My local region reports for June and July are combined in a two part series. In the first part, this post summarizes the research I have done about the San Francisco Bay Area's marine biome.

Estuaries are marine biomes where freshwater and ocean water meet.The San Francisco Bay Area is an important North American estuary. It is where the Pacific Ocean meets the run-off from the Sierra Nevada Mountains through the Sacramento River, the San Joaquin River, and the Bay Delta area.

Estuaries have a unique ecosystem due to the mixing of fresh and saltwater. The different salt concentrations make for a diverse ecosystem. Estuaries are classified as part of the marine. The marine biome consists of: oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries.

Marine biome regions are important because they cover 75% of the Earth?s surface. Marine algae plays a key role in the ecosystem, converting carbon dioxide to oxygen. Also, evaporation of seawater provides rainfall.  Estuaries are located in places like bays, harbors and sounds where the lower elevation brings the rivers in contact with the ocean.

The San Francisco Bay Estuary Is identified by the United States federal government as one of 28 "estuaries of national significance." It is the largest watershed in western North America, covering 60,000 square miles. The government calls it a biological resource "of tremendous importance."

The San Francisco Bay Estuary contains: marine animal life, such as fish and crabs, as well as marine plant life, such as algae. It also contains animal life, such as birds, insects, and mammals, and land plant life, such as baylands grasses.