Quantifying the Benefits of Oyster Reef Quantifying the Benefits of Oyster Reef Restoration: A tool for promoting Restoration: A tool for promoting “Living Shorelines”“Living Shorelines”??

Steven B. ScyphersSteven B. ScyphersSP Powers, KL Heck, Jr., MA LottSP Powers, KL Heck, Jr., MA Lott

University of South Alabama and Dauphin Island Sea LabUniversity of South Alabama and Dauphin Island Sea Lab

2008 International Conference on Shellfish Restoration, Charleston, SC 2008 International Conference on Shellfish Restoration, Charleston, SC

OverviewOverview

Why Restore Oyster Reef Habitat?

Oyster Reefs as “Living Shorelines”

Case Studies in Coastal Alabama

Fisheries Results

Conclusions and Implications

Habitat Habitat for Finfish for Finfish & Shellfish& Shellfish

StabilizeStabilizeShorelinesShorelines

MitigateMitigateEutrophicationEutrophication

Improved Improved Water ClarityWater Clarity

Facilitate Expansion ofFacilitate Expansion ofOther HabitatsOther Habitats

Why Oyster Reef Restoration Why Oyster Reef Restoration ??

BenefitsBenefits

EcologicalEcological EconomicalEconomical

RestoreRestoreHarvestableHarvestable

$eafood$eafood

BenefitsBenefits

EcologicalEcological

BenefitsBenefits

EconomicalEconomicalEcologicalEcological

JustificationJustification for mostfor most

restoration restoration effortsefforts

Historical Shoreline ArmoringHistorical Shoreline Armoring

Graph from Douglass & Pickel (1999)Graph from Douglass & Pickel (1999)

• Vertical erosion down the barrier

• Loss of critical intertidal habitat

• Net loss of fishery production

Historical Shoreline ArmoringHistorical Shoreline Armoring

Figure and Image from Douglass & Pickel Figure and Image from Douglass & Pickel (1999)(1999)

Historical Shoreline ArmoringHistorical Shoreline Armoring

Bilkovic and Roggero (2008), Bilkovic and Roggero (2008), MEPSMEPS

Research Sites in Coastal Research Sites in Coastal AlabamaAlabama

Point aux Pins & Alabama Port sitesPoint aux Pins & Alabama Port sites

•Replicated Subtidal Oyster Reef Replicated Subtidal Oyster Reef Complexes at each siteComplexes at each site

•Restoration targeted towards Restoration targeted towards landscape scalelandscape scale

•PaP restored May 2007PaP restored May 2007

•AP restored Oct. 2007AP restored Oct. 2007

Helen Wood ParkHelen Wood Park•Two replicated reef Two replicated reef configurationsconfigurations

•Restoration targeted towards Restoration targeted towards coastal property coastal property

owner owner scalescale

•Restored May 2008Restored May 2008

Living Shoreline RestorationLiving Shoreline Restoration

Graphic Credit: Mobile Press RegisterGraphic Credit: Mobile Press Register

65m

15m13m

1m 1m

1m 1m

5m

25m

Reef ConstructionReef Construction

Project QuestionsProject Questions

1.1. Can subtidal, breakwater oyster Can subtidal, breakwater oyster reefs stabilize eroding shorelinesreefs stabilize eroding shorelines??

2.2. What are the fisheries benefits of What are the fisheries benefits of these reefsthese reefs??

3.3. How do oyster reefs compare to How do oyster reefs compare to traditional shoreline armoringtraditional shoreline armoring??

