-A body of water that contains a mixture of fresh water and salt water that serves as a nursery ground

Mobile Bay Estuary

Image C

redit: Geological Survey of A

labama &

Alabam

a Aw

are Program of the

Alabam

a Gam

e & Fish D

ivision; Funding by Federal Sport Fish Restoration Program

Drainage Basin Index MapT e n n e s s e e

F l o r i d a

G e o r g i

a

M i

s s

i s s

i p

p

i

ESCATAWPA

MOBILEDELTA

CHATTAHOOCHEE

PERDIDOMOBILEBAY

BLACKWATER

YELLOW CHIPOLA

CHOCTAWHATCHEE

Smooth Cordgrass

Black Needle rush

Benthic Algae

Benthic Algae Producing Oxygen

Hydric Soil and Detritus

Ecological Functions ofSalt Marshes

• Nursery habitat for juvenile fishery species• Habitat for coastal birds• Habitat for adult benthic organisms (worms,

clams, oysters) and mammals (Nutria) • Habitat for permanent residents:

– Marsh Periwinkle snail– Olive Nerite snail – Fiddler Crab– Ribbed Mussel

• Traps sediments and impurities in run-off• Production of detritus• Supports a complex food web

Nursery

habitat for

juvenile

fishery specie

s

Habitat for coastal birds

Oysters and mussels

Nutria

Habitat for adult

benthic organisms

and mammals

Saltmarsh Periwinkle

Habitat for permanent residents

Olive Nerite snail

Fiddler Crab

Ribbed Mussels

The word plankton comes from the greek word planktos which means “wanderer.”

Plankton are Drifters

PLANKTON - drifters- drifters

NEKTON - free-swimmersNEs

squid

BENTHOS - benthic animals live in or on the bottom

oysters worm crabcrab

Mola mola can reach 8 ft. in length

Photo Credit: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration / Dept. of Commerce

Mola mola washed up on Dauphin Island January, 2004

Groupings of Plankton1) Phytoplankton - primary producers

2) Zooplankton - consumers

Groupings of Plankton3) Holoplankton - zooplankton that spend their whole lives as plankton

4) Meroplankton - zooplankton that spend only part of their lives as plankton

CommonPhytoplankton

Photo Credit: Dr. Neil Sullivan, University of Southern Calif. / National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration / Dept. of Commerce

Diatoms (Division Chrysophyta)

Diatom Frustules

© www.micrographia.com

Common Zooplankton

Copepod with EggsCopepod

Copepod with Increased Surface Area

© www.micrographia.com

Photo Credit: OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP)

Ctenophore

Krill

Photo Credit: OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP)

Humpback Whales Feeding on Mostly Krill

Some Meroplankton….. Just to name a few

Photo Credit: M. Youngbluth; OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP);

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution

Jelly Feeding on Plankton within Watery Boundaries

Photo Credit: OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP)

Collecting Larval Planktonic Fish off of California

Primary Producers(Phytoplankton)

Primary Consumers(Zooplankton)

Secondary Consumers

Humans

Carnivores

Only about 10% of the energy is

transferred(Filter Feeders)

PlanktonAppreciation