Assessing the ecological functioning and biodiversity of remnant native flat oyster (Ostrea angasi) reefs in temperate southeast Australia

IF 3 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Marine environmental research Pub Date : 2024-10-10 DOI:10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106782

Elisabeth M.A. Strain , Ana B. Bugnot , Boze Hancock , Robinson W. Fulweiler , Donald J. Ross , Simon E. Reeves

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Oyster reefs are critically endangered coastal habitats which provide valuable ecosystems services. Despite their importance, there remains a significant knowledge gap in our understanding of how oyster and sediment characteristics influence the ecological functioning and biodiversity of remnant Australian flat oyster (Ostrea angasi) reefs. To inform restoration efforts, we assessed relationships between community respiration rates (CR), inorganic nitrogen fluxes, filtration rates, biodiversity, and oyster morphometrics as well as sediment conditions for three remanent flat oyster reefs (Oyster Cove, Ralphs Bay, and Quarantine Bay) in southeast Tasmania. Additionally, we explored relationships between net denitrification, and flat oyster morphometrics and sediment conditions at one of the sites (Ralphs Bay) in southeast Tasmania. We observed positive relationships between CR, inorganic nitrogen fluxes, filtration rates, and live flat oyster biomass, as well as between the richness and biomass of associated taxa and total flat oyster biomass (both tissue and shell including dead shell), across all three locations. We also found an increase in net denitrification associated with live oyster biomass at one of the oyster reefs (Ralphs Bay). The CR, inorganic nitrogen fluxes, filtration rates, diversity of taxa and biomass of bivalves and flat oyster biomass was higher at Ralphs Bay, which has the most intact reef, compared to the other two locations. In contrast to other studies, the organic and silt content of the sediment showed limited influence on CR, inorganic nitrogen fluxes, filtration rates and net denitrification. CR, and inorganic nitrogen fluxes in these flat oyster reefs were like other restored and natural oyster reefs globally, but net denitrification, filtration rate and taxonomic richness exceeded those previously observed globally. These results highlight the important role of oyster biomass in enhancing water quality and biodiversity. Burgeoning flat oyster reef restoration initiatives should prioritise the enhancement of both live oyster populations and dead shells to recover their associated ecological functions and biological diversity.

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评估澳大利亚东南部温带地区残存的本地平牡蛎（Ostrea angasi）礁的生态功能和生物多样性

牡蛎礁是极度濒危的沿海栖息地，可提供宝贵的生态系统服务。尽管牡蛎非常重要，但我们对牡蛎和沉积物特征如何影响残存的澳大利亚平牡蛎（Ostrea angasi）礁的生态功能和生物多样性的认识仍然存在很大的差距。为了给恢复工作提供信息，我们评估了塔斯马尼亚东南部三个残存平牡蛎礁（牡蛎湾、拉尔夫斯湾和检疫湾）的群落呼吸速率（CR）、无机氮通量、过滤速率、生物多样性、牡蛎形态计量以及沉积物条件之间的关系。此外，我们还探讨了塔斯马尼亚东南部其中一个地点（拉尔夫斯湾）的净脱硝、扁平牡蛎形态计量和沉积物条件之间的关系。我们观察到，在所有三个地点，CR、无机氮通量、过滤率和活平牡蛎生物量之间，以及相关类群的丰富度和生物量与平牡蛎总生物量（包括死壳在内的组织和贝壳）之间均存在正相关关系。我们还发现，在其中一个牡蛎礁（拉尔夫斯湾），净反硝化与活牡蛎生物量有关。与其他两个地点相比，拥有最完整礁石的拉尔夫斯湾的CR、无机氮通量、过滤率、双壳类群和生物量的多样性以及扁平牡蛎的生物量更高。与其他研究不同的是，沉积物的有机质和淤泥含量对CR、无机氮通量、过滤率和净反硝化作用的影响有限。这些平坦牡蛎礁的CR和无机氮通量与全球其他修复的和天然的牡蛎礁相似，但净反硝化作用、过滤率和分类丰富度超过了之前在全球观察到的水平。这些结果凸显了牡蛎生物量在提高水质和生物多样性方面的重要作用。正在兴起的平地牡蛎礁修复计划应优先考虑提高活牡蛎种群和死壳，以恢复其相关的生态功能和生物多样性。

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来源期刊

Marine environmental research 环境科学-毒理学

CiteScore

5.90

自引率

3.00%

发文量

217

审稿时长

46 days

期刊介绍： Marine Environmental Research publishes original research papers on chemical, physical, and biological interactions in the oceans and coastal waters. The journal serves as a forum for new information on biology, chemistry, and toxicology and syntheses that advance understanding of marine environmental processes. Submission of multidisciplinary studies is encouraged. Studies that utilize experimental approaches to clarify the roles of anthropogenic and natural causes of changes in marine ecosystems are especially welcome, as are those studies that represent new developments of a theoretical or conceptual aspect of marine science. All papers published in this journal are reviewed by qualified peers prior to acceptance and publication. Examples of topics considered to be appropriate for the journal include, but are not limited to, the following: – The extent, persistence, and consequences of change and the recovery from such change in natural marine systems – The biochemical, physiological, and ecological consequences of contaminants to marine organisms and ecosystems – The biogeochemistry of naturally occurring and anthropogenic substances – Models that describe and predict the above processes – Monitoring studies, to the extent that their results provide new information on functional processes – Methodological papers describing improved quantitative techniques for the marine sciences.