aquatic - living in water

benthnic - living at or near the bottom of the water

brackish - somewhat salty water, as in an estuary

carnivore - an organism that eats meat

crustaceans- aquatic Arthropods, such as shrimp and crabs, that have jointed appendage and gills

ecosystem - all organisms in a particular region and the environment in which they live

effluent - discharge into a body of water, usually waste from industrial or municipal facilities

erosion - disruption and movement of soil particles by wind, water, or ice that occurs naturally or by man

estuary - a semi-enclosed body of water where freshwater from rivers and streams mixes with saltwater from the ocean

food chain/food web - network of feeding relationships in an ecosystem

habitat - the place and conditions in which an organism lives

herbivore - an organism that eats plants

marsh - an emergent wetland that is usually seasonally flooded or wet

molt - to shed the exoskeleton (outer covering) prior to new growth

nocturnal - only active at night

omnivore - an organism that will eat both plants and animals

predator - organism which hunts and eats other organisms

prey - organism hunted by a predator

sediment - matter that settles and accumulates on the bottom of water

tributary - body of water flowing into a larger body of water

turbidity - decreased clarity in water due to sediment

watershed -  area of land that drains into a body of water such as a lake, stream, river, or estuary

wetland - low areas such as swamps, tidal flats, and marshes which retain moisture