The Bear River is a minor river in western Nova Scotia, Canada. The village of Bear River is situated near the head of the river where shipbuilding took place in the nineteenth century, The river lies within an area long-occupied by native Mi'kmaq people, embodied today by members of the Bear River First Nation who still reside on the river. The river is fed by several streams but even so, at low tide the mud flats, grasses and reeds are very visible.
Mudflats or mud flats refer to land near a water body that is regularly flooded by tides and is usually barren (without any vegetation). Also known as tidal flats, mudflats are formed upon the deposition of mud by tides or rivers. Mudflat sediment deposits are focused into the intertidal zone which is composed of a barren zone and marshes. Mudflats may be viewed geologically as exposed layers of bay mud, resulting from deposition of estuarine silts, clays and marine animal detritus. Most of the sediment within a mudflat is within the intertidal zone, and thus the flat is submerged and exposed approximately twice daily. Within these areas are various ratios of sand and mud that make up the sedimentary layers. The associated growth of coastal sediment deposits can be attributed to rates of subsidence along with rates of deposition (example silt transported via river) and changes in sea level.
Tidal flats are semi-terrestrial habitats that interact with both aquatic and terrestrial environments. They occupy the space that salt marshes fill in other areas. Runoff from upland areas contributes fresh water, detritus, nutrients and sediment. Coastal marshes and seagrass habitats contribute nutrients to tidal flats in the form of detritus and may provide a source of invertebrates to colonize tidal flats. The open bay interacts with tidal flats by providing water, nutrients, and invertebrates and by transporting nutrients and wastes away.
The primary function of tidal flats is the conversion of plant biomass (usually in the form of detritus) to animal biomass that can be used by organisms at higher trophic levels. The presence of tidal flats in the mosaic of the coastal environment is very important to shorebirds and wading birds. The invertebrates of the flats provide an abundant food source for shorebirds. Alternate feeding sites are available on nearby beaches for shorebirds when flats are completely flooded. Adjacent upland and transitional habitats provide areas for nesting and roosting. Tidal flats are also a source of new nitrogen to the ecosystem since the blue-green algae that comprise the algal mat convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen that can be used by other plants and much of what is converted leaks from the flat into surrounding shallow water.
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1. What evidence do you see that this mudflat was once used for industrial purposes?
2. Estimate the distance from the given coordinates to the end of the mudflats where they meet the land on the left. How wide are the flats from the given coordinates to the other side?
3. What is another name for mudflats?
4. How are mudflats formed?
5. Do you see any evidence of shorebirds?
6. What time of day did you visit and were the mudflats visible? What stage was the tide in at the time of your visit?
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