MARINE BIOLOGY
MARINE BIOLOGY
11th Edition
ISBN: 9781259880032
Author: CASTRO
Publisher: RENT MCG
bartleby

Concept explainers

Textbook Question
Book Icon
Chapter 12, Problem 1CT

A proposal is made to deepen the entrance and main channel of an estuary. What do you think will happen to the salt marshes that surround the channel? What do you predict will happen to the primary production of the estuary as a whole?

Expert Solution
Check Mark
Summary Introduction

To determine: What would happen to the salt marshes that surround the channel when the entrance and main channel of an estuary is deepened.

Introduction: Estuaries represent a close interaction between land and sea. This is because estuaries are the semi or partially enclosed body of water areas where fresh water and seawater meet and mix.

Explanation of Solution

Estuaries are present in the temperate and subarctic regions worldwide. It is usually surrounded or bordered by extensive grassy area that extend inland from the mudflats and are partially flooded at high tides. These intertidal areas are known as salt or tidal marshes.

If the entrance and main channel of an estuary is deepened, then it would adversely affect and destroy the salt marshes present in the vicinity of the estuaries. As the sedimentation of salt marshes increases, it promotes the growth of plants.

The marshes vary in the amount of salinity that is influenced on the motion of ocean tides. Marshes can only thrive along the low-energy coasts where the waves are not strong. Deepening of the entrance and main channel of an estuary causes flow of stronger waves into the salt marshes and it would be destroyed.

Expert Solution
Check Mark
Summary Introduction

To determine: What would happen to the primary production of the estuary as a whole when the entrance and main channel of an estuary is deepened.

Introduction: Estuaries represent a close interaction between land and sea. This is because estuaries are the semi or partially enclosed body of water areas where fresh water and seawater meet and mix.

Explanation of Solution

Salt marshes in an estuary are dominated by primary producers such as few hardy grasses and salt tolerant land plants. Primary production in an estuary is the production of organic material from aquatic carbon dioxide either through photosynthesis or through reduction of chemical energy. The nutrients for the primary producers in an estuary are obtained through freshwater inflow. Therefore, deepening of the entrance and main channel of an estuary causes the destruction of the salt marshes and thereby the primary production of the estuary would decrease significantly.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!
Students have asked these similar questions
Explain how streams can cleanse themselves ofoxygen-demanding wastes and how these cleansing processes can be overwhelmed. What is wastewater? Describe the state of stream pollution inmore-developed and less-developed countries.Give two reasons why lakes and reservoirs cannotcleanse themselves of pollutants very well. Define and distinguish between eutrophication and cultural eutrophication. List three ways to prevent orreduce cultural eutrophication. What are the majorsources of groundwater contamination in the UnitedStates? Explain why groundwater cannot cleanseitself very well. List three ways to prevent or cleanup groundwater contamination. List some ways topurify drinking water. Describe the purification ofdrinking water in more-developed and less-developedcountries. Describe environmental problems causedby the widespread use of bottled water. How are lawsused to protect drinking water in the United States?List three ways to strengthen the U.S. Safe DrinkingWater Act. Describe how…
Explain how streams can cleanse themselves andhow these cleansing processes can be overwhelmed.What is wastewater? Describe the state of streampollution in more- and less-developed countries.Give two reasons why lakes cannot cleanse themselves as readily as streams can. Distinguish betweeneutrophication and cultural eutrophication. Listways to prevent or reduce cultural eutrophication.Explain why groundwater cannot cleanse itself verywell. What are the major sources of groundwatercontamination in the United States? List ways to prevent or clean up groundwater contamination. Listsome ways to purify drinking water. Describe the environmental problems caused by the widespread useof bottled water.
A developer is interested in building vacation homes on 150acres of oceanfront property. A priority is to retain as muchnatural beauty of the area as possible. Safe and effectivewastewater treatment must be part of the plan. What advantagesand disadvantages of each of the following options mustthe developer consider before selecting one?a) Individual septic systems for each homeb) Trickling filter systemc) Constructed wetlands
Knowledge Booster
Background pattern image
Biology
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, biology and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Text book image
Aquaculture Science
Biology
ISBN:9781133558347
Author:Parker
Publisher:Cengage
Text book image
Concepts of Biology
Biology
ISBN:9781938168116
Author:Samantha Fowler, Rebecca Roush, James Wise
Publisher:OpenStax College
Text book image
Biology 2e
Biology
ISBN:9781947172517
Author:Matthew Douglas, Jung Choi, Mary Ann Clark
Publisher:OpenStax
Text book image
Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...
Biology
ISBN:9781305073951
Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa Starr
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Text book image
Biology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)
Biology
ISBN:9781305389892
Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillan
Publisher:Cengage Learning