2.3. Age of peat at depths relative to the 4000-year B.P. datum 22 



2.4. Bathymetric contours of Buzzards Bay adjusted to mean low water datum 23 



2.5. Textural distribution of Buzzards Bay sediments 26 



3.1. Drainage basins and location of major streams emptying into Buzzards Bay 29 



3.2. A. Precipitation and mean monthly discharge of the Westport River, 

 normalized by its drainage area 



B. Comparison of normalized discharge from 2 years of data from the 



Westport and Weweantic Rivers 30 



3.3. Temperature and salinity profiles from the northern end of Buzzards Bay 



through the Cape Cod Canal and to Cape Cod Bay 32 



3.4. Composite seasonal water column temperature in Buzzards Bay and 



New Bedford Outer Harbor 33 



3.5. Map of the southern New England Bight 34 



3.6. Buzzards Bay tidal current chart showing flood currents 4 hours after slack tide 35 



3.7. Wind roses from 35 years of data at Otis Air Force Base. Bourne, Massachusetts 37 



4.1. Method offeeding and reworking of sediments by Yoldialimatula 44 



4.2. Alterations in benthic communities and relation to sediment oxidation/ 

 reduction state under varying levels of physical disturbance, or nutrient 



and organic matter pollution 45 



4.3 . Photograph of quahogs {Mercenaria mercenaria) and soft-shelled clams 



(Mya arenaria) 46 



4.4. Photograph of scallops Aequipectin irradians 47 



4.5. The general morphology of the edgrass Zostera marina 57 



4.6. Maximum depth (meters mean low water) of eelgrass (Zostera marina) 



in different parts of Buzzards Bay 58 



4.7. Aerial photograph of the Great Sippewissett Salt Marsh, West Falmouth, 



Massachusetts 59 



4.8. Photograph of the great egret (Casmerodius albus) 61 



4.9. Photograph of the silversides (Menidia menidia) 62 



4.10. Photograph of the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) 62 



4.11. Photograph of the piping plover (Charadrius melodus) 74 



5.1. Aerial photograph of a cranberry bog within the Buzzards Bay watershed 85 



5.2. Location of major cranberry bogs around Buzzards Bay 87 



5.3. Photograph of spray irrigation on cranberry bogs, the primary method for 

 application of fertilizer and pesticides, although flooding is also used for 



pest control 88 



5.4. Changes in reported fish catches for Buzzards Bay 89 



6.1. Population versus shellfish bed closures for the Buzzards Bay watershed 100 



6.2. Oil spill from the barge Florida, 1969 101 



6.3 . Average PCB concentrations for lobsters and winter flounder collected at 



various stations around Buzzards Bay 104 



6.4. Relative sources of nitrogen inputs to Buzzards Bay waters 106 



6.5. Mean annual and changes in relative land levels at tide-gauge stations in 



Long Island Sound and vicinity Ill 



