Eats:
Nothing—it uses sunlight to
make its own food.
Is Eaten By:
Fish, Midges, Geese, Ducks,
Black Bears and Crabs
PRODUCER
Sea Lettuce
Bright green algae
Looks like lettuce leaves!
Other Needs:
Sunlight
Brackish water (is its home)
Eats:
Nothing—not alive, so doesn’t
need food
Is Eaten By:
Nothing
NON-LIVING
Brackish Water
Mixture of fresh water and salt
water where rivers meet the sea
Other Needs:
None—not alive
Needed by:
All living things in the estuary!
Other Needs:
Brackish water (helps to break
dead stuff down into small bits)
Mud (where it settles)
Eats:
Nothing
Dead Stuff
Detritus
Rotting bits of dead
plants & animals
Is Eaten By:
Bacteria,
Filterand
feeders
like
Midges, Clams
Oysters,
Clams
and Amphipods,
Oysters, Amphipods,
Bacteria,
Crabs,
Crabs,
Lugworms,
Lugworms,
Shrimp Shrimp
Other Needs:
None—not alive
Needed by:
All producers in the estuary!
Eats:
Nothing—not alive, so doesn’t
NON-LIVING
Sunlight
Main source of energy
for life on Earth
need food
Is Eaten By:
Nothing, but producers use it to
make their own food
Eats:
Nothing—producers use sunlight
to make their own food
Is Eaten By:
Zooplankton, Clams, Oysters, &
other filter feeders
PRODUCER
Phytoplankton
Floating, tiny plant-like organisms
Other Needs:
Sunlight
Brackish water (is its home)
Eats:
alive,
OtherNothing—not
Needs: None
so
doesn’t need food
Needed by: Eelgrass,
Is
Eaten By: Nothing
Crabs, Worms, Shrimp, Clams,
Oysters, Snails, Detritus, Sea
Stars, Amphipods, Fish, Great
Other
Needs: None
Blue Herons, Harbor Seals, Bald
Needed
by:
Eagles
NON-LIVING
Mud
Covers the bottom of the estuary
Lots of detritus settles here.
Eelgrass,
Crabs, Worms, Shrimp, Clams,
Oysters, Snails, Detritus,
Eats:
Otters, Nothing—not
Sea Stars, Amphipods,
alive, so
Fish, Great
doesn’t
need Blue
food Herons, Harbor
Seals, Bald Eagles, Black Bears
Is
Eaten By: Nothing
Other
Eats: Needs: Sunlight,
Brackish water, Mud and Sand
Nothing—plants use sunlight to
Needed
shelter
make theirBy:
own Provides
food.
for
Amphipods,
Shrimp,
Is Fish,
Eaten
By:
Snails and more
Fish, Geese, Ducks, Midges,
Snails and Crabs
Eats:
PRODUCER
Eelgrass
Tall underwater grass that roots
into the mud or sand
Nothing—plants
useSunlight,
sunlight
Other
Needs:
to
make their
own food.
Brackish
water,
Mud and Sand
Is EatenBy:
By:Provides
Needed
shelter
for
Amphipods,
Shrimp,
Fish,Fish,
Geese,
Ducks, Snails
and
Snails
Crabs and more
Other Needs:
Eats:
None—not alive
Nothing—not
alive, so doesn’t
need
food
Needed
by:
Is
Eaten
By:Shrimp,
NothingFish,
Eelgrass,
Crabs,
Black Bears, Bald Eagles, Great
Blue Herons, Harbor Seals
Other Needs:
None—not alive
NON-LIVING
Sand
Eats:
Needed by:
Otters,
Nothing—not alive, so doesn’t
Eelgrass, Crabs, Shrimp, Fish,
need food
Black Bears, Bald Eagles, Clams,
Is
Eaten By: Nothing
Great Blue Herons, Harbor Seals
Other
Eats: Needs:
Brackish
Brackish water
water (is
(is its
its home)
home)
Bacteria, Detritus—rotting bits
Eelgrass
Eelgrass (shelter)
(shelter)
of dead plants & animals
Mud
Mud (place
(place to
to find
find food)
food)
Is Eaten By:
Salmon & other Fish, Ducks,
Eats:
Crabs, Shrimp,
CONSUMER
Omnivore, Scavenger/Decomposer,
Prey
Amphipods
Small, shrimp-like animals
Shorebirds
Bacteria,
Bacteria, Detritus—rotting
Detritus—rotting bits
bits
of
of dead
dead plants
plants &
& animals
animals
Other Needs:
Is
Eaten By:
Brackish water (is its home)
Eelgrass
Salmon
Salmon &
&(shelter)
other
other Fish,
Fish, Ducks,
Ducks,
Mud
(place
to find food)
Crabs,
Crabs,
Shrimp
Shrimp
Eats:
Phytoplankton and other
Zooplankton
Is Eaten By:
Small fish, Jellies, filterfeeders like Clams, Barnacles,
CONSUMER
Omnivore, Predator & Prey
Oysters, Baleen Whales &
Whale Sharks
Zooplankton
Floating, microscopic animals,
including larvae of crabs, sea
stars and octopuses
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Eat:
