Chesapeake Bay Research Project

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Chesapeake Bay Research Project
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May 5, 2005 By Northside Middle School
StudentsAdam Foster, Anthony Phillips April
SmithemanGuidance provided by www.rkpuma.com
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Table of Contents

• History
• Geography
• Flora
• Fauna
• Industry
• Recreation
• Problems/Threats
• Solutions

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History of the Bay

• The bay was formed from natural events during the
  last ice age.
• The first to enter the bay was Vicente Gonzalez.
• John Smith was the first to thoroughly explore
  the bay.

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History of the Bay (cont.)

• The bay has been used for fishing for thousands
  of years.
• The word Chesapeake means in Indian, Great
  Shellfish Bay.
• You can catch Rockfish, Bluefish, Flounder along
  with many other fish species.

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Bay Geography

• The Chesapeake covers 64,000 square miles.
• Tributary rivers include the Susquehanna,
  Patuxent, Potomac, Rappahanock, York and James.
• Chesapeake waters flow into the Atlantic Ocean at
  Hampton Roads at the Bay's southeastern end.

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Bay Geography (cont.)

• The length of the Bay is about189 miles.
• It is about 4 miles wide near Annapolis,
  Maryland.
• It is 30 miles at its widest, near the mouth of
  the Potomac River.

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• Bay Flora
• Sea Grass
• Phytoplankton
• Sea lettuce

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Plant 1

• Bay grasses improve water quality and provide
  food and shelter for animals.
• 16 species of underwater grass are found in the
  Bay.
• 64,000 acres of grasses were in the Bay in 2003,
  much less than the year before.

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Plant 2

• Algae (Phytoplankton) are small, microscopic
  plants. 
• They are photosynthetic, and produce their own
  food from sunlight. 
• Phytoplankton are a primary producer of the
  oxygen we breathe. 

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Plant 3

• Sea Lettuce (Seaweed) are found in brackish and
  higher salinity waters of the Bay.
• When seaweed over-grows, it can reduce oxygen for
  other organisms.
• It grows in waters that are nutrient-rich or
  polluted.

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Endangered Flora Species

1. American Lotus
2. Tawny Cottongrass

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• Bay Fauna
• Blue Crabs
• Striped Bass
• Blue Fish

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Animal 1

• Blue Crabs or Callinectes Sapidus are
  ten-legged crustaceans.
• It walks sideways and defends itself with sharp
  pincer claws.
• The crab's favorite food are bivalves, but when
  scarce, cannibalism increases.

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Animal 2

• Rockfish, Striped Bass or Morone Saxatilis
  hatch 29 - 80 hours after fertilization.
• They are light green, olive, steel blue, brown or
  black.
• They get a name from the seven or eight dark,
  stripes along their sides.

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Animal 3

• Bluefish or Pomatomus Saltatrix or Snapper are
  found all along the east coast.
• They migrate north in the spring and and south in
  the fall.
• They travel in groups or schools.

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Endangered Fauna Species

1. Marine Turtles
2. Bald Eagle

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Bay IndustryBlue CrabsOystersMenhaden
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Industry 1

• Our bay has been the largest producer of Blue
  Crabs in the country.
• Blue Crab harvests have been going down since the
  early 1980s.
• The reasons are over-harvesting, disease and the
  loss of habitat.

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Industry 2

• The Bay Oyster harvests have gone down to less
  than 1 percent of its peak in the 1870s.
• In 1980, the Bay provided the country with 50 of
  US oysters.
• The Bay now provides only 1-5 of oysters.

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Industry 3

• Menhaden fish are important because they have the
  ability to filter water.
• There is no quota to limit harvests.
• Over-fishing for Menhaden is ruining the Bay's
  most valuable resource.

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Bay Recreational UsesFishingBoatingCamping
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Recreational Use 1

• Fishing is a popular recreation on the Bay.
• It provides hours of fun for millions of people.
• Tourism is an important industry which provides
  many jobs.

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Recreational Use 2

• Boating is also a popular Bay recreation.
• Boat builders, supplies, sales, marinas,
  charters, and restaurants are all related Bay
  industries.
• Boat sales are falling.

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Recreational Use 3

• Camping is another popular Bay recreation.
• There are many campsites in Maryland and
  Virginia.
• Events include shows, festivals and fairs which
  attract visitors, because camping is fun,
  affordable lodging.

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Bay Problems/ThreatsNatural ThreatsIndustrial/De
velopmental Improper Disposition
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Problem 1

• The Bay's pollution is mostly from too many
  nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus.
• These elements effect the food chain and
  ecosystem.
• When the delicate balance is upset, animals and
  plants die.

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Problem 2

• Other pollutants are toxic chemicals, air, and
  landscape changes.
• Wetlands are very fragile, but vital to the
  worlds ecosystem.
• Industry, property developers and lawmakers dont
  always consider the value of our Bay.

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Problem 3

• Sedimentation involves particles carried off land
  and into waterways.
• Household and lawn care products in drains dont
  help the problem.
• Improper disposal of auto products also plays a
  part.

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Bay SolutionsStudyActionAwareness
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Solution 1

• Studies for controlling nutrients, nitrogen and
  phosphorus should be made.
• Laws, use guidelines and monitoring could play a
  bigger part.
• Education should be key for all who enjoy the Bay.

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Solution 2

• Vote for those who consider the Bay, more than
  potential revenue in development of our
  shorelines.
• Report dumping or activities which threaten your
  Bay community.
• Your family can increase awareness of materials
  you use everyday.

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Solution 3

• Think of our beautiful Bay and continue to
  increase your awareness of possible threats to
  it.
• Share what you learn with family and friends.
• Walk on the beach, collect shells, and watch the
  Bay shoreline closely, whenever you can.