Calvert Marine Museum Gallery Guide ESTUARIUM Background and Theme —The Chesapeake Bay is an estuary comprised of many different habitats. Although these habitats may appear very different in appearance, they are all interlinked and would function poorly without the others. In this gallery we explore some of these habitats and the aquatic life they support. Open Waters of the Chesapeake.—The bay can be thought of as a highway, with seasonal visitors migrating to and from the ocean to feed or spawn. You may be surprised to learn that only 10% of the bay’s fish species spend their entire lives in the estuary. A 3500 gallon aquarium exhibits some of the permanent and seasonal species. SAV—Submerged Aquatic Vegetation beds are one of the bay’s more important habitats. These underwater plants provide critical habitat for young fish and crabs to avoid predators. Sediment and nutrient pollution have substantially reduced this habitat which in turn has led to fewer fish and crabs reaching adulthood. Bottom Life—The bottom of the Chesapeake is a very dynamic environment that changes throughout the year. Oysters are one of the better known members of this “benthic community”. Huge oyster reefs of the past kept the water very clear due to their capacity to filter out algae. Decreasing oyster populations from over harvesting and disease have caused the bay to become much cloudier. Oyster reefs are also home to many species that use them for refuge. Be sure to look at the small oyster reef on display in the tank in order to see the diversity of life which occurs in an oyster bar. Crabs—See the development and life cycle of the blue crab, including mating and migration patterns. These are some of the bay’s most recognizable inhabitants, and despite their name, some may be surprised to find that they don’t start life as red! Salt Marsh—Salt marshes form along low lying shores of the bay and are very important components of the ecosystem as they provide food and refuge for many species of fish, mammals and birds. You may be interested to learn how the animals that depend on marsh plants for survival adapt to the changing tides and exposure to salt water. Food Web—You may not think that photosynthesis plays a large role in the bay’s underwater ecosystem, but as with all life, the sun is the ultimate power source. Microscopic plants called phytoplankton use sunlight to grow and form the base of the food chain. The phytoplankton are eaten by microscopic animals called zooplankton and filter feeding animals, ultimately transferring the energy obtained from the sun to larger predators. Upon the death of these producers and consumers, their energy is transmitted back into the ecosystem through the work of reducers, which include bacteria, fungi, and scavengers. Conserving the Chesapeake—Find out about the land management techniques which have been put into practice in order to ensure better water quality in the bay. Also read a newspaper article detailing the Historic Cleanup Agreement of 1987, which provides the framework for a regional effort to clean and protect the Chesapeake. You can further learn in this exhibit how citizen involvement can be helpful. Fishermans Island—In this tank, you will find examples of species which are found in saltier parts of the bay. Not surprisingly, composition of species changes from the headwaters of the bay to the ocean due to the changes in salinity. Due to this wide range in salinity, the Chesapeake provides a great habitat both for ocean and freshwater species. Jellyfish—You may be surprised to learn that jellyfish are members of the plankton family, who drift helplessly along with the tides and currents. Although nobody likes them, they too are vital to the bay’s ecosystem. In fact, many oysters would not be able to survive without jellyfish, which eat one of the oyster’s predators. The oyster-jellyfish relationship is a prime example of bay life in balance. If there were no jellyfish then the oyster population would have a much more difficult time recovering. The museum grows its own jellyfish so they can be displayed year-round instead of facing seasonal restrictions! Invisible, but Critical—Be sure to check out the microscopic life display. Without these plants and animals, the aquatic food web would be missing some vital components, which form the basis of all life in the bay. See all of the amazing animals which can be found (with a microscope) in only the tiniest drop of water! Feature Tanks—The four small feature tanks show species which cannot be viewed in any of the larger tanks. The species displayed change periodically, but in them you can view anything from seahorses to hermit crabs, and you can learn interesting trivia about their life cycles as well. ECO-Invaders—As humans have become more mobile, we often introduce, both by accident and design, new species to an area where a natural control does not exist. This results in an ecosystem which is out of balance, with potential for disastrous consequences. When a foreign species causes significant environmental or economic harm, it is called invasive. Over 4,500 invasive species have established reproducing populations in the United States. Of these, 15% are harmful. Snakeheads and Other Invasive Species—View the exhibits to learn about aquatic invaders, such as the infamous snakehead, as well as the lesser-known European Green Crab. Where are these species from? Why and how were they introduced? Note that they have had an insufficient amount of time after introduction to adapt or evolve with their environment. The harm these invaders do is often centered on aggressive competition for food and living space, but they can cause many other unforeseen problems as well. Even the species which have been intentionally introduced to the ecosystem in order to solve existing problems have created problems of their own. In this exhibit, you will learn the consequences of such actions and see how they can be avoided. (In some cases, it is too late.) Otters— One of our most popular exhibits is the River Otter Habitat. Enjoy watching our playful otters, Bubbles and Squeak swimming, chasing each other, or romping through the sand. Otters abound in the tidal creeks and rivers of the Chesapeake, but are rarely seen because they are active primarily at dawn and dusk. During the day they rest in their dens, and when confronted quickly dart underwater and swim to a secluded area. As top predators in the food chain, they have a good life. Extremely strong for their weight, and fast swimmers thanks to their streamlined bodies and webbed feet, they easily capture fish, frogs, and snakes for food. Our otters have a slightly different diet, enjoying things like shrimp, boiled eggs, carrots, peanuts, grapes and dried banana chips. At 4:00 p.m. the otters are brought in for their final meal of the day. You can then view them in their indoor habitat thru the window at the end of the Estuarium. Maritime History Gallery Background and Theme: The maritime heritage of the Southern Maryland region is the story of human habitation along the Patuxent River over time. This is a story driven by geography and patterns of trade and settlement unique in the Chesapeake Bay. It tells of early settlers, individual entrepreneurs, rugged watermen, and skilled craftsmen seeking a better life for themselves and their families, and how that human interaction contributes to the constant changes in the Chesapeake Bay. Start your stroll through history by taking a few minutes to watch the video that will introduce you to the history of life along the Patuxent River. You may also find the map of the Patuxent River watershed and the facts noted of interest. People of the Patuxent: 12,000 years ago, the Patuxent was home to an Algonquin-speaking people who fished, hunted, and farmed in order to make a living. In this exhibit you can see some of the tools that they used, such as shark teeth as scraping tools, fish spears, axe heads, and an awl. The first contact the Pawtuxunt had with Europeans was in 1588, and by the 1670s the Algonquins of the Patuxent were either dead or had moved away, and the region’s way of life was altered drastically. Note the mural in the background and look for the artifacts that are exhibited in the case. Colonial Connections: Captain John Smith explored and mapped the Chesapeake Bay in 1608. Smith’s observations and sketches formed the basis for his remarkable 1612 map of the bay, which served as the definitive rendering of the region for nearly a century. For colonists in the Chesapeake Bay, tobacco formed the foundation of societal and economic growth. Find out how the river was the crucial link connecting tobacco planters with English merchants. See if you can find the pig iron in this area of the exhibit. Look at the picture and see what you can learn about early colonial life along the river. Don’t miss the Highway of Commerce map at the end of this section. Slavery on the Patuxent: Enslaved Africans were brought to the Americas on one leg of the Atlantic Triangle Trade route. The Chesapeake region became home to more than 125,000 Africans. That’s roughly one-third of all slaves shipped between the 1600s and early 1800s to British colonies and the U.S. Overall, about 12.5 million Africans crossed the Atlantic, most going to South America and the Caribbean. Nearly one in five Africans perished during the notorious Middle Passage.