Chesapeake Bay Research

1. Chesapeake Bay Research BY: Theodore Akuffo

2. Why is it important to have a variety of animals in the bay? • It is important to have a variety of living things in the bay. Oysters are important they keep the bay healthy. Blue crabs are important they keep the bay clean. Ribbon worms are important they build the habitats food source. My research will show that blue crabs, ribbon worms and oysters are important to the bay.

3. Oysters • Oysters are important they keep the bay healthy. Oysters have a gray dirty outside. Young oysters float through water until 2 years old. Oysters larvae feed on plankton. Sometimes oysters are eaten by oysters drill. Oysters have one little yellow foot. Oysters eat shells. Oysters are also eaten by oyster drills. On the other hand blue crabs are also important to the bay. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster

4. Blue crabs • Blue crabs are important to the bay they keep the bay clean. All the different blue crabs play an important roll. They are major predators of benthic communities. They are food to other animals. Blue crabs have a specific scientific name. http://www.chesapeakebay.net/fieldguide/critter/blue_crab

5. Ribbon worms • Ribbon worms are important to the bay they build the bays food source. Ribbon worms are a great food source. There are 900 different species of ribbon worms in the bay. Ribbon worms mostly eat animals that are smaller then them. Ribbon worms take up less space. http://eol.org/pages/2855/details

6. Conclusion • In conclusion I learned a lot about the bay and its animals. Oysters have a gray dirty outside. Oysters are eaten by fish which make them a good food source. Every blue crab plays an important roll. Blue crabs are predators to benthic communities. Ribbon worms take up little space.

7. Bibliography • Chesapeake bay program (http://www.chesapeake.net. • Chesapeake Bay program Baytrippers.thinkport.org