Coast Vocabulary

Estuary• mouth of a

river where river's current meets the sea's tide.

Ocean• Large body of

salt water that covers ¾ of earth's surface.

River• natural stream of

water• fairly large• flows in definite

course or series of diverging and converging channels.

Tidal Creek• wetlands

situated in channels

• water flows both ways due to tides.

brackish•Water mixed with salt

•Aka: briny

salinity•salty water

• a salty solution

decomposer• Mushrooms• Fungi

• bacteria

Organisms that break down dead materials.

detritus• disintegrated

material;

• debris.

diurnal• active by

day

• Ex: certain birds and insects

• Ex: Humans• Ex: fly• Butterfly• Turtles• Eagle

nocturnal•active at night

crepuscular•appearing or active in the twilight

plankton• small or microscopic organisms

• float or drift in great numbers in fresh or salt water near the surface

• food for fish and other larger organisms.

• Ex: algae, protozoans,

zooplankton• Group of

animal or animal like organisms in plankton

phytoplankton• Minute,

free-floating aquatic plants.

Point Source Pollution• single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged

• Ex: pipe, ditch, ship or factory smokestack

Non-Point Source Pollution

•pollution occurs as a result of runoff.