Welcome to the Chesapeake Bay habitat. Many plants and animals make their home here in the largest estuary in North America. Some of these organisms were here long before people began studying the Bay. Other organisms have made their homes here more recently. While many of the species occupying the Chesapeake Bay habitat can be categorized as native, or naturally occurring, there are a number of species living here that come from a variety of other locations. Just like our native species, these non-native species find the resources they need to survive here in the Chesapeake Bay. There are many words used to describe these species: invasive, exotic, introduced and more. Regardless, they are all non-native to the area. You may not realize it, but many of these non-native species can have quite an impact on their new location.
	Consider the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) pictured to the left. Scientists believe they were transported to North American and Canadian waters in the ballast water of ships.
Zebra mussels are devastating many fresh water ecosystems, including the Great Lakes. Although they reside in fresh water only, zebra mussels are beginning to appear in the Susquehanna River, the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. An adult zebra mussel filters, on average, one liter of water a day while feeding on phytoplankton and zooplankton. Native filter feeders may struggle due to the competition. While the Chesapeake Bay watershed does not have a large population of zebra mussels, there are other non-native species in its midst. The next few screens present groups of plants or animals that live in the Chesapeake Bay. Your task is to pick out the one that is non-native. If you pick a native species, don't worry, you will have the chance to try again. When you correctly identify the non-native species, you will be taken to the next screen. Good luck! Continue