Musseling our way from the Headwater to the Bay · 14.0 - 20.0 ppt 17.0 - 22.5 ppt. UPPER UPPER...
Transcript of Musseling our way from the Headwater to the Bay · 14.0 - 20.0 ppt 17.0 - 22.5 ppt. UPPER UPPER...
Musseling our way from the Headwater to the Bay:Shellfish as a Basis for Restoration Ecosystem
A. T. Padeletti; D. A. Kreeger; L. Whalen
Watershed A
pproach
Watershed A
pproach
Elliptio complanata
Crassostrea virginica
Geukensia demissa
Lampsilus cariosa
Bivalve Natural Capital Oysters Marsh Mussels
FWMussels
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Categories Specific Services/Values Relative Importance Scores
Provisioning: Food & Fiber Dockside Product
Regulating Shoreline & Bottom Protection
Shoreline Stabilization
Supporting
Structural Habitat
Biodiversity: Imperiled Species
Bio-filtration
Biogeochemistry
Prey
Cultural/ Spiritual/ Historical/ Human Well Being
Waterman Lifestyle, Ecotourism
Native American
Watershed Indicator
Bio-Assessment
NaturalC
apital
Picture from R. Brumbaugh’s, and Courtesy Coen, SCORE South Carolina
ShorelineStabilization
Crassostreavirginica
Geukensia demissa
8 adult musselsNo mussels
Slide from Catherine Gatenby, USFWS
Bio-filtration
Water Processing per Unit BiomassSummer Clearance Rate (L/h/g)Population Abundance
Millions
Population-level Water ProcessingBillions of Liters per Hour
Bio-filtration
Freshwater Mussel
MarshMussel
Oyster
59.0 Billion L/h
A diverse and robust assemblage of bivalves in available niches and providing natural capital goods and services.
11 Other Species of Freshwater Unionid Mussels
Mya arenaria
Rangia cuneata
Corbicula fluminea
Mytilus edulis
Ensis directus
Mercenaria mercenaria
Desired C
ondition
StrategiesHabitat Restoration Projects
Delaware Estuary Living Shoreline
39.2
39.3
39.4
39.5
39.2
39.3
39.4
39.575.5 75.4 75.3 75.2 75.1
Round Island
Upper Arnolds
Arnolds
Upper Middle
Middle
Shell Rock
Ship John
Cohansey
Nantuxent
Bennies
Bennies Sand
Vexton
Egg IslandLedge
New Beds
BeadonsHawk's Nest
StrawberryHog Shoal
6.5 - 14.5 ppt
9.0 - 16.5 ppt
14.0 - 20.0 ppt
17.0 - 22.5ppt
UPPER
UPPER CENTRAL
CENTRAL
LOWER
Sea Breeze
Delaware Bay Oyster Restoration
Fish gill with glochcidia
Juvenile mussel
StrategiesPopulation Restoration Projects
Freshwater Mussel Restoration Program
•Restoring single habitats or species in a watershed is •Efforts to maintain and improve the ecological
health of coastal and estuarine systems may benefit from a holistic approach to conserveand boost the natural capital of bivalvepopulations throughout the basin
•Freshwater and marsh mussels provide just as many goods and services as oyster
• New technologies exist for restoring and enhancing populations and habitat of all bivalve species
Conclusions
• Bivalves represent excellent targets forecosystem-based management, conservationand restoration ADD
Thank youPartners
Could Climate Change benefit oysters?
Longer Growing Season
Intertidal Niche Expansion?
Today
2030
2060
Point of No Return
No HelpWith Help
2 Recruitment Events
Historical data from Rutgers Haskin Shellfish Laboratory
0200400600800
1,0001,2001,4001,6001,8002,000
Millions of Liters
Processed
1 2 4 6 8 10 15 30
Years After Planting