Estuaries: Do Humans Have A Negative Impact?

Humans Have A Negative Impact?
People in general have little knowledge of estuaries yet treat as if the estuary compares to a dump yard. However, (before going deeper into the topic) what is an estuary? Specifically, an estuary is, as Tom Garrison a science professor defines an estuary, a "body of water partially surrounded by land where freshwater from a river(s) mixes with ocean water." (Oceanography: An Invitation pg. 464. An estuary is unique due to the fact that an estuary serves as a nursery for young many marine organisms since there is plenty of nutrients, strong sunlight, and serves a safe haven for some young marine organisms. Additionally, estuaries have unique characteristics since "The standing biomass in a typical estuary is among the highest per unit of surface area of any marine community."(Oceanography: An Invitation pg.464), and have plants that only found in estuaries. However, the human population is causing a negative impact towards estuaries by creating devastating amounts
By the definition for introduced species is "a species removed from its home range and established in a new and foreign location." (Oceanography: An Invitation pg.524). For example, at the time missionaries where traveling they occasionally leave seeds that grow into mustard plants since they grow fast. Additionally these plants help the missionaries find places they came from. However, these mustard plants have side effect of spreading everywhere, thus becoming an invasive species. Also, since these plants have no animals to feed on them they are able to freely thrive without any danger. This reduces biodiversity of other important plants and grasses that live in estuaries such as salt bush, cord grass, etc.. This in turn effects marine organisms that eat regional plants since these plants become scarce causing the ability for marine organisms to be able to feed themselves and making their chances of reproducing less