Estuaries
This is a semi-enclosed body of water where freshwater from land and saltwater from the ocean meet and mix.
What is an Estuary
This is the most significant limiting resource in the rocky shores because all organisms need a place to attach.
What is Space?
These are the two main types of "soft-bottom" habitats covered in this section.
What are Mud and Sand
Coastal ecosystems extend from the shoreline out to this specific underwater geological border.
What is the Continental Shelf
Approximately this percentage of the global human population lives within 50km of a coastal zone or estuary.
What is 70%
Saltwater stays on the bottom of an estuary while freshwater stays on top because saltwater has a higher ______.
What is Density
This term refers to the sea stars, which keep mussel populations in check to increase overall species diversity.
What is a Keystone Predator
This term describes animals that live buried inside the sediment rather than on top of it.
What is Infauna
This type of continental margin (common on the West Coast) is steep and rocky, creating the conditions for Danny's Rocky Shores.
What is an Active Margin
Across all sections, these large, rooted plants (like kelp, seagrass, and marshes) are known by this scientific name.
What are Macrophytes
This specific salinity range (5-7 PSU) is where the lowest number of species are found because the water is a difficult "in-between" state.
What is the Diversity Minimum
These are the two primary "habitat builders" (macrophytes) that provide shelter for fish among the rocks.
What are Kelp and Seaweeds
This is the process of animals (like worms or shrimp) digging through mud, which helps mix oxygen into the deeper layers.
What is Bioturbation
This human-caused process involves nutrient runoff (like fertilizer) causing algae blooms and "dead zones."
What is Eutrophication
Coastal plants like mangroves and seagrasses are vital for climate health because they bury this in the soil (also called "Blue" ___).
What is Carbon
These are the two specific "habitat builders"; one is common in temperate zones and one in the tropics.
What are Marshes and Mangroves
While physical factors (like drying out) set the "upper" limit for a species on a rock, these two biological factors set the "lower" limit.
What are Competition and Predation
Because there are few large plants to eat in the mud, most energy in this food web comes from this dead organic matter.
What is Detritus
Coastal zones are incredibly productive, supporting more than this percentage of the world’s total fish catch.
What is 90%
his physical force, mentioned in every section, acts like a "pump" that moves nutrients and changes water levels daily.
What are Tides
Because saltwater and freshwater have different densities, they often form this specific "layered" structure where the saltwater stays on the bottom like a pointed blade.
What is a Salt Wedge
This term describes the distinct "bands" or horizontal layers of different organisms found on a rock, which are determined by how well they handle being out of the water.
What is Vertical Zonation
While rocky shores are limited by space, organisms in sediment bottoms are primarily limited by this physical factor, which determines if they are "suspension feeders" or "deposit feeders."
What is Particle Size (or Sediment Grain Size)
In the section on human impact, it was mentioned that these ecosystems act as a "sink" for this specific greenhouse gas, storing it in the soil for thousands of years.
What is Carbon Dioxide
These are the two primary "Ecosystem Services" provided by all coastal habitats that directly protect human property and help regulate the global climate.
What are Storm/Erosion Protection and Carbon Sequestration