1. INTRODUCTION
Environments located along our coasts are prime examples of ecotones, or transitional systems. In this case, they are the natural buffer between various dissimilar areas: aquatic (freshwater) vs. marine (saltwater), often referred to as brackish; water vs. terrestrial (land); inundated vs. exposed.
In Connecticut, the entire length of our coastline, as well as the entire Long Island Sound, is defined as an Estuarine ecotone or ,simply, an estuary. These coastal zones have a variety of defining chararcteristics:
• Salinity, or the amount of dissolved minerals in solution, will range between 0.5 to 3.0 parts per thousand (ppt). While having subtle differences, the term conductivity is often interchanged with salinity.
• The depth does not exceed that of the Continental Shelf.
• Due to this shallow nature, temperature ranges are significant (In CT, winter ice cover in harbors followed by near bathwater temperatures in summer).
• These areas come under some influence of the tides, most especially the true intertidal zones along the immediate coast.
• These areas generally are teeming with life. The productivity ratings here often rival that of coral reefs and rainforests.
• Unfortunately, these same areas are those that are most heavily recreated by man. With that presence comes an expected high level of environmental impact. Wychmere Harbor, Harwichport Cape Cod
These conflicting points have resulted in what is termed the Paradox of the Estuary. Most people fully understand and appreciate the biological, environmental and aesthetic values of this ecosystem. Despite that, and this is where the paradox applies, most of these same people will become infuriated by any attempt to regulate their activities in the estuary.
Faced with this dilemma, a study of the fundamental aspects of this system is necessary if proper management is to be enacted. This unit will first investigate the general components of the estuarine system. Later, specific information on Long Island Sound will also be incorporated.
2. BEACHES
The beaches of New England are true Rocky tidal zones. The sand covered expanses seen in CT’s state parks are actually the product of truck loads of imported sand. CT’s beaches are somewhat atypical of New England beaches in that they are defined as low-energy. Due to the protective influence of Long Island, the wave impact on our coast is much less than that experienced in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. The shallow water area of the beach is called the littoral zone. Areas of this impacted by tides falls within the intertidal zone, and that obviously changes with the rise and fall of the tides throughout the day. The landward extent of this zone can be seen by a line of debris high up on the beach called the High Tide Wrack Line. This debris line indicates the normal height of high tide. A fainter debris line may be found even further inland. This marks the highest of high tides, the Spring Tide, that coincides with the full moon. This Spring Tide Wrack Line is the true, albeit occasional, landward extent of the littoral zone. At the opposite end of the zone are found the low tide marks. As with the spring tide, there is a corresponding ‘lowest of low tides’ referred to as the Neap Tide. In summary, the true extent of the intertidal zone runs from the Neap Tide Line to the Spring Tide Line.
Life along the beach is less than prolific. While life does thrive in the shallows, the sand and/or rock sediment is less than perfect. Many epiphytic forms have been successful, attaching themselves to any stable material in the area. Submerged man-made structures (piers, boats, floats, etc), rocks or other creatures all serve as potential growth plates. Slipper Shell (Crepidula fornicata)
Epizoic clump along w/ Green Algae Codium
In shifting substrate with little stable surfaces, burrowing is another
