EcoCheck is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. This newsletter conveys their goals and approach towards improving Chesapeake Bay health. The types of projects on which EcoCheck works are also described in the newsletter.

Read more

A series of uncertainty analysis methods was applied to investigate the propagation of parameter uncertainty within a coupled model system and to evaluate the effects of uncertainty on model outputs and decision-making processes.

Read more

This edition of Chesapeake Update provides an overview of water quality and aquatic grass conditions over the summer of 2005. An explanation as to why these conditions occurred is provided–largely a combination of a wet spring followed by a dry, calm and relatively warm summer. The observed conditions are compared to those forecast to occur before the summer, and explanations for any differences is provided.

Read more

Chesapeake Bay has historically supported extensive bay grass (underwater grasses) meadows (>75,000 ha). However, water quality degradation from increased sediment and nutrient inputs has reduced the areal coverage and depth penetration of bay grasses, with one third of historical distributions remaining (21,648 ha; 1985-2004 mean). Chesapeake Bay underwater grasses are comprised of a variety of freshwater, brackish, and marine species.

Read more

Scientists with expertise in oyster biology, restoration, and management within the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science met to discuss their diverse perspectives on bar cleaning and power dredging. They developed this consensus statement to offer the Center's best scientific advice to decision makers, managers, stakeholders and partners in oyster restoration.

Read more

This document describes the rationale and methods for determining the summer ecological forecasts for dissolved oxygen, harmful algal blooms and submerged aquatic vegetation for 2005.

Read more

This newsletter summarizes the main findings of an ecological forecast aimed at predicting changes in aquatic grass area within Chesapeake Bay for the current growing season. This forecast is part of a new initiative of the Chesapeake Bay Program to forecast a range of ecological conditions for the coming summer.

Read more

This newsletter summarizes the main findings and methods of a new initiative to forecast ecological conditions of Chesapeake Bay for the coming summer. This year’s forecast focuses on three important elements of the Bay’s health—dissolved oxygen (DO) in the Bay’s mainstem, harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the Potomac River, and changes in submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) distribution.

Read more

The Indicator Redesign Taskforce was assembled to provide a vision for the Chesapeake Bay Program indicators and the manner in which they are communicated. In doing so, the Indicator Redesign Taskforce is initiating and steering the necessary changes through the Monitoring and Analysis Subcommittee. This document describes the goals, approach and methods used to redesign the ecological indicators and outlines the communication strategy used to convey these changes to the public.

Read more

Environmental models are essential for simulating ecosystems that are either too large or too complex to isolate to conduct real world experiments. Models allow scientists to simulate changes in an ecosystem due to changes in population, land use, or pollution management.

Read more