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1. Oyster fauna lengths, counts, and biomass from restored and reference reefs in Virginia coastal bays, 2005-2023

   https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/d68de69f29cee5f737313a07f813f245  

   Lusk, Bo; Smith, Rachel; Castorani, Max_C N (January 2024, Environmental Data Initiative)

   Oyster reef fauna counts and lengths were sampled at natural "reference" reefs and restored shell plant reefs located in the Virginia Coast Reserve. Overfishing and disease decimated oyster reefs in the Virginia Coast Reserve in the 1900s. Reference reefs were defined as remnant reefs that naturally recovered in the early 2000s to develop the pronounced vertical structure and multiple oyster size classes that represent the desired endpoint of restoration efforts. Nearly every year since 2003, The Nature Conservancy and Virginia Marine Resource Commission have constructed oyster reefs in intertidal areas in the VCR. To construct the restored reefs, practitioners launched dredged, fossilized oyster shell from barges to intertidal locations chosen for their bottom stability and accessibility (locations lacked oysters prior to construction). Whelk shell supplemented the oyster shell at some of the restored reefs. TNC practitioners monitor select restored and reference reefs annually for adult and spat live oysters, adult and spat box oysters, mud crabs, mud snails, oyster drills, live clams, and mussels. 

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2. Oyster recruitment to standardized ceramic tiles on the Virginia Coast in 2018, 2019, and 2021

   https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/e91f1e6687fd94647be491d6616fb430  

   Castorani, Max_C N; Tedford-Callahan, Kinsey N (January 2025, Environmental