Early Life History of a Restored Olympia Oyster (Ostrea Lurida) Population
Presentation Abstract
Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida) are a bed-forming oyster and the only oyster native to the west coast spanning from Baja, Mexico to Alaska. A combination of oil spills, waterfront development, and mismanagement has resulted in the local extirpation of Olympia oysters in Fidalgo Bay, Washington. Restoration efforts in Fidalgo Bay dating back to 2002 have augmented the population of adult Olympia oysters. In subsequent years, settlement substrate was increased by adding Pacific oyster shell to the beaches to promote recruitment. Annual observations since then demonstrate an increase in the Olympia oyster population. This project focuses on identifying the spatial and temporal distribution of newly settled Olympia oysters in Fidalgo Bay. The hypotheses being tested are (1) Olympia oysters will have higher rates of settlement near adult populations, and (2) larval abundance will be higher at the surface compared to the bottom of the water column irrespective of tidal direction. To quantify recruitment, eight spat monitoring locations around Fidalgo Bay were monitored bi-weekly, utilizing shellstrings which were constructed from Pacific oyster shell. To quantify Olympia oyster larvae within the water column, weekly plankton samples were collected near the adult Olympia oyster population. Regarding hypothesis (1), results show that Olympia oyster settlement rates are higher in areas which directly neighbor the adult population. Regarding hypothesis (2), larval abundance was found to be significantly greater at the surface compared to the bottom of the water column. Identifying patterns of recruitment is vital to making the best decision possible in Olympia oyster restoration work. This research will provide a framework to monitor rebounding Olympia oyster populations. Results may assist in designing habitat restoration networks for Olympia oysters.
Session Title
Marine Ecosystem Restoration in the Urban Environment
Keywords
Keywords: Olympia oysters, Ostrea lurida, restoration, Salish Sea, recruitment, mollusk, shellstrings
Conference Track
Protection, Remediation, & Restoration
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Olympia oysters--Habitat--Conservation--Pacific Coast (U.S.); Marine habitat conservation--Pacific Coast (U.S.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Pacific Coast (U.S.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Early Life History of a Restored Olympia Oyster (Ostrea Lurida) Population
2016SSEC
Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida) are a bed-forming oyster and the only oyster native to the west coast spanning from Baja, Mexico to Alaska. A combination of oil spills, waterfront development, and mismanagement has resulted in the local extirpation of Olympia oysters in Fidalgo Bay, Washington. Restoration efforts in Fidalgo Bay dating back to 2002 have augmented the population of adult Olympia oysters. In subsequent years, settlement substrate was increased by adding Pacific oyster shell to the beaches to promote recruitment. Annual observations since then demonstrate an increase in the Olympia oyster population. This project focuses on identifying the spatial and temporal distribution of newly settled Olympia oysters in Fidalgo Bay. The hypotheses being tested are (1) Olympia oysters will have higher rates of settlement near adult populations, and (2) larval abundance will be higher at the surface compared to the bottom of the water column irrespective of tidal direction. To quantify recruitment, eight spat monitoring locations around Fidalgo Bay were monitored bi-weekly, utilizing shellstrings which were constructed from Pacific oyster shell. To quantify Olympia oyster larvae within the water column, weekly plankton samples were collected near the adult Olympia oyster population. Regarding hypothesis (1), results show that Olympia oyster settlement rates are higher in areas which directly neighbor the adult population. Regarding hypothesis (2), larval abundance was found to be significantly greater at the surface compared to the bottom of the water column. Identifying patterns of recruitment is vital to making the best decision possible in Olympia oyster restoration work. This research will provide a framework to monitor rebounding Olympia oyster populations. Results may assist in designing habitat restoration networks for Olympia oysters.
Comments
Keywords: Olympia oysters, Ostrea lurida, restoration, Salish Sea, recruitment, mollusk, shellstrings