BITMAX
Bio-physical Interactions in the Turbidity Maximum

Welcome to the web page designed to summarize the BITMAX project and to facilitate the transfer of news and project information to the involved research groups.  Our study is a multi-disciplinary effort to determine the environmental significance of the estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) in the upper Chesapeake Bay, Maryland (study area map).

Project Summary Cruise Reports and Information Reports and Publications (see new video) News and Events Personnel             * Protected Site *

Project funded by the National Science Foundation          

What is an ETM? The ETM is an area in the upper estuary characterized by physical forces that retain and resuspend particles, typically near the toe of the salt front.  These particles appear to serve as a food supply for zooplankton and thus may increase zooplankton production.  Larval and juvenile fish survival (growth) may also be enhanced from higher prey densities (zooplankton).  Read more about ETM's and our project on the project summary page.

	Chesapeake Biological Labs are located on the Western Shore of the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patuxent River in Solomons, Maryland.
	Horn Point Labs are located on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay along the Choptank River near Cambridge, Maryland.
	The Virginia Institute of Marine Science is located in Gloucester Point Virginia and is a graduate school of William and Mary.  Secondary BITMAX web page developed by VIMS PI Carl Friedrichs.