Marine Water Body Habitat: Estuaries

An estuary is often described simply as ‘a partially enclosed body of water, where a river joins the sea’. However, estuaries are really defined by their saltwater content. Only an inlet with a reduced salinity of < 30S can be classified as an estuary.

This happens when fresh river water and salty sea water are mixed by the ebb and flow of the tide, wave action and the wind. This mix of salt and fresh water produces many complex sub-habitats including salt marshes, swamps, and mud flats. The largest estuary in Ireland is located on the Shannon River.

Species found in estuaries include:

Lugworms/ Horned Wrack/ Oystercatchers/ Grey Seals/ Comorants/ Mud shrimp/ Heron/ European Otter/