Oyster Reefs … Beneficial or Not ??? ECON 2505/D227 Luis Campoverde

Oyster Reef at Brooklyn Navy Yard

A Brief Introduction  Oyster reefs are normal submerged living spaces situated in numerous parts of the world  Oyster reefs are constructed fundamentally through the progressive proliferation and consequent settlement of eras of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica)  Reef structures comprise of stunning quantities of people  Luntz (1960) assessed that inside a solitary square yard of oyster reef, there were 5,895 individual clams  As progressive eras settle and develop, reefs turn out to be exceptionally intricate, containing numerous basic inconsistencies and infoldings  Oyster reefs are critical substances as they give various advantages to the earth and upgrade our lives

Oyster Reef Range, United States Source: chesapeakebay.noaa.gov

Ecological Importance  Oyster reefs are the mild variant of coral reefs, and are regularly alluded to as "biological community engineers"  Oyster goes about as a "cornerstone animal types" and their dynamic conduct serves to structure and keep up solid, seaside biological communities  The conjugation of individual Oyster to shape an aggregate reef gives an organized living space to an entire group of life forms  Broad, sporadic surfaces of a reef give 50 times more surface zone contrasted with a comparable estimated level base  Insurance for bringing forth and mating  Home to a huge number of various life forms  Oyster reefs are essential in the upkeep of organic differing qualities in estuaries

Ecological Importance  Oyster reefs are fundamental to general strength of encompassing waterfront natural surroundings  Reefs impact examples of streams  Give "support" between waterfront natural surroundings and potential water devastation  Get water by sifting through particulates  Evacuate abundance phytoplankton, forestalling eutrophication  Takes into consideration daylight and oxygen to infiltrate layers  Critical in supplement and vitality cycling

How does the oyster purify water

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The landmark pile of oyster shells at J.S. Darling & Son, circa Founded in the 1800s on the Chesapeake Bay, this was the world’s largest oyster plant during its peak. It Shut down during the 1970s. Source:

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What or who to blame ? Source:

Restoration  Experiments with oyster seed and shell planting in the Chesapeake Bay began in 1914  1943: The Maryland Board of Natural Resources Oyster Management Plan was developed  1993: Virginia released hatchery-reared disease-resistant oysters to try and restore the population  2000: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D.C., and the federal government signed the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement  2009: Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration set future goals, aiming to restore oyster populations in 20 Chesapeake tributaries by 2025 (Executive Order No , 2009)

Experimental Oyster Reef Design, Hudson River Source: hudsonriver.org

Marine Habitat and Oyster Harvest  Increase in oyster harvest and marine fisheries production  Food source for humans  Generates revenue for commercial industry and creates jobs in seafood processing  One acre of oyster reef increases fisheries catch values by $4,200 annually  As the foundation of a food chain, oyster reefs support a $2.4 billion fishing industry and more than 200,000 jobs

Water Filtration  Oysters are filter feeders that feed upon suspended particles, pumping high rates of water flow, making them an important biofilter  Oysters filter excess nitrogen and other chemical pollutants from water  Each individual oyster filters up to 1.5 gallons of water per hour, a service otherwise carried out by expensive wastewater treatment plants  Each acre of oyster reef provides $6,500 in denitrification services annually  Removal of nitrogen, which would otherwise contribute to marine “dead zones”  Filtration of suspended sediments allows sunlight to reach underwater floor to facilitate the growth of marine grasses necessary to hold wetlands in place  Filtration provides clean, safe and beautiful areas for recreation and tourism, a multi-billion dollar industry

Shoreline Protection  Stabilize bottom sediments, reduce wave energy and prevent erosion  Fortify wetlands that protect the coast against flooding caused by storm surges  Storm protection provided to maintain success of communities and businesses on the coast  Protection of valuable oil and gas pipeline infrastructure near shore, which is a huge economic and energy security for the entire U.S.

References  Allen, Steve et al. “Restoration Goals, Quantitative Metrics and Assessment Protocols for Evaluating Success on Restored Oyster Reef Sanctuaries.” Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team of the Chesapeake Bay Program. (2011)  Baggett, L.P. et al. “Oyster Habitat Restoration Monitoring and Assessment Handbook.” The Nature Conservancy. (2014)  Beck, Michael W. et al. "Oyster Reefs at Risk and Recommendations for Conservation, Restoration, and Management." BioScience 61.2 (2011):  Breitburg, D L, L D. Coen, M W. Luckenbach, R Mann, M Posey, and J A. Wesson. "Oyster Reef Restoration: Convergence of Harvest and Conservation Strategies."Journal of Shellfish Research. 19 (2000): Print.  Dame, Richard F, Richard G. Zingmark, and Elizabeth Haskin. "Oyster Reefs As Processors of Estuarine Materials." Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology (1984): Print.

References  "Ernest Ingersoll." Autores. Lecturalia RSS,  Foster, C D, C D. Foster, C D. Foster, C D. Foster, Mary-Elizabeth C. Miller, Kate L. Sheehan, Kate L. Sheehan, Kenneth L. Heck, and Sean P. Powers. "Impacts of Oyster Reef Restoration on Primary Productivity and Nutrient Dynamics in Tidal Creeks of the North Central Gulf of Mexico." Estuaries and Coasts (2010): Print.  Grabowski, Jonathan H., and Charles H. Peterson. "Restoring oyster reefs to recover ecosystem services." Ecosystem engineers: plants to protists (2007):  Henderson, Jim, and Jean O'Neil. Economic values associated with construction of oyster reefs by the Corps of Engineers. No. ERDC-TN-EMRRP-ER-01. ENGINEER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER VICKSBURG MS,  Hill, K. "Oyster Reef Habitats." Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, 23 June 2002.

References  Mann, Roger, and Eric N. Powell. "Why Oyster Restoration Goals In The Chesapeake Bay Are Not And Probably Cannot Be Achieved." Journal of Shellfish Research 26.4 (2007):  "Oyster Biology and Ecology." SCORE. South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement, n.d.  "Oyster Reefs - Oysters - Chesapeakebay.noaa.gov." Oyster Reefs - Oysters – Chesapeakebay.noaa.gov. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d.  Pierson, K.J, and D.B Eggleston. "Response of Estuarine Fish to Large-Scale Oyster Reef Restoration." Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (2014): Print.  Stokes, Shawn, et al. "RESTORING GULF OYSTER REEFS." (2012).