Estuarine Research at the University of Essex

This page and links are devoted to research being
carried out at Essex University Department of Biology

Estuaries, mudflats and saltmarshes are important features of many coastlines, especially the East Coast of the United Kingdom.

They provide physical barriers protecting more terrestrial habitats; provide nurseries and feeding grounds for fish, birds and other wildlife; are a site for important geochemical and biogeochemical processes; and are almost always ignored by society as a whole.

Aquatic ecosystems account for 40% of the Earth's photosynthesis, from just 1% of its aggregated plant biomass. The majority of this production is by single-celled algae such as diatoms, with the greatest concentration of production in coastal areas and nutrient-rich upwellings.

Hopefully this site will provide an insight into estuaries and the work carried out at Essex University.

If you know any other informative sites, don't hesistate to Email me..