Quill, DanielleThe importance of mysids as trophic links in key Chesapeake Bay food webs has been well documented. However, their abundance, distribution, and demographics haven’t been examined in Chesapeake Bay since 1930. The goal of this study was to examine patterns of mysid abundances and demographic dynamics between and within two key Chesapeake Bay tributaries (the Choptank and Patuxent rivers). I hypothesized that mysid abundances would be greater in the Choptank River due to its historically better water quality (particularly dissolved oxygen saturation) than the Patuxent River. Secondarily, I hypothesized that Neomysis americana (hereafter, Neomysis) would be the most abundant mysid species in both the Chopank and Patuxent rivers. Six stations in each river were sampled monthly from May to September of 2018. Numerical dominance of the mysid assemblage in both rivers shifted from Neomysis in the early summer to a mixed-species group belonging to the genus Americamysis (Americamysis spp.) between August and September. Total abundance across genera and abundance of Neomysis were significantly greater in the Choptank River in early summer, then did not differ from Americamysis spp. abundance thereafter. Neomysis abundance was greater than Americamysis spp. from May through June, did not differ from Americamysis spp. abundance in July, and was less abundant than Americamysis spp. from August through September in the Patuxent River. The Patuxent River displayed overall lower dissolved oxygen saturation in the summer, which correlated with lower mysid abundances, providing support for my hypothesis. Understanding the intricacies of mysid population dynamics within nursery areas for ecologically and economically important predators should strengthen ecosystem-based management strategies for those areas.enThesisEcologyZoology