Yorktown in York County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
York River Ecosystem
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, April 20, 2013
1. York River Ecosystem Marker
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York River Ecosystem. . Plants and animals in the York River and its watershed provide many ecosystem services. Forests reduce sediment runoff and excess nutrients, and provide nesting sites for bald eagles, osprey, and herons. Underwater grass beds sustain the young of striped bass, blue crabs, and other aquatic species. Grass beds and tidal marshes also reduce shoreline erosion, particularly during storms. Plankton, tiny floating plants and animals, sustain the fish and shellfish that people like to eat. Development in the watershed, that removes natural buffers and allows sediment runoff, threatens to undermine the healthy workings of this intricate web., The York River watershed contains more than 250 species of fish, 190 species of birds, 50 species of mammals, 36 species of reptiles, and 26 species of amphibians. In the warm months, the York River is home to sea turtles and marine mammals, including bottlenose dolphins, which are protected by federal law., Photos courtesy of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Blue Crab by Stephen Salpuka; Osprey by Jon Lucy.
Plants and animals in the York River and its watershed provide many ecosystem services. Forests reduce sediment runoff and excess nutrients, and provide nesting sites for bald eagles, osprey, and herons. Underwater grass beds sustain the young of striped bass, blue crabs, and other aquatic species. Grass beds and tidal marshes also reduce shoreline erosion, particularly during storms. Plankton, tiny floating plants and animals, sustain the fish and shellfish that people like to eat. Development in the watershed, that removes natural buffers and allows sediment runoff, threatens to undermine the healthy workings of this intricate web.
The York River watershed contains more than 250 species of fish, 190 species of birds, 50 species of mammals, 36 species of reptiles, and 26 species of amphibians. In the warm months, the York River is home to sea turtles and marine mammals, including bottlenose dolphins, which are protected by federal law.
Photos courtesy of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Blue Crab by Stephen Salpuka; Osprey by Jon Lucy.
37° 14.286′ N, 76° 30.453′ W. Marker is in Yorktown, Virginia, in York County. Marker can be reached from Water Street west of Ballard Street (Virginia Route 1020), on the right when traveling west. Located along Yorktown's Riverwalk. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Yorktown VA 23690, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 21, 2013, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 356 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on April 21, 2013, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.
