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Web Drop #3

Oysters are an important part of the ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay, as well as an important part of Maryland’s economy. By looking at the following websites the student will have an understanding of one of the threats to the oyster, and the significant change in oyster harvest in the last century, and what possible effects that has had on the Chesapeake Bay.

For information on one of the threats to the oyster, and how the oyster helps the Chesapeake Bay, please read the information at the following website:

http://www.urbanrivers.org/oysters.html

After reading the above, locate the population chart on the oyster gardening page below:

http://www.oystergardener.org/2_about.htm

Using the information found on the web pages above, please answer these questions.

1) What was the year of the highest oyster harvest recorded on the chart?

2) Approximately how many bushels were harvested in the highest harvest year?

3) What was the last year that over 1 million bushels of oysters were harvested?

4) Seeing that the harvest does have some good and some bad years, which is normal, when would you estimate that the harvest began to permanently decline?

5) Now that you know more about the role of oysters in the health of the Chesapeake Bay, explain why the population of oysters is important to the Bay?

6) If this harvest population trend continues, what can you predict will happen to the oyster and to the Chesapeake Bay, and why?