To understand how this loss of habitat occurs, it is first necessary to understand how excess nutrients affect the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is like a soup. Both are composed of many ingredients. But just as too much of any ingredient can spoil the flavor of the soup, too much of a particular substance can harm the Bay. The current problem with the Bay is too many nutrients.
Nutrients are substances that help plants grow.
The most important nutrients are nitrogen and phosphorus. If not treated, these nutrients will find their way into creeks, rivers and eventually the Bay. Once the nutrients are in the Bay, they become food for plants. Algae can also coat the leaves of the SAV, further reducing the amount of light received by the plants. SAV are very important to blue crabs because they provide food, shelter and nursery areas.