Animals and Plants

<body> <p>Home > Animals and Plants -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Perhaps the most valuable function of the Chesapeake Bay region is its role as a habitat for living organisms. The Bay and its surrounding watershed provide ideal habitat for many plant and animal species. Some of the better known inhabitants of the Bay include blue crabs, oysters, and striped bass. However the Bay also is home to many other species including several types of shark, shrimp, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, submerged aquatic vegetation and much more. American oyster: Crassostrea virginica - also known as the eastern, American or Atlantic oyster, was once plentiful enough in the Chesapeake Bay that seasonal harvests were in the millions of bushels. As recently as 100 years ago, oyster reefs were so massive that they posed a navigational hazard to ships. (learn more) Crabs & Shellfish: Blue Crab | American Oyster | Horseshoe Crab | Hard Clam | Fiddler Crab | Grass Shrimp | Mantis Shrimp | Atlantic Oyster Drill Bay Grasses (SAV): Overview | Ecological Role of SAV | SAV Species and Distribution | SAV Decline | SAV as Habitat | SAV Habitat Requirements | Restoration of Chesapeake Bay Grasses Lower Food Web: Plankton | Benthos | Shipworm | Bristle Worm | Jellyfish Birds: Bald Eagle | Bufflehead | Osprey | Waterfowl | Great Blue Heron | Eastern Screech-Owl | Gulls Mammals: Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin | White-Tailed Deer | Bobcat Reptiles & Amphibians: Sea Turtles | Copperhead | Eastern Box Turtle | Diamondback Terrapin Exotic Species: Veined Rapa Whelk | Mute Swan Other Plants & Animals: luna moth | Swallowtail | Saltmeadow cordgrass | Smooth cordgrass | Bald cypress Fish: American Eel | American Shad | Atlantic Croaker | Atlantic Menhaden | Atlantic Sturgeon | Black Drum | Black Sea Bass | Bluefish | Catfish | Cownose Ray | Lined Seahorse | Pumpkinseed | Red Drum | Sandbar Shark | Searobin | Spanish / King Mackerel | Spot | Stickleback | Striped Bass | Summer Flounder | Tautog | Weakfish | White Perch | Fish Passage | Fish Consumption Advisories Blue Crab Life Cycle: Learn about the different stages of development of the blue crab Common Underwater Bay Grasses: At least 16 species of Bay grasses, also known as submerged aquatic vegetation or SAV, occur in shallow waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Chesapeake Bay Basin Species List : a comprehensive list of recognized species found in the Chesapeake Bay Region. The list covers a wide range of organisms from phytoplankton to waterfowl. Animal Classification: See the scientific classification scheme for animals. Chesapeake Bay Ecosystem: 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. Forests and wetlands around the Bay and the entire watershed filter sediments and pollutants while supporting birds, mammals, and fish. (learn more) Other Sites of Interest: Virginia Naturally: Learn about the Virginia environment Maryland DNR Chesapeake Bay: Good resource for Bay grasses in Maryland Alien Ocean: Maryland Sea Grant looks at exotic species Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter: Field guide to birds of the Patuxent </body>