Streaming Media
Presentation Abstract
Historical baselines inform restoration efforts, allowing us to interpret long-term changes in marine ecosystems prior to anthropogenic activities. In Washington State, restoration of native oysters (Ostrea lurida) is limited by shifting baselines and the lack of information on Olympia oyster populations before they collapsed in the late 1800s. Our project seeks to answer three main questions: (i) What was the water temperature and salinity in environments where historical native oysters thrived in the past? To answer this question we will use oxygen isotopes, Ba/Ca ratios and radiocarbon dating. (ii) How does the abundance of trace metals found in past Olympia oysters compare to the abundance of trace metals found in this species today? To answer this question, we will carry out mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analyses to measure trace metal content in shells. (iii) Can we reconstruct past biotic interactions, such as parasitism and predation, from historical oyster shells and compare the prevalence of these interactions with what we see today? To answer this question, we will observe and record traces of past biotic interaction such as those left by shell-boring polychaete worms, and traces of predation by drilling gastropods. Assessing the past prevalence of these interactions together with radiocarbon dating of shells will allow us to generate a timeline for the abundance of pests and predators that may be threatening the success of contemporary restoration projects. Historical and fossil shells are proven to be informative, quantitative tools to reconstruct past environments and biotic interactions. The insights gained from the integration of these past baselines with modern environments will help advise the planning and management of conservation and restoration efforts for Olympia oysters in the Salish Sea.
Session Title
Poster Session 3: Land - Water Connections
Conference Track
SSE14: Posters
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE-posters-31
Start Date
27-4-2022 4:00 PM
End Date
27-4-2022 4:30 PM
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 oyster--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Restoration monitoring (Ecology)--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
RECONSTRUCTING THE ECOLOGICAL HISTORY AND PAST ENVIRONMENTS OF NATIVE OLYMPIA OYSTERS TO INFORM THEIR CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION IN THE SALISH SEA
Historical baselines inform restoration efforts, allowing us to interpret long-term changes in marine ecosystems prior to anthropogenic activities. In Washington State, restoration of native oysters (Ostrea lurida) is limited by shifting baselines and the lack of information on Olympia oyster populations before they collapsed in the late 1800s. Our project seeks to answer three main questions: (i) What was the water temperature and salinity in environments where historical native oysters thrived in the past? To answer this question we will use oxygen isotopes, Ba/Ca ratios and radiocarbon dating. (ii) How does the abundance of trace metals found in past Olympia oysters compare to the abundance of trace metals found in this species today? To answer this question, we will carry out mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analyses to measure trace metal content in shells. (iii) Can we reconstruct past biotic interactions, such as parasitism and predation, from historical oyster shells and compare the prevalence of these interactions with what we see today? To answer this question, we will observe and record traces of past biotic interaction such as those left by shell-boring polychaete worms, and traces of predation by drilling gastropods. Assessing the past prevalence of these interactions together with radiocarbon dating of shells will allow us to generate a timeline for the abundance of pests and predators that may be threatening the success of contemporary restoration projects. Historical and fossil shells are proven to be informative, quantitative tools to reconstruct past environments and biotic interactions. The insights gained from the integration of these past baselines with modern environments will help advise the planning and management of conservation and restoration efforts for Olympia oysters in the Salish Sea.
