About the Bay homepage

<body> The Chesapeake Bay -- the largest estuary in the U.S. -- is an incredibly complex ecosystem that includes important habitats and food webs. The Bay itself, its rivers, wetlands, trees and land all provide homes, protection or food for complex groups of species. Fish of all types and sizes either live in the Bay and its tributaries or they use the waters as they migrate along the East Coast. Young crabs hide from predators in underwater grasses, while oysters filter water as they feed on plankton. The intertwined combinations of relationships are countless. The physical processes that drive the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem sustain the many habitats and organisms found there. Complex relationships exist among the living resources of the Bay watershed. Even the smallest of creatures plays a vital role in the overall health and production of the Bay. Use the map below to learn more about the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. Move your mouse over the image and see it change, click on the map to learn more. [Click on the image above to visit other sections of our site] Pirates on the Bay: The Chesapeake Bay. Blue crabs, rockfish, shad, Canada geese, oysters and pirates. Pirates? Hard to believe, but like the blue crab and other occupants of the Chesapeake, pirates once roved the waters of the Bay looking for prey or outfitting themselves to search for quarry elsewhere.......(Learn More) Did You Know?: Fun Chesapeake Bay Facts Bay FAQ: About the Chesapeake Bay | The Bay's Living Resources | Current Bay Issues Bay Trends & Indicators: Environmental Indicators | Chesapeake Bay: How is it Doing? Bay History: Bay Plain and Piedmont | A Capsule History | The Noblest Bay | African American History in the Bay | African-American Watermen | The Underground Railroad | Archaeology & The Bay Region's Native Americans | Pirates on the Bay | Shipwrecks | Captain John Smith Bay Journal: Current Issue | Archive | Subscribe Introduction to an Ecosystem: Geology | Water & Sediments | Habitats | Living Resources | Food Production & Consumption | Preserving the Bay Bay Education: General Overview | Downloads for Teachers | Teachers Homepage | Students Homepage Suggested Reading: Bay History | Political History of the Bay | Lighthouses | Natural History | Bay Restoration | Children's | Chesapeake Watercraft African American History in the Bay: Learn about topics including: African American watermen and the underground railroad. Chesapeake Bay Timeline: From 9000 B.C. to the present day, find out what happened and when in and around the Chesapeake Bay! Chesapeake Bay: How is it Doing?: A public-friendly series of slides, graphs and images that tell the story of the Bay and its rivers. Speaker's notes included. Ask the Bay Experts: is an opportunity for students, educators, organizations and interested citizens to find answers and information on specific Chesapeake Bay issues from experts in a particular field. Visit the Bay: Looking for a travel destination in the Bay region? Want to find a public access point to launch your boat? You can find it all in this section. Including information on the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network. The Gateways Network connects you with the Bay's special places through a system of parks, refuges, museums, historic communities, and water trails. (learn more) Other Sites of Interest: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay - Builds & fosters partnerships for the restoration of the Bay and its rivers. Protecting & Restoring Virginia's Natural Resources - Virgina DEQ Chesapeake Bay Foundation - Save the Bay Facts about the Chesapeake Bay - from Mr. Jones's 3rd Grade Class </body>