Nick Ashton-Jones, with Oronto Douglas and Susi Arnott

“ Similarly, the estuaries/inshore waters ecosystems form an ecotone between the sea itself and the brackish-water ecosystems further inland.
The natural Estuaries and Inshore Waters ecozone covers roughly a quarter of the whole surface area of the Niger Delta. If the Delta is seen as the drainage 'sink' for much of Nigeria and other parts of West Africa, via the Niger River system, then the estuaries and inshore waters ecosystem is like a series of drainage holes through which everything passes on its way to the deeper sea. ”

“ Molluscs largely belong to the brackish-water ecosystems. However, although the Crustaceans (shrimps, primarily the Pink Shrimp Penaeus notali, crabs, and lobsters) all depend to some degree on mangrove detritus for food they properly belong to the estuary/inshore waters ecozone. ”

“ Algae: simple plants without differentiated vascular systems. They range from the slime-like single celled plants often seen on the surfaces of stagnant water and wet soil, to seaweeds many metres in length. ”