San francisco bay
Background Information
An ecosystem is a functional unit consisting of all the living organisms (plants, animals, and microbes) in a given area, and all the non-living physical and chemical factors of their environment, linked together through nutrient cycling and energy flow. Biologists have argued that one of the best values for measuring biodiversity is likely to be associated with the variety of different genes that can be expressed by organisms as potentially useful phenotypic traits or different chemical, morphological, functional or behavioral characters. Because we do not (and likely cannot) know which genes or characters will be of value in the future, they are all considered of equal importance. Species diversity in ecosystems is directly correlated with stability, but it is not certain to what extent this relationship expresses cause and effect. Species diversity is also apparently directly correlated with community resilience. A moderately unfavorable limiting factor tends to reduce the number of less frequent species and increase the relative abundance of common species. Under conditions of increasing stress, only a few species can survive, but their relative numbers may be high. When stress becomes extreme, only a few taxa which are able to avoid the stress can survive. The survival of genes, species and natural communities requires the preservation of biodiversity at the genetic, species, community, and landscape levels. Each level is dependent on and linked to the other levels.
What is a estuary? This one question was thought to have one general answer but there is no answer that is accepted by all. The best definition is, an estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water that extends to the effective limit of tidal influence, within which sea water entering from one or more free connections with the open sea, or any other saltwater, is significantly diluted with fresh water derived from land drainage, and can tolerate saltwater biological species from either part or the whole of their life cycle" (Perillo, 1995). Estuaries come in all shapes and sizes, and are known by other names such as bays, lagoons, harbors, inlets, or sounds. You may have heard of San Francisco Bay, Chesapeake Bay, Boston Harbor, and Tampa Bay; these are all estuaries. Estuaries provides habitats for more than 75% of America's commercial fisheries, and for 80-90% of the recreational fisheries.d Tampa Bay; these are all estuaries. Estuaries provides habitats for more than 75% of America's commercial fisheries, and for 80-90% of the recreational fisheries.
Classification Scheme
Within the social elements there are community values, in which estuaries are popular residential areas, intrinsic, existence, and traditional values. Recreation and tourism sites plays into fishing, ecotourism, boating, hunting, bird watching and camping. They are also used as educational sites for the community and scientists, in raising community awareness and understanding of the importance of estuaries and their habitats. The economic factors consists of commercial fishing where estuaries are essential for nursery, feeding, and breeding areas for many commercially important fish and crustaceans. Estuaries are often the sites of harbors and ports, vital for shipping, transportation and industry. Many tourism and recreation industries are dependent on estuaries, because that is where they bring in earnings. Estuaries support agriculture, aquaculture, and industry. They also provide protection to property by acting as natural buffers to water erosion from both the land and the sea. The ecological elements include water quality regulation and groundwater recharge; they perform natural water filtration and recharge groundwater supplies near the coast. Habitats, breeding, and nursery areas for plants and animals are essential to the survival of many plants and animals. Estuaries have been nicknamed the "nurseries of the sea" because many types of fish, shellfish, crustaceans and other marine animals rely on the sheltered waters as protected places to breed and lay their eggs. Estuaries have been described as some of the most biologically productive areas in the world. With high nutrient levels and generally sheltered waters, estuaries provide ideal environments for fish and other animals to lay eggs and for young to feed and
grow
An estuary ecosystem, conser
Biodiversity Assessment
One particular species of interest is the green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris). It is one of the few endangered species that are found in estuaries today. They haven't actually been placed on the endangered species list because they are still under review, but they are becoming rare. There are only two distinct populations of green sturgeon that spawns in only three river systems in California and in southern Oregon. Sturgeon are the largest and possibly the oldest fish found in freshwater. green sturgeon are thought to be able to reach 60-70 years of age. The green sturgeon is a large, olive green, bony-plated, prehistoric looking fish, with a shovel-like snout and vacuum cleaner-like mouth used to siphon food from the mud. Green sturgeon can reach 7 ½ feet in length and weigh up to 350 pounds. This fish ranges from Alaska to Mexico in marine waters and feeds in estuaries and bays from San Francisco Bay to British Columbia. The green sturgeon spawns in fresh water in the mainstream of large rivers. An estuary ecosystem, conservation status is widespread, but localized and it is secure. The elements of this region are based upon social, economic, and ecological factors.
Biopolitical Elementss working properly by Pu
These are some ways to protect estuaries, provided by the National Estuary Program; to Keep septic systems working properly by Pumping your system every three years; Pave less because Hard surfaces speeds up runoff and increases pollution and erosion; and to Fish respectfully by Following "catch and release" practices, which will keep more fish alive. Also, the usual precautions such as respecting the habitats, using native plants, and spreading any information to others that will be helpful.
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Works Cited
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/species/grnsturgeon/index.html. Green sturgeon. Center for Biological Diversity
http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/peril/Estuary%20Scene.jpg
www.estuary.uconn.edu/EWP12.html
Perillo, G.M.E. 1995. Geomorphology and Sedimentology of Estuaries. Definitions and Geomorphologic Classifications of Estuaries, Development in Sedimentology 53.
http://schc.sc.edu/MARE/estuaries.htm#. Estuaries. M.A.R.E.
www.sfwmd.gov/org/wrp_ce/2_wrp_ce_estuary/2_wrp_ce_estuary.html
www.sfwmd.gov/org/wrp_ce/2_wrp_ce_estuary/2_wrp_ce_estuary.html
Estuaries are special, Help Protect them!