Fish, Shrimp, Snails,
Worms, Detritus—rotting bits
of dead plants & animals
Are Eaten By:
Fish—
Chinook salmon and Herring,
Otters, Harbor Seals, People
CONSUMER
Omnivore, Scavenger/Decomposer,
Predator & Prey
Dungeness Crabs
Hard-shelled animals with eight
legs & 2 pinching claws
Other Needs:
Brackish water (is its home)
Eelgrass (shelter)
Mud (place to find food)
Other
Needs:
Eat: Plankton,
Bacteria,
Brackish
water (is bits
its home)
Detritus—rotting
of dead
Mud
& Sand
(shelter)
plants
& animals
Are Eaten By:
CONSUMER
Omnivore—Filter Feeder, Prey
Clams
Soft-bodied animals that grow a
hard, protective shell
Crabs, Sunflower stars, Worms,
Eat: Plankton, Bacteria, DeMoon Snails, Octopuses,
tritus—decaying bits of plants
Shorebirds, Otters, People
and animals
Are Eaten By:
Crabs, Seagulls,
Moon Snails,
Other
Needs:
Sunflower stars, Worms,
OtBrackish water (is its home)
ters, People
Mud & Sand (shelter)
Eat:
Amphipods, Midges, Worms
Are Eaten By:
Orcas,
Black bears, Bald Eagles, Great
Blue Herons, People, Also feed
entire ecosystem through decay
CONSUMER
Carnivore, Predator & Prey
Chinook Salmon
Young salmon hide & grow in the
safety of estuaries.
Other Needs:
Brackish water (is its home)
Eelgrass (shelter)
Sand & Mud (hunting ground)
Eat:
Plankton, Detritus—rotting bits
of dead plants and animals
Are Eaten By:
Crabs, Sunflower stars, Otters,
Black Bears, Moon Snails,
People
CONSUMER
Omnivore—Filter Feeder, Prey
Oysters
Soft-bodied animals that grow a
bumpy, protective shell
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Mud & Sand (shelter)
Other
Needs: Zooplankton,
Eat: Amphipods,
Brackish
(issmall
its home)
Midges, water
Worms,
Fish
Eelgrass (shelter)
Are Eaten By:
larger Fish, Great Blue Herons,
HarborAmphipods,
Seals, BaldZooplankton,
Eagles,
Eat:
People Worms, small Fish
Insects,
CONSUMER
Carnivore, Predator & Prey
Herring
Young herring hide & grow in the
safety of estuaries.
Are Eaten By:
larger Fish,
Great Blue Herons,
Other
Needs:
Harbor Seals, Bald Eagles,
Brackish water (is its home)
People
Eelgrass (shelter)
Other
Eat: Needs:
Brackish water
Clams, Oysters, other Snails
Mud & Sand (shelter)
Are Eaten By:
Sunflower stars, Sea Otters,
some
Eat:Fish & Crabs, other Moon
Snails,
Clams Octopuses, Shorebirds
CONSUMER
Carnivore, Predator & Prey
Moon Snails
Soft-bodied predators that grow
a hard, protective shell
other Snails
Are Eaten By:
Other
Needs:
Sunflower stars, Sea
Otters,
Brackish
water
some Fish
& Crabs, Other Moon
Mud
& Sand (shelter)
Snails
Other
Eat: Needs:
Brackish water
Detritus—rotting bits of dead
Mud
plants and animals, Bacteria
Are Eaten By:
Eat:other Worms, Crabs,
Fish,
CONSUMER
Decomposer (like earthworms!),
Prey
Lugworms
Live in ‘j’ shaped mud holes
Turn dead stuff into rich mud
Shorebirds
Detritus—rotting bits of dead
plants and animals, Bacteria
Are Eaten
By:
Other
Needs:
Fish, other
Worms, Crabs
Brackish
water
Mud
Other
Eat: Needs:
Brackish
Plankton, water
Detritus, small Fish,
Mud
& Sand
Clams,
other (shelter)
Shrimp
Are Eaten By:
Fish, Great Blue Herons,
Eat: Shorebirds, People
Otters,
Plankton, Detritus, small Fish,
CONSUMER
Omnivore, Predator & Prey
Shrimp
Small crustaceans
Clams, other Shrimp
Other Needs:
Are Eaten By:
Brackish water
Fish, Great Blue Herons,
Mud & Sand (shelter)
Otters, People
Eat:
Crabs, Oysters, Fish, Clams,
Snails
Are Eaten By:
Orcas, Harbor Seals, People
CONSUMER
Carnivore, Predator & Prey
Giant Pacific Octopuses
Largest octopus in the world
Has a parrot-like beak for
crushing shells
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Sand (hunting ground)
Eat:
Other Needs:
Crabs, Snails, Oysters, small
Brackish water
Fish, Clams, other Sea stars
Mud & Sand (hunting ground)
Are Eaten By:
Other Sea Stars
Eat:
CONSUMER
Carnivore, Predator & Prey
Sunflower stars
Large sea star with
up to 24 arms!
