Suspension Feeders: A Workshop to Assess What We Know, Don't Know, and Need to Know to Determine Their Effects on Water Quality. Held in Hanover, Maryland on March 18-19, 2002

摘要

The current Chesapeake Bay Agreement includes the commitment: By 2004 assess the effects of different population levels of filter feeders such as menhaden, oysters and clams on Bay water quality and habitat. The 'Suspension Feeders Workshop' was a response to this commitment. Its goals were: 1. to assess current understanding of the biological and physical characteristics of the Chesapeake ecosystem needed to estimate suspension feeder effects, 2. to assess the utility of currently existing models, and 3. to identify critical features (processes, organisms, model capabilities) to include in future models designed to predict effects of suspension feeders on phytoplankton and sediment in Bay waters. The workshop included plenary presentations and discussions, and three concurrent breakout groups - one each on menhaden, benthic suspension feeders (including oysters), and zooplankton. This workshop report summarizes plenary and breakout group discussions, and outlines steps recommended to meet the filter feeder commitment.