Chesapeake Climate: Underwater grasses
Reducing pollution helps bay grasses withstand warming temperatures and more extreme weather
Climate change is bringing higher temperatures and more extreme weather to the Chesapeake Bay. Follow scientist Robert "JJ" Orth from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and learn what this means for underwater grasses—an important pillar of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.
Video Credits
- Produced by
- Will Parson
- Music:
- "Angel Tooth" by Blue Dot Sessions via FreeMusicArchive.org
- Additional footage:
- Carly Shonbrun-Siege; Virginia Governor's Negative Collection, Library of Virginia
- Special thanks to
- Robert "JJ" Orth and Brooke Landry
Comments
Fantastic video - beautifully captures the work these incredible scientists are doing (as well as a great memory for me!!)
Todd, glad to hear it! We will get in touch via email.
I am a waterman who makes a living from the water and the grasses are a huge part of how I make my living as i am a crab scraper , I feel as a waterman it is my responsibility to learn more about the grasses that are home to the crabs I catch, I would like to know more and how to participate in possible research projects or just learning more about how to save the grasses. Thank you, Todd Callery
Large underwater grass declines in the past were due to too much sediment and nitrogen coming into the Bay from the watershed. This sediment and nitrogen was generated by humans from agriculture and untreated wastewater, among other things. We have made some progress in reducing these inputs from the watershed, and bay grasses have recovered to some extent. Now climate change is threatening that recovery because the grasses don't do well with higher temperatures and stronger storms that bring more sediment into the Bay.
The Bay Grasses disappeared back in the early 60. Never had climate warming then.
Thank you!
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