Life in the estuary is always changing. Ocean tides of salt water flow in and out of the estuary and mix with the fresh water that flows from rivers and streams. The animals that swim or wade in the waters or make the mudflats their homes must have physical or social adaptations that allow them to live in the salty mix. In this book, readers in grades 3-5 will discover how and why animals survive and thrive in these sheltered biomes. This NGSS-aligned series is packed with interesting facts and vivid photos that introduce readers to a variety of land and water animals. Each book includes a glossary, comprehension questions, and an activity for home or the classroom.

Gives readers an exciting glimpse into animals and their habitats while illuminating curriculum concepts related to food webs and biomes.

This classroom resource provides clear, concise scientific information in an understandable and enjoyable way about water and aquatic life. Spanning the hydrologic cycle from rain to watersheds, aquifers to springs, rivers to estuaries, ample illustrations promote understanding of important concepts and clarify major ideas. Aquatic science is covered comprehensively, with relevant principles of chemistry, physics, geology, geography, ecology, and biology included throughout the text. Emphasizing water sustainability and conservation, the book tells us what we can do personally to conserve for the future and presents job and volunteer opportunities in the hope that some students will pursue careers in aquatic science. Texas Aquatic Science, originally developed as part of a multi-faceted education project for middle and high school students, can also be used at the college level for non-science majors, in the home-school environment, and by anyone who educates kids about nature and water. To learn more about The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, sponsors of this book's series, please click here.

Estuaries are rightly of great interest and concern to the birdwatcher. Most teem with thousands of waders, geese, ducks, gulls and other species that use them at times throughout the year; they are also among the last of the wild places left in Britain and Europe. The Birds of Estuaries Enquiry (sponsored by the Nature Conservancy Council and organised by the BTO, RSPB and the Wildfowl Trust) spanned six years, and Tony Prater's report now provides a detailed insight into the birds which use and, in many cases, depend on this special habitat. Of great interest to birdwatchers, the book also will be essential reading for professional conservationists and all involved in the planning and use of estuaries. It assesses the importance of each estuary and the distribution and numbers of all species generally present, and by setting this in an international framework demonstrates the remarkable importance of the estuaries around these islands. Threats to the fabric of the landscape and its wildlife abound, and estuaries are not exempt. Barrage schemes, industrial and agricultural reclamations and many other pressures exist and are the subject of chapters which survey the situation, now and in the future. The text is graced by John Busby's accomplished and evocative drawings and there are numerous maps and diagrams as well as photographs of typical estuaries. Jacket illustration by John Busby.

An estuary is the place where rivers and oceans meet, creating a fascinating landscape and a wonderful diversity of plant and animal life. Readers spend a day in this transitional area, and see why its environment is one of the most important on earth.