Delaware Sea Grant College Program
Newark, DE 19716 USA
Phone: 302-831-8083
E-mail: marinecom@udel.edu
Desktop Calendar Wallpapers - August 2010
With the 2010 Delaware Sea Grant and College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment online calendar, you can bring the beauty of Delaware’s coastal resources to your computer screen. In addition to scenic wallpaper for each month, check out the list of notable dates as well as environmental facts, tips, and web links.
A Closer Look
It may not seem that way at first, but this marsh is teeming with life. Marsh plants such as smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) are well-adapted to being periodically submerged by tides. Under natural conditions, a stand of this grass will absorb wave energy and filter sediment from the water, helping to build up the marsh. The habitat formed by this plant provides vital nursery and feeding grounds for young fish and crabs. It also supplies food and cover to a variety of marsh birds and other animals, including the fiddler crabs shown here.
Many marshes face rising sea levels, which may outpace the ability of cordgrass and other wetland plants to build up the soil. Delaware Sea Grant researchers are enhancing our understanding of coastal marshes and how they could respond to changing sea levels. They are also working to find ways for sustaining the ecological and economic uses of areas threatened by sea level rise.
Photo by Tammy Beeson
11 – Ramadan
Starting today, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk each day for a month.
12 – Night of the shooting stars
Retreat from the glare of city lights and escape to the beach tonight — it will be the best place to look to the sky and view the Perseid meteor showers. Mid-August is the best time to see the stars rocket across the sky.
22 – Summer winds down for students
This week marks the end of summer for many Delaware students as they return to classes. Parents and teachers might want to check out the many fun, marine-related publications and activities for kids that Delaware Sea Grant offers.
28 – The Dutch claim Delaware Bay
During his quest to find a passage to the Pacific Ocean in 1609, Henry Hudson sailed into Delaware Bay and claimed it for the Dutch.
Choose a width:
Miss a month? Go to our 2010 wallpaper download archive.
Download Instructions
Note: Once you have downloaded your wallpaper, you can fine-tune its appearance using your computer's desktop preferences menu (i.e. whether the image is centered, tiled, stretched to fit the screen, etc.).
Step 1.
Click on the link below the image of the month representing the size that you are interested in. This will open the image in its own window.
Step 2 For PC users:
1. Position your cursor over the image.
2. Click the right mouse button.
3. If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer (v. 6.0 or higher), select "Set as Background" from the popup menu.
Step 2 For Mac users:
OSX: Drag the image onto your desktop.
Go to System Preferences and open the "Desktop & Screen Saver" icon.
Under the "Desktop" heading, use the file navigator to add the image to the library.
OS9: Drag the image onto your desktop.
Go to your Control Panel and select "Appearance."
Click "Set desktop" and choose your new image.
