Ecology Club

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Ecology Clu= b

Our goal is to learn and educate others

on ways to care for our environment.

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This year we will concentrate our efforts on learning

about the Chesapeake Bay.=

We will be raising 2000 oysters during our yearlong oyster farming project.

The members will do research on marine life.

They will share information with others through posters and

maintaining a bulletin board in the cafeteria.

The club is also responsible for the salt water aqu= arium

located in the main office.

It is great way to display marine life found with oysters.

The club is offered to fifth graders and is limited to 20 members.=

We meet after school at least once a month.

Parents are always welcome and encouraged to participate.

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Candy Grams<= /span>

The <= span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Ravie;color:#333399'>Ecology ClubR= 17;s Annual Candy Gram Sale was a huge success.

We were able= to raise enough money to pay

for our boat tr= ip in the spring.

We hope to purchase “poop pollutes baggie dispensers” to be

placed around the = school property. We hope they will encourage

pet owners to b= e more diligent in “scooping the poop”.

= Oyster Farming…..What’s it all about?

The oyster population of the Chesapeake Bay is= at an all time low due to pollution, over harvesting and disease. Oysters are filter feeders and help clean the water. We will make a difference by raising 2000 oysters during our year long project. Each month we will gather data on = our oysters. We will measure the = growth of the oysters, check salinity, mortality, water temperature and turbidity. The data will be sent to Oyster Reef Keepers of Virginia to be compared with data from other oyster farmers. At the end of the year we will cel= ebrate by going on a boat trip with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to release our oysters on an artificial reef.

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= Congratulations!!

to this yearR= 17;s members…

timothy, bryce, taarna, antonio, chaze, haley,

brandi, tyler, bridget, Shelby, leighanna= ,

allyson, gabby, alexandra, rachel, lori, =

criszcele, kathleen, mallory, emily, and tia

= Thanks to Lauren and Taylor for volunteering

with= us this year. It’s always = nice to have

former members come back and lend a hand.

O Y S T E R F A C T S=

Eastern oysters in the Chesapeake Bay have the <= o:p>

scientific name of Crassostrea<= /span> Virginica.

Chesapeake Bay means Great Shellfish Bay.

Oysters were so abundant in the Bay in the early 1900s,

they could filter the entire 16 trillion gallons in 3 days.

Oyster numbers= are at a historical low. It now t= akes 1 year for the oysters to filter the Bay.

Disease, sediment, pollution and over harvesting

are the reasons for the decline in the oyster population.

Oysters are filter feeders.= An adult oyster can filter 60 gallons of water each day.<= /span>

Oysters grow and spawn best in water that is at

least 72 degrees and 25% salinity.

Oysters live on reefs.

Oyster = reefs provide habitat for many marine animals.

Club Sponsors = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = = &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp;

= Mrs. Myrick, Mrs. Lemon, Mrs. Bo= wen

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Feel fr= ee to e-mail at beverly.myrick@vbschools.com

Look for links and pictures next month.

Updated= December 22, 2006=