Watershed
64,000 square miles of land around the Bay “shed” their water into the Chesapeake through streams, rivers, and runoff. Let’s take a look at how that works. Printables: Additional Links: …
Plankton
The plankton, or drifters, of the Chesapeake Bay are often invisible to the human eye. However, these plant and animal species for the base of the estuary’s food chain. …
Blue Crab
One of the best-known species in the Chesapeake is the Atlantic Blue Crab. What makes these waterways such a productive habitat for this organism? Printables: Additional Links: The National Aquarium …
Eastern Oyster
A single adult oyster can filter up to 50-gallons of water in a single day. For this reason, they may be one of the most important species when it comes …
Salinity
Salinity refers to the amount of salt contained in a given sample of water. When salt water from the ocean mixes with fresh water from the land it produces brackish …
SAVs
Printables: Additional Links: The Chesapeake Bay Program provides a great overview of underwater grasses: https://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/bay_grasses The MD Department of Natural Resources has developed an excellent key to identify SAVs: https://dnr.maryland.gov/waters/bay/Documents/SAV/complete_sav_key.pdf …
Intertidal Zone (Seining)
Printables: ADDITIONAL LINKS: National Geographic article with a good definition of the intertidal zone: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/intertidal-zone/ The National Park Service provides an overview of different types of intertidal zones: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/oceans/intertidal.htm …
Water Quality – Nitrogen
Nitrogen can enter the Bay’s waterways through natural processes as well as man-made contributions. How does this impact the health of the Chesapeake? Printables: Additional Links: The USGS provides an …
Water Quality – pH
Scientists measure a water’s pH level to see if it is acidic, basic, or neutral. Let’s look at contributing factors that could tilt the scales in one direction or another. …
Water Quality – Secchi Disc
The water in the Chesapeake is not as clear as water in a swimming pool. What makes it murkier and how can we measure this difference? Printables: Additional Links: …