Chesapeake Bay anoxia: origin, development, and significance
Anoxia occurs annually in deeper waters of the central portion of the Chesapeake Bay and presently extends from Baltimore to the mouth of the Potomac estuary. This condition, which encompasses some 5 billion cubic meters of water and lasts from May to September, is the result of increased stratification of the water column in early spring, with consequent curtailment of reoxygenation of the bottom waters across the halocline, and benthic decay of organic detritus accumulated from plankton blooms of the previous summer and fall. The Chesapeake Bay anoxia appears to have had significant ecological effects on many marine species, including several of economic importance. 43 references, 7 figures, 1 table.
- Research Organization:
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 6106037
- Journal Information:
- Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 223
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CHESAPEAKE BAY
ANOXIA
OXYGEN
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
DETRITUS
ECONOMIC IMPACT
NUTRIENTS
ORGANIC MATTER
PLANKTON
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
STRATIFICATION
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BAYS
ELEMENTS
NONMETALS
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
VARIATIONS
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)