, where fresh water from the river meets salt water from the sea. Headwaters are streams and rivers (tributaries) that are the source of a stream or river. The hydrologic cycle is another name for the water cycle.
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Predicting tides has always been important to people who look to the sea for their livelihood. Commercial and recreational fishermen use their knowledge of the tides and tidal currents to help them improve their catches. ... In some areas, strong tidal currents concentrate bait and smaller fish, attracting larger fish.
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Biodiversity is important because it provides us with Natural Resources (Food, Water, Wood, etc.) Natural Services (Pest Control, Air and Water Purification, etc.) and of course, Aesthetic Pleasure.
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Coral ecosystems are a source of food for millions; protect coastlines from storms and erosion; provide habitat, spawning and nursery grounds for economically important fish species; provide jobs and income to local economies from fishing, recreation, and tourism; are a source of new medicines, and are hotspots of ...
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Beyond its intrinsic value, biodiversity is necessary to human survival. Ecosystem diversity is crucial to ecosystem integrity, which in turn enables our life support, giving us a livable climate, breathable air, and drinkable water.
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A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. ... The land surrounding a bay often reduces the strength of winds and blocks waves. Bays may have as wide a variety of shoreline characteristics as other shorelines.
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Coral reefs provide an important ecosystem for life underwater, protect coastal areas by reducing the power of waves hitting the coast, and provide a crucial source of income for millions of people. Coral reefs teem with diverse life. Thousands of species can be found living on one reef.
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Flooding helps spread organic material, nutrients, and sediments which enrich floodplain soils. ... The major impacts on marine environments can be sedimentation and turbidity; litter and human-built waste deposited from the land; toxins, nutrients and mineral deposition.