Mortalities are usually highest in the summer months, and also increase in higher salinity waters.
Gravitational circulation causes stratified high salinity water at depth to flow landward while low salinity water on top flows seaward.
Because large quantities of the high salinity water are observed on the continental shelf even during summer, bottom water may form throughout the year.
Low salinity surface coastal waters move offshore, and deeper, denser high salinity waters move in shore.
However pike are confined to the low salinity water at the surface of the Baltic sea, and are seldom seen in brackish water elsewhere.
It has a preference for corals stressed mechanically and in low salinity water.
Seasonal melting of sea ice causes an influx of lower salinity water into the middle and other shelf areas, causing stratification and hydrographic effects which influence productivity.
Because they live in lower salinity water, pet stores may call them fresh-water crabs, but they cannot survive indefinitely in fresh water.
The high salinity water sinks seaward and exits the estuary.
There have been several epizootics in the Caribbean and corals growing in stressful conditions such as in low salinity water in estuaries seem specially susceptible.