Publications about Chesapeake Bay

IAN is committed to producing practical, user-centered communications that foster a better understanding of science and enable readers to pursue new opportunities in research, education, and environmental problem-solving. Our publications synthesize scientific findings using effective science communication techniques.

New Stream Health Indicator Being Developed (Page 1)

New Stream Health Indicator Being Developed

Katie Foreman, Caroline Donovan, Emily Nauman, Bill Dennison ·
2 April 2009

The Chesapeake Bay Program and its partners developed an improved stream health indicator that provides a regional assessment of benthic (bottom-dwelling) macroinvertebrate community health. Benthic data collected in different ways by various natural resource agencies were incorporated into a Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity that rates stream health across the entire 64,000 square miles of watershed that drain into Chesapeake Bay.

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Development and evaluation of a spatially-explicit index of Chesapeake Bay health (Page 1)

Development and evaluation of a spatially-explicit index of Chesapeake Bay health

Williams MR, Longstaff BJ, Buchanan C, Llanso R, Dennison WC ·
2009

In an effort to better portray changing health conditions in Chesapeake Bay and support restoration efforts, a Bay Health Index (BHI) was developed to assess the ecological effects of nutrient and sediment loading on 15 regions of the estuary. Three water quality and three biological measures were combined to formulate the BHI.

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Research to improve management of Atlantic menhaden in Chesapeake Bay (Page 1)

Research to improve management of Atlantic menhaden in Chesapeake Bay

Ben Longstaff, Caroline Donovan, Emily Nauman ·
21 October 2008

From both an economic and ecological standpoint, Atlantic menhaden are one of the most important fish species in Chesapeake Bay. Concerns over localized depletion and a need for improved understanding of the ecological role of menhaden in Chesapeake Bay led the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to identify research needed to improve menhaden fisheries management. This newsletter provides the status of some of the resulting projects.

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Chesapeake Bay Health Report Card: 2007 (Page 1)

Chesapeake Bay Health Report Card: 2007

Ben Longstaff, Caroline Donovan ·
3 April 2008

This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed annual assessment of 2007 Chesapeake Bay habitat health. This is the second year that the report card has been released. This report card rates 15 reporting regions of the Bay using six indicators that are combined into a single overarching index of habitat health. Habitat health is defined as progress of the six indicators towards established scientifically derived ecological thresholds or goals.

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A summer of poor water clarity, algal blooms, and fish kills (Page 1)

A summer of poor water clarity, algal blooms, and fish kills

Ben Longstaff, Emily Nauman, Caroline Donovan, Bill Dennison, David Jasinski ·
28 November 2007

This year's drought led to lower than normal nutrient and sediment discharge into the Bay during the summer. With fewer sediments and nutrients entering the Bay, the health of the Bay may have been expected to improve, however, this was not the case for water clarity, harmful algal blooms, and fish kills. While dissolved oxygen in the mainstem was still poor this summer, the volume of oxygen depleted water was relatively small compared to the past 22 years.

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Incorporating habitat into ecosystem-based fisheries management: Habitat matters! (Page 1)

Incorporating habitat into ecosystem-based fisheries management: Habitat matters!

Wicks EC, Boicourt K, Longstaff BJ and Townsend H ·
16 November 2007

Habitat consists of the physical, chemical, and biological components that are necessary for the survival and growth of organisms in an ecosystem. In an estuary, habitat provides food and shelter for invertebrates, shellfish, and fish. Habitat is an integral part of an ecosystem, and assessing habitats is important in determining ecosystem health.

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Asian oysters: Science to inform policy decisions (Page 1)

Asian oysters: Science to inform policy decisions

O'Herron M, King J, Wicks EC, Bushek D and Carnegie R ·
2 November 2007

This is a three part series on the Asian oyster Environmental Impact Statement. It has been proposed to introduce the Asian oyster (Crassostrea ariakensis) into Chesapeake Bay as one potential solution to the loss of the historic oyster fishery, and the ecological functions that oysters perform for Chesapeake Bay.

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Defending our National Treasure: A Department of Defense Chesapeake Bay Restoration Partnership  1998-2004 (Page 1)

Defending our National Treasure: A Department of Defense Chesapeake Bay Restoration Partnership 1998-2004

Lane H, Woerner JL, Dennison WC, Neill C, Wilson C, Elliott M, Shively M, Graine J and Jeavons R ·
29 October 2007

Defending Our National Treasure: A Department of Defense Chesapeake Bay Restoration Partnership 1998–2004 provides an overview of major issues impacting the Chesapeake Bay, history of the Department of Defense’s involvement in Bay restoration efforts, current Department of Defense Chesapeake Bay restoration initiatives, specific case studies, and viewpoints of various key individuals dedicated to restoration.

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Effects of nutrient enrichment in the Nation's estuaries: A decade of change

Bricker S, Longstaff BJ, Dennison WC, Jones AB, Boicourt K, Wicks EC and Woerner JL ·
31 July 2007

This report provides an assessment of eutrophic conditions for 141 U.S. estuaries. The report was based on data and information provided by scientists and experts from around the country. Results from the assessment show that two-thirds of the estuaries evaluated exhibited moderate to high levels of eutrophication. Report production was a collaborative effort between Suzanne Bricker (NOAA NCCOS), EcoCheck (NOAA-UMCES Partnership) and IAN. More information is available from the NEEA website.

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