Seagrass

Point aux Pines

Control

Control

Point aux PinsPoint aux Pins

Erosion between 1978-1986 (actual date unknown) and 2006

Erosion between 2006-2007

-3

-2.5

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

East West

Sho

relin

e C

hang

e (m

)

Control Breakwater

Point aux PinsPoint aux Pins

Shoreline

Fisheries Sampling MethodsFisheries Sampling Methods

Oyster RecruitmentOyster RecruitmentPoint aux Pins

0

200

400

600

800

1000

E W E W E W E W

J un-07 Sep-07 Nov-07 May-08

Oyst

er D

ensity

m-2

Live >3cm

Live <3cm

Oyster RecruitmentOyster RecruitmentAlabama Port Oyster Density

020406080

100120140160180200

N S N S N S

March 08 J une 08 October 08

Oys

ters

/ m2̂

Live Spat

Live Adult

Dead

Blue Crab AbundanceBlue Crab Abundance

0

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

Control Reef

Abun

danc

e (in

d. /

m2)

1- way ANOVA

P= 0.007

Penaeid Shrimp AbundancePenaeid Shrimp Abundance

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

C ontrol Reef

Abu

ndan

ce (#

indi

v. /

m2)

1-way ANOVA

P ≤ 0.001

• 30m experimental gillnets

• 2 and 4 inch stretch• 2 hour soak time• 1 hour prior to and

post sunrise

Transient Fish SamplingTransient Fish Sampling

Demersal Fish AbundanceDemersal Fish Abundance

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

J un 07 J ul 07 Aug 07 Sep 07 Oct 07 Dec 07 J an 08 Mar 08 Apr 08 May 08 J un 08

Abun

danc

e (fis

h / h

r)

Control

Experimental

Paired t-test (n=11)

P= 0.004

Species RichnessSpecies Richness

Paired t-test (n=11)

P= 0.0030

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

J un 07 J ul 07 Aug 07 Sep 07 Oct 07 Dec 07 J an 08 Mar 08 Apr 08 May 08 J un 08

Spec

ies p

er h

our

Control

Experimental

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

REEF CONTROL

Abu

ndan

ce (

#fis

h / H

our)

P-Value = 0.005n= 11

Family Sciaenidae- AbundanceFamily Sciaenidae- Abundance

Subtidal Oyster Reef Subtidal Oyster Reef RestorationRestoration

• Restored oyster reefs could function as “living shoreline” alternatives to traditional armoring

• Created oyster reefs provide substrate for oyster recruitment

• Benthic inverts and demersal fishes utilize the reefs for habitat and foraging

Ecosystem ServicesEcosystem Services

Why Oyster Reef Restoration Why Oyster Reef Restoration ??

BenefitsBenefits

EcologicalEcological EconomicalEconomical

RestoreRestoreHarvestableHarvestable

OystersOysters

BenefitsBenefits

EcologicalEcological

BenefitsBenefits

EconomicalEconomicalEcologicalEcological

JustificationJustification for mostfor most

restoration restoration effortsefforts

Commercial Commercial & Recreational & Recreational

FisheriesFisheries

Protect Upland Protect Upland PropertyProperty

& Wetlands& Wetlands

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgementsDr. Sean P. Powers (Advisor, Project P.I.)Dr. Sean P. Powers (Advisor, Project P.I.)Dr. Kenneth L. Heck, Jr. (Project P.I.)Dr. Kenneth L. Heck, Jr. (Project P.I.)Mary Austill Lott (The Nature Conservancy)Mary Austill Lott (The Nature Conservancy)

FundingFundingU.S.A. Oyster ProgramU.S.A. Oyster ProgramNOAANOAANGINGIThe Nature ConservancyThe Nature ConservancyEPAEPAMobile Bay National EstuaryMobile Bay National Estuary ProgramProgram

Cissie DavisCissie DavisSavannah WilliamsSavannah WilliamsGlenn MillerGlenn MillerMobile Press Mobile Press RegisterRegisterTNC StaffTNC StaffHeck Lab Heck Lab Powers LabPowers LabTech SupportTech SupportAuburn University Auburn University Shellfish LabShellfish LabADCNR StateADCNR State Lands Div.Lands Div.DISL Grad StudentsDISL Grad Students

Carly SteevesCarly SteevesStan BosargeStan BosargeDr. Scott Dr. Scott DouglassDouglassDr. Joel FodrieDr. Joel FodrieDottie ByronDottie ByronMatt KenworthyMatt KenworthyDr. Matt JohnsonDr. Matt JohnsonCrystal HightowerCrystal HightowerJason HermanJason HermanJeff JordanJeff JordanCarl FerraroCarl FerraroMallory ReamerMallory Reamer