ZOOPlankton Monitoring Studies

Zooplankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, ponds; in salt water and in freshwater. The amount and types of zooplankton present give us information about food web interactions and water quality. Data from the zooplankton project and water quality data help us understand food web and habitat interactions, deepening our understanding of the ecology of Otter Point Creek.

Because zooplankton are not visible to the unaided eye, their importance can be overlooked. We know that other "unseen" factors that influence life in the Bay can have devastating effects if they are out of balance. For example, water with low levels of dissolved oxygen "looks" perfectly normal yet can cause fish kills.

Research projects:

Development of a micro-culturing technique
The effect of changing salinity on species
Community composition in response to water quality parameters

Volunteer Corps

Joanne Mattson
Claire Hauer
Frank Mannone
Clarke Romans
Peggy Mannone
Nancy Newman Zooplankton volunteer
Madeline Lovera
Patrick Matejka

Past Volunteers

Trey Morton
Samantha Castillo
Katie Soltysiak
Brittany Long
Helene Klair
Linda Romans
Jeff Griffin
Heidy Blumenschein
Megan Gaesser
Jacob Corselius
Bill Roberts
Gayanne Basham

zooplankton

More Information

Calendar of EventsView all

Kids-n-Canoes06/22/2019 @ 10:00 am-12:00 pmIntroduce young children to the pleasure of family paddling outings! Paddling safety and basic stroke instruction is covered before venturing further afield to explore the watery world of Otter Point Creek.
Summer Solstice Celebration Canoe06/22/2019 @ 1:00 pm-3:30 pmCelebrate the start of summer with an afternoon on the water, soaking up the sun and solstice lore on the longest Saturday of the year.
How Old is this Tree?06/23/2019 @ 1:00 pm-2:00 pmImmerse yourself in the incredible world of trees! Use a tree corer to age some of the trees in Leight Park while enjoying a scenic hike.
Tails and Tots06/23/2019 @ 3:30 pm-4:30 pmStory time with a natural twist! Listen to stories, learn new songs, and move like the animals.
Chesapeake Canoers Summer Camp06/25/2019 @ 9:00 am-4:00 pmFloat along the waters of Harford County with a canoe paddle in hand. Dive into summer with games and activities by boat while investigating the plants and animals that call this place home.