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Chesapeake Bay Research Project. May 5, 2005 By: Northside Middle School Students: Adam Foster, Anthony Phillips & April Smitheman Guidance provided by www.rkpuma.com. Table of Contents. History Geography Flora Fauna Industry Recreation Problems/Threats Solutions. History of the Bay.
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May 5, 2005 By: Northside Middle School Students:Adam Foster, Anthony Phillips & April SmithemanGuidance provided by www.rkpuma.com
Table of Contents • History • Geography • Flora • Fauna • Industry • Recreation • Problems/Threats • Solutions
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bay Flora • Sea Grass • Phytoplankton • Sea lettuce
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.
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.
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.
Endangered Flora Species • American Lotus • Tawny Cottongrass
Bay Fauna • Blue Crabs • Striped Bass • Blue Fish
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.
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.
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”.
Endangered Fauna Species • Marine Turtles • Bald Eagle
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 1980’s. • The reasons are over-harvesting, disease and the loss of habitat.
Industry 2 • The Bay Oyster harvests have gone down to less than 1% percent of its peak in the 1870’s. • In 1980, the Bay provided the country with 50% of US oysters. • The Bay now provides only 1-5% of oysters.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bay Problems/ThreatsNatural ThreatsIndustrial/Developmental Improper Disposition
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.
Problem 2 • Other pollutants are toxic chemicals, air, and landscape changes. • Wetlands are very fragile, but vital to the world’s ecosystem. • Industry, property developers and lawmakers don’t always consider the value of our Bay.
Problem 3 • Sedimentation involves particles carried off land and into waterways. • Household and lawn care products in drains don’t help the problem. • Improper disposal of auto products also plays a part.
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.
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.
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.
