This newsletter describes why dissolved oxygen is an important indicator of ecosystem health. It focuses on dissolved oxygen in Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and describes the factors that affect dissolved oxygen. Additionally, the management decisions and actions that are being taken to reduce the amount of low dissolved oxygen in the Bay are described.

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Morro Bay, on the central California coast, was the site of a workshop to develop a conceptual framework for an ecosystem-based management initiative. IAN staff worked with Morro Bay scientists, resource managers, and stakeholders to develop conceptual diagrams for Morro Bay, offshore Estero Bay and the Morro Bay watershed. These diagrams examined key features, threats, and management objectives of the Morro Bay ecosystem.

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The Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program has subdivided the 270 National Park units with significant natural resources into 32 Networks. All of the parks within a Network share similar natural resource challenges. The purpose of these Networks is to conduct long-term resource monitoring. The National Capital Region Netwok (NCRN) consists of 11 parks within Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

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Ecosystem health report cards are an effective means of tracking and reporting the health of a waterway at both local and regional scales. A report card is being developed within the Chesapeake Bay science and management community in order to provide a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed annual assessment of Chesapeake Bay habitat health. This newsletter summarizes the methods and data used to calculate the report card scores for 2006.

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Nutrient point sources such as wastewater treatment plants and non-point sources including agricultural runoff degrade the water quality of Maryland's Coastal Bays through excessive nutrient loading. Identifying specific sources is difficult due to their variety and mixture. Biological indicators can identify nitrogen sources, integrate nitrogen from these sources over time, and detect biologically important nutrients.

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A Mid-Chesapeake Bay Marshlands Restoration project is being developed by the Integration and Application Network, the US Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Port Administration, US Fish & Wildlife Service, and Maryland Department of Natural Resources. This newsletter discusses the ecological, economic, and engineering issues associated with using dredged material to restore the eroding marshes of the mid-Chesapeake Bay.

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This newsletter is based on the findings of the Conceptual Ecological Model Focus Group—March 2006 and considers restoration options in the context of the valuable national ecosystem services supplied from Coastal Louisiana. Ecosystem goods & services provided to Louisiana & the nation by coastal landscapes include wildlife & fisheries habitat, support for petrochemical production,improved water quality & flood protection, ecotourism & aesthetic appeal.

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In collaboration with the University of Maryland's Cooperative Extension Service at the Wye Mills Research and Education Center, EcoCheck (NOAA - UMCES partnership) has produced a newsletter on the history and current trends of benthic communities in Maryland's Coastal Bays. Aquatic grasses and shellfish are important components of a healthy ecosystem because they provide a variety of ecosystem services, improve water quality, and are commercially valuable.

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Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are growing in frequency around the world and their effects are being recognized by ecosystem managers, scientists, and the public alike.

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This newsletter describes current and future directions of Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM). While the standard approach to fisheries management has been to focus on one species at a time, EBFM characterizes a greater number of ecosystem components, including the physical and chemical properties of systems. The newsletter explores the current and potential applications of the ecosystem-based approach.

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