*This project is a continuing project initially funded through award NA05OAR4171042 (year one) and currently funded through award NA10OAR4170072 (year two)*
OBJECTIVES: (1) During summer-fall 2008, conduct trawl surveys, targeting MD coastal bays, Ocean City Inlet, and nearshore ocean environment. (2) Using area-swept estimates compare juvenile abundances across habitat-types, analyze spatio-temporal patterns in size-structure of recruiting cohorts, and investigate the underlying biodiversity and composition of nursery fish assemblages. (3) Evaluate the connectivity of coastal bay and nearshore habitats through stable isotope food web analysis.