![[Old] Chesapeake Research Consortium](https://chesapeake.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/LogoForDarkBack.png)
Marsh Sea Level Rise
Shorter marsh grasses and adapting to sea level rise As carbon dioxide increases, most plants respond by getting bigger. CO2 acts like fuel for most plants, allowing them to grow higher and thicker, increasing their biomass. But what happens when you look at individual plants, particularly in marsh grasses, instead of overall biomass? Scientists had long saw that increasing CO2 led to...
Read More10 Billion Oysters
Working Together to Keep Oysters Thriving in the Bay A thriving oyster population is vital to a healthy Chesapeake Bay. As a keystone species, oysters are necessary for filtering water and providing critical habitat for other species in the Bay. The Chesapeake Oyster Alliance is a coalition of partners that includes non-profits, universities, oyster farmers, and others, working toward...
Read More2020 REU Programs
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) are opportunities for students to spend a summer pursuing a research project at a hosting institution. These opportunities are funded by the National Science Foundation, and students spend usually 10 weeks working closely with an academic mentor, presenting their findings, and even going on field trips. All 7 of CRC’s member institutions offer...
Read MoreSERC InvaderID Update
Harnessing the Power of Citizen Scientists Imagine working on a small team of field researchers and having to process 100,000 images. What used to take years and tons of funding to accomplish can now be done quickly and cheaply thanks to citizen scientists. Researchers at Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) are harnessing the power of citizen scientists to identify critters...
Read MoreWetlands and Carbon Storage
As Sea Level Rises, Wetlands Crank Up Their Carbon Storage Written by Kristen Minogue for the Shorelines Blog Some wetlands perform better under pressure. A new study revealed that when faced with sea-level rise, coastal wetlands respond by burying even more carbon in their soils. Coastal wetlands—which include marshes, mangroves and seagrasses—already store carbon more efficiently than any...
Read MoreUnderstanding Clam Decline
A team of researchers set out to understand the decline of soft-shell and razor clams in the Chesapeake Bay that has been ongoing since the 1970s. Scientists believe the decline could be due to habitat loss, predators, disease, recruitment, and environmental changes. A team of researchers looked at all of these factors by surveying the Chesapeake Bay over three years and using historical data...
Read More
