Vocabulary

abdomen - Noun.  In mammals, the part of the body between the chest and the pelvis, where the digestive organs are.  In shrimp, the abdomen is the last segment of the body. 

algae - Noun.  A water plant that does not have true stems or leaves. 

anadromous fish - Noun.  Fish that live in the ocean but swim up freshwater rivers to breed.

bar-built estuary - Noun.  A type of estuary that forms behind sandbars or barrier islands.

basin - Noun.  A large, shallow hole that is shaped like a bowl and is surrounded by higher ground. 

blackwater river - Noun.  A river where the water is stained by broken-down plant matter, giving it a dark, tea-like color.

brackish - Adjective.  Slightly salty.  Brackish water is found where freshwater and saltwater mix, like where a river meets the ocean.

breed - Verb.  To reproduce.

broad-leaved - Adjective.  Having large, flat leaves, not needles. 

brownwater river - Noun.  A river full of sediment that makes it look muddy. 

crust - Noun.  The thin, outer layer of rock on the Earth's surface.

current - Noun.  Air or water that always moves in the same direction. 

decapod - Noun.  A member of the order Decapoda, which has ten legs. 

dilute - Verb.  To water down by adding more liquid.

ecosystem - Noun.  A group of living things (plants and animals) and their non-living environment (air, water, soil). 

estuary - Noun.  A body of water where freshwater mixes with saltwater from the ocean.

fault - Noun.  A break in the Earth's crust where movement can occur.

fjord - Noun.  A type of estuary that is formed by moving glaciers.  Fjords are usually surrounded by steep cliffs.

geologic - Noun.  The make-up of the earth’s surface.  Also, the branch of science that studies the make-up of the earth's surface. 

glacier - Noun.  A large body of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley or spreads out over the land. 

habitat - Noun.  The place where a plant or animal lives and grows in nature. 

hurricane - Noun.  A tropical storm with winds that blow faster than 74 miles per hour. 

ice age - Noun.  A period of time when the Earth was much colder than it is now and glaciers covered much of the land.

larva(e) - Noun.  A name for the youngest form of many animals that hatch from eggs, such as fish.  Larvae often do not look like the parent animal at birth.  They change to look more like the parent as they grow.

marine - Adjective.  Having to do with the sea. 

mouth - Noun.  The place where a stream enters a larger body of water. 

nursery - Noun.  A place where young animals grow or are cared for. 

nutrient - Noun.  A chemical substance that living things need to live and grow.  Too many nutrients can pollute water.

omnivore - Noun.  An animal that eats both animals and plants. 

organism - Noun.  A living being. 

predator - Noun.  An animal that kills and eats other animals. 

salinity - Noun.  The amount of salt in water.

sand bar - Noun.  A ridge of sand built by moving water, especially in a river or in the ocean. 

sea level - Noun.  The level of water in the ocean.  Sea level is measured halfway between the water level at high tide level and the water level at low tide. 

sediment - Noun.  Eroded rock material that is laid down in layers by water, wind, or glaciers. 

semi-anadromous fish - Noun.  A fish that lives in the estuary as an adult but swims up freshwater streams to breed.

shellfish - Noun.  A spineless aquatic animal that lives in a shell. 

sound - Noun.  A long body of water between an island and the mainland. 

spawn - Verb.  To lay eggs, for an aquatic animal. 

tectonic - Adjective.  Having to do with the movement of the Earth's crust.

tide - The rising and falling of the ocean or coastal waters each day.  Tides are caused by gravity and the pull of the sun and moon on the Earth's surface.

valley - Noun.  A long, narrow low area in the earth's surface.  Valleys are usually found between hills or mountain ranges.