They theorized that a huge rock or chunk of ice slammed into an ancient ocean, sending enormous pieces of debris skyward and forcing monster tsunamis hundreds of miles inland. Over centuries, the crater became hidden under 400 to 1,200 feet of sand, silt and clay, hampering its discovery for decades. How deep is the Chesapeake …
The Chesapeake is home to more than 3,000 species of plants and animals, including 348 species of finfish, 173 species of shellfish, and roughly 30 species of waterfowl. What are 5 organisms that live in the Chesapeake Bay? Larger creatures that thrive in the Bay include bottlenose dolphins, which are plentiful in deeper waters but …
Squid – used for species common to the saltier portions of the Chesapeake such as flounder or sea bass, as well as croaker, weakfish, and sometimes striped bass. Do squid live in the Chesapeake Bay? The brief squid is a small, free-swimming mollusk with a soft body and arm-like tentacles. It lives throughout the lower …
The brief squid is the only cephalopod in the Chesapeake Bay, a group that includes squids, octopuses and cuttlefish. Are there squid in the Chesapeake Bay? The brief squid is the only cephalopod in the Chesapeake Bay. Cephalopods (a word that means “head-foot”) are a type of mollusk with an internal shell that helps support …
About 35.5 million years ago an exploding meteor collided with Earth and formed a massive crater. Because rivers flow along the path of least resistance, the depression created by the crater caused river valleys to converge, setting the stage for the formation of the Chesapeake Bay. Did a meteor create the Chesapeake Bay? The Chesapeake …
Three species of jellyfish can be found in the Chesapeake Bay: Sea nettles, Chrysaora quinquecirrha. Moon jellyfish or common jellyfish Aurelia aurita. Lion’s mane jellyfish, Cyanea capillata. Do jellyfish live in the Chesapeake Bay? Sea nettles, Chrysaora quinquecirrha, are one of three jellyfish species found in the Chesapeake Bay. Where are the jellyfish in the …
A discarded plastic bottle floats near the shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Over time, plastic products like these disintegrate into vanishingly small particles, called microplastics, which are known to affect marine life. What happens to the plastic if entered the ocean? Unlike some other kinds of waste, plastic doesn’t decompose. That means plastic can stick …
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Decomposing algae blooms can suck oxygen out of the water, suffocating marine life and causing fish kills. In this follow-up to Bay 101: Algae Blooms, Charlie Poukish from the Maryland Department of the Environment documents a fish kill and explains how actions on land can affect life in the water. What caused the fish die …
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Excess nitrogen is one of the leading causes of the Chesapeake Bay’s poor health. When nitrogen and phosphorus enter rivers, streams and the Bay, they fuel the growth of algae blooms that lead to low-oxygen “dead zones” that are harmful to fish, shellfish and other aquatic life. Why is nitrogen important to the Chesapeake Bay? …
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Based on its geology, the Chesapeake Bay is classified as a coastal plain estuary or a drowned river estuary because it began life when rising sea levels flooded into its major tributary following the end of the last ice age. What type of estuary is the Chesapeake Bay? coastal plain estuariesThe Chesapeake Bay on the …
The Chesapeake Bay watershed, or draingage basin, encompasses six states – New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. A drainage basin is a giant system of creeks, streams, and rivers that all flow into a common outlet, which in this case is the Chesapeake Bay. What is the largest …
The Chesapeake Bay is an example of a drowned river valley and formed when sea levels rose to flood large coastal river valleys. The other types form as follows: Glacial fjord: a glacier carves its way toward the ocean, forming deep, narrow valleys that fill in when sea levels rise. What is Chesapeake Bay known …
Coastal plain estuaries. Coastal plain estuaries (1) are created when sea levels rise and fill in an existing river valley. The Chesapeake Bay, on the East Coast of the United States, is a coastal plain estuary. Chesapeake Bay was formed at the end of the last ice age. What type of estuary is Chesapeake? coastal …
How Do Dead Zones Affect People Living Around the Chesapeake Bay? Dead zones are not a direct threat to humans, but they are extremely harmful to fish, crabs, oysters, and other aquatic animals that humans rely on for seafood and livelihoods. How do dead zones in the Chesapeake Bay affect humans? The dead zone doesn’t …
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In general, nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous reach the Chesapeake Bay from three sources: wastewater treatment plants; urban, suburban and agricultural runoff; and air pollution. Nutrients can also come from natural sources, like soil, plant material and wild animal waste. How does Chesapeake Bay get nitrates? The source of much of that nitrate is groundwater, …
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