CW2:1592

From Environmental Technology

Chesapeake Bay Ecosystem

a. Wetlands are the transitional link between the water and the land. The two groups of wetlands are Estuarine and Palustrine. Wetlands are also characterized by their vegetation as either emergent, shrub, or forested. Some types of wetlands include marshes, swamps, and bogs.

b. Wetlands protect and improve water quality, help control erosion and flooding, and provide habitat for terrestrial and aquatic life.

c. The percentage loss of Forest in the Bay area is 35%. There are more than 2,700 plant species and more than 50 major tree species in the Bay area.

d. Forests protect water quality, create habitat for fish and wildlife, improve air quality, encourage recreation, and contribute to the economy.

e. Autotrophs = self-feeders; primary food producers; plants

  Heterotrophs = other-feeders; animals