1. Estuaries

2. Estuaries
Estuaries are wetlands that occur where a river opens into an ocean.
Estuaries are not as salty as the ocean.
Rivers bring nutrients to estuaries.
Estuaries are the one most productive areas on Earth.

9. Estuaries perform many important functions.
Many phytoplankton (bottom of the ocean food chain) live here
Estuaries provide a habitat for many organisms such as salt tolerant grasses, oysters, clams, fish shrimp, and manatees.
Estuaries serve as a nursery for many marine organisms’ young

28. The Chesapeake Bay is an estuary where fresh and salt water meet and are mixed by the tides.
It is the largest estuary in the contiguous United States and one of the most productive.