was established by sampling waters for planktonic fish eggs and larvae 

 (icthyoplankton) . (B.W.) 



Keywords: tidal marshes, coastal ecosystems, estuaries, Delaware 



IV-D-18 



McErlean, A.J., C. Kerby, and M.L. Wass, eds. 1972. Biota of the Chesapeake 

 Bay. Chesapeake Science 13(Suppl.) 197 pp. 



This is a report on the existing conditions of the biota of Chesapeake 

 Bay. The funding agency, the Baltimore District of the U. S. Army 

 Corps of Engineers, requested that the Smithsonian Institution, 

 the University of Maryland, and the Virginia Institute of Marine 

 Science prepare a report on the "Current Status of Knowledge of the 

 Biota of Chesapeake Bay" for inclusion in their "Chesapeake Bay Resource 

 Study." 



Objectives of this paper are as follows: (1) To summarize the present 

 state of knowledge about many of the groups of organisms living in the 

 Bay; (2) to provide expert sunmaries of the current status of research 

 and knowledge on four serious and timely topics--sediments, eutrophica- 

 tion, heavy metals, and pesticides; (3) to review and report on the 

 value of various criteria for measuring the biological effects of 

 environmental changes, with special reference to Chesapeake Bay; and 

 (4) to suggest systems for handling the massive data which must be 

 utilized in managing a complex ecosystem. 



Various sections of the issue deal with areas such as: biological 

 criteria of environmental change in Chesapeake Bay; and a discussion 

 of the status of knowledge concerning sampling variation, physiological 

 tolerances, and possible changing criteria for Bay organisms. 



Taxa and special effects summaries are provided for a wide range of 

 flora and fauna, including sections on crustaceans, fishes, amphibians, 

 reptiles, and waterfowl. 



Systems for analysis of biological data and sample inventories of 

 Bay organisms are also provided. (H.D.) 



Keywords: estuarine ecosystems, environmental change, Chesapeake Bay 



172 



