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1. Oyster reefs as carbon sources and sinks

   https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.0891  

   Fodrie, F. Joel; Rodriguez, Antonio B.; Gittman, Rachel K.; Grabowski, Jonathan H.; Lindquist, Niels. L.; Peterson, Charles H.; Piehler, Michael F.; Ridge, Justin T. (July 2017, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences)
2. Meta-analysis reveals controls on oyster predation

   https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.1055240  

   Tedford, Kinsey N.; Castorani, Max C. (December 2022, Frontiers in Marine Science)

   Predators can have strong roles in structuring communities defined by foundation species. Accumulating evidence shows that predation on reef-building oysters can be intense and potentially compromise efforts to restore or conserve these globally decimated foundation species. However, understanding the controls on variation in oyster predation strength is impeded by inconsistencies in experimental methodologies. To address this challenge, we conducted the first meta-analysis to quantify the magnitude, uncertainty, and drivers of predator effects on oysters. We synthesized 384 predator-exclusion experiments from 49 peer-reviewed publications over 45 years of study (1977 to 2021). We characterized geographic and temporal patterns in oyster predation experiments, determined the strength of predator effects on oyster mortality and recruitment, and assessed how predation varies with oyster size, environmental conditions, the predator assemblage, and experimental design. Predators caused an average 4.3× increase in oyster mortality and 46% decrease in recruitment. Predation increased with oyster size and varied with predator identity and richness. Unexpectedly, we found no effects of latitude, tidal zone, or tidal range on predation strength. Predator effects differed with experiment type and tethering method, indicating the importance of experimental design and the caution warranted in extrapolating results. Our results quantify the importance of predation for oyster populations and suggest that consideration of the drivers of oyster predation in restoration and conservation planning may hasten recovery of these lost coastal foundation species. 

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3. The turbulent soundscape of intertidal oyster reefs

   https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309503  

   Volaric, Martin P; Stine, Eli M; Burtner, Matthew; Andrews, Steven S; Berg, Peter; Reidenbach, Matthew A (April 2025, PLOS ONE)

   Fernández_Robledo, José A (Ed.)

   Turbulence and sound are important cues for oyster reef larval recruitment. Numerous studies have found a relationship between turbulence intensity and swimming behaviors of marine larvae, while others have documented the importance of sounds in enhancing larval recruitment to oyster reefs. However, the relationship between turbulence and the reef soundscape is not well understood. In this study we made side-by-side acoustic Doppler velocimeter turbulence measurements and hydrophone soundscape recordings over 2 intertidal oyster reefs (1 natural and 1 restored) and 1 adjacent bare mudflat as a reference. Sound pressure levels (SPL) were similar across all three sites, although SPL >  2000 Hz was highest at the restored reef, likely due to its larger area that contained a greater number of sound-producing organisms. Flow noise (FN), defined as the mean of pressure fluctuations recorded by the hydrophone atf<  100 Hz, was significantly related to mean flow speed, turbulent kinetic energy, and turbulence dissipation rate (ε), agreeing with theoretical calculations for turbulence. Our results also show a similar relationship between ε andFNto what has been previously reported for ε vs. downward larval swimming velocity (w_b), with bothFNandw_bdemonstrating rapid growth at ε >  0.1 cm²s⁻³. These results suggest that reef turbulence and sounds may attract oyster larvae in complementary and synergistic ways. 

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4. Phenotypic plasticity expands oyster survival across tidal elevation

   Lin, C (April 2025, Marine ecology Progress series)

   NA (Ed.)

   The realized niche of many sessile intertidal organisms is constrained by different stressors that set boundaries for their distribution based on tidal elevation. Higher tidal elevation increases desiccation risk but can provide a refuge from predation. Conversely, deeper water increases feeding time and growth but also increases vulnerability to benthic predators. Eastern oysters Crassostrea virginica harden their shells in response to predator cues, which reduces their mortality from predation. We performed a field study to investigate if this defense mechanism could be manipulated to expand their realized niche and increase space for oyster survival and growth. We raised oysters in the presence of predators (blue crabs Callinectes sapidus) or in nopredator controls, measured changes in shell morphology, and then monitored oyster survival at different tidal elevations across 7 locations with different predator and salinity regimes. Oyster survival was significantly higher at the highest tidal elevations tested. Exposure to predators before deployment also significantly increased shell hardness and survival, with intertidal oysters experiencing greater improvement in survival from cue exposure than subtidal oysters. Intertidal placement (>15% exposure time) had larger effects on survival than predator exposure, but predator exposure increased oyster survival at all tidal elevations, suggesting that predator induction could help oysters both deter predators and resist abiotic stressors like desiccation, and perhaps increase the spatial areas where oysters can be restored 

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5. If You Give a Kid an Oyster: Refections on Collaborations in PlaceBased STEM Education Through Oyster Restoration Science in New York City

   https://doi.org/10.15695/jso.v1i2.4510  

   Elisa Caref, Sarah Lawrence (April 2018, Journal of STEM outreach)

   Many urban New Yorkers believe that the Hudson River is so polluted that nothing could possibly live there. In reality, the estuary is thriving, and The River Project (TRP), a marine science field station in lower Manhattan, exists to showcase its vast biodiversity through place-based education. In 2014, TRP began collaborating on a city-wide initiative with the Billion Oyster Project and nine other partner organizations to integrate restoration science into Title I middle school curricula through the Curriculum and Community Enterprise for Restoration Science (CCERS). Teachers in the fellowship program attend science workshops and professional developments opportunities to bring the locally relevant topic of oyster restoration into their classrooms. Through this partnership, TRP has expanded its reach beyond the typical 90-minute field trip experience, fostering relationships with teachers through professional developments workshops and in-classroom lessons to support their students’ project-based learning explorations. This confluence of educational activities created a richer, more meaningful learning experience for teachers, students, and TRP educators. 

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