Estuaries — a biological point of view

Estuaries are considered adverse environments for many living organisms because of their unstable environmental conditions. Variability in salinity, temperature and oxygen concentration of the water, diverse substrata and geomorphological structures are major contributors to increased ecological stress in estuaries. These variations contribute to the characteristic estuarine spatial and temporal changes of physico-chemical properties, which operate even at small scales.

In terms of biology estuaries represent fascinating environments — transition zones between freshwater and marine biomes. Freshwater entering an estuary has a major influence on the ecology of the system, its productivity, diversity and the distribution of organisms, with a high variability of niches favouring an increase of biodiversity and biomass. Many estuarine species/organisms show broad and efficient physiological adaptations (ecotypes) in response to these environmental factors. Under locally specific conditions, even different genetic clades (groups) can be formed. Estuaries serve as vital nursery systems for many fish and unique feeding grounds for migratory birds. On the other hand, estuaries are often seriously degraded habitats, hence providing an ideal environment for combining studies on ecology, nature conservation and human impact.