Did you know that oysters feed on algae and naturally filter the water? That’s true! An adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. The bivalves’ natural filtering ability helps clarify the water of the Chesapeake Bay. Clearer water helps more underwater grasses grow and improves the overall ecosystem. Fish and other marine critters use oysters and underwater grasses for protection and to reproduce.
In this video you’ll be able to see for yourself how oysters make the water clearer. After watching it, work with your family members to figure out your family’s water usage and then calculate how many oysters you’d need to filter that amount of water with our Oyster Power Investigation worksheet. Haz clic aquí para la versión en Español.
Check our Learn Outside, Learn at Home page for more investigations.
