Estuaries are places where rivers meet the sea, and they have a unique environment as a result of the mixing of fresh water with seawater. They provide diverse opportunities for observing and understanding wildlife.
This guide to the estuarine environment describes the dominant organisms and their ecology and includes easy to use keys and illustrations to identify many common species of plants and animals, including invertebrates, birds and fish.
This book, although based primarily on organisms found within the Christchurch Avon-Heathcote Estuary, is an ideal beachcombing companion for the identification of common species found throughout New Zealand estuaries, mudflats, rocky shores, salt marshes and surf beaches.