Crabs, Snails, Oysters, small
Fish, Clams, other Sea stars
Other Needs:
Are Eaten By:
Brackish water
Other Sea Stars
Mud & Sand (hunting ground)
Eat:
Eelgrass roots, Midges
Rarely—Clams, Snails
Are Eaten By:
Black Bears, Otters, People,
CONSUMER
Bald Eagles
Herbivore, Prey
Canvasback Ducks
Other Needs:
Migratory ducks that visit
Brackish water
estuaries to feed
Eelgrass (major food source)
Other
Eat: Needs:
Brackish
Herring, water
Salmon, Crabs,
Eelgrass
Shrimp, (hunting
Midges ground)
Mud & Sand
Are Eaten By:
Rarely: Bald Eagles & other
Eat:
large birds
of prey; Also—
Bacteria
otherCrabs,
decomposers
Herring, and
Salmon,
CONSUMER
Carnivore, Predator
Great Blue Herons
Large wading bird with skinny,
long legs, neck and bill
Shrimp, Insects
Are Eaten
By:
Other
Needs:
Usually Nothing, but rarely:
Brackish water
Bald Eagles, Hawks, Owls
Eelgrass (hunting ground)
Mud & Sand
Eat:
Worms, Shrimp, Amphipods,
Clams, Snails, Midges, some
plants
Are Eaten By:
Bald Eagles
CONSUMER
Omnivore, Predator & Prey
Dunlins (Shorebirds)
Visit estuaries in winter to rest
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Mud & Sand (hunting ground)
and find food
Eat:
Midges, estuary Plants and
Seeds
Are Eaten By:
Bald Eagles, Otters
CONSUMER
Omnivore, Predator & Prey
Red Winged Blackbirds
Black birds with
red & yellow shoulders
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Estuary
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Eelgrass (major food source)
Eat:
Eelgrass, Sea Lettuce
Rarely—small crustaceans
CONSUMER
Herbivore, Prey
Black Brant Geese
Are Eaten By:
Bald Eagles
Winter visitors to the estuary
Eat: Fish—especially Salmon,
Harbor Seal pups, Ducks,
Geese, River Otters, Redwinged Blackbirds, Shorebirds
Are Eaten By:
Bacteria and other decomposers
CONSUMER
Carnivore, Predator
Bald Eagles
Large predatory birds with white
heads and tails
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Mud & Sand (hunting ground)
Eat:
Fish—Salmon & Herring, Crabs,
Octopus
Are Eaten By:
Orca whales
Pups eaten by Bald Eagles
CONSUMER
Carnivore, Predator & Prey
Harbor Seals
Common seal with spotted coat
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Eelgrass
Sand & Mud (for resting)
Eat:
Fish—especially Chinook Salmon
Harbor Seals
Octopuses
Are Eaten By:
Bacteria and other decomposers
CONSUMER
Carnivore, Predator
Orca whales
Large dolphin with black and white
patterned skin
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Eat:
Detritus, Eelgrass, Algae
Are Eaten By:
Salmon, Herring, Ducks,
Shorebirds, Great Blue Herons,
Red-winged Blackbirds
CONSUMER
Herbivore, Prey
Midges
Skinny-bodied insect that looks
like a mosquito but won’t bite!
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Eelgrass
Mud
Eat:
Salmon, Herring, Sea Lettuce,
Oysters, Clams, Ducks
Are Eaten By:
Bacteria and other decomposers
CONSUMER
Omnivore, Predator
Black Bears
Large mammal
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Sand & Mud
Eelgrass
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Eelgrass
Eat:
Dead plants & animals
Producers, Consumers and
Decomposers
Bacteria
Tiny organisms that break down
Some bacteria are producers
that make their own food.
Are Eaten By:
Amphipods, Clams, Lugworms
dead plants and animals
Eat:
Fish, Crabs, Shrimp, Plants,
Clams, young Ducks, Red-winged
Blackbirds, Bird Eggs (except
bald eagles)
Are Eaten By:
Bald Eagles
CONSUMER
Omnivore, Predator & Prey
River Otters
Playful swimming mammal with a
long, slinky body
Other Needs:
Brackish water
Mud, Sand