CHESAPEAKE BAY ECOLOGY

Chesapeake as an Estuary Estuaries have more food for organisms, but the organisms usually have to deal with large temperature and salinity changes, high silt content and pollution.

Why do you think high silt would be a problem for marine organisms? Hint How does this organism get its food?

Many marine organisms are filter feeders so silt can be a major problem.

Many of these filter feeders are important as food to humans.

Colonization of Estuaries

The number of species in an estuary is greatly reduced, but the number of individuals is large. What does that mean? Can you explain that last statement?

The Answer For those organisms that can survive the problems of the estuary, there is a great deal of food.

The Answer These organisms tend to be in large numbers.

Bay Organisms The Bay is home to over 3600 living organisms!

Marsh Dwellers Marsh dwellers are located in and around marshes. They include small fish, birds, and marsh grasses.

SAV Communities Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Communities are important for many reasons. They include ducks, crabs, and eelgrass.

Plankton Community The plankton community includes the drifters of the Bay.

Plankton Community It includes phytoplankton, bacteria, and zooplankton.

Benthic Communities Benthic refers to the bottom of the Bay. Benthic organisms include oysters, clams, barnacles, and mud crabs.

Nekton Communities Nekton refers to the swimmers of the Bay.

Nekton Communities Croaker, Spot, and menhaden use shallow water in the Bay as a nursery

Facts About The Chesapeake Bay

The Bay area is home to over 15,000,000 people! About 50,000 commercial vessels enter the Bay each year.

The Bay area is home to over 15,000,000 people! All these people and activities put a strain on the Bay ecology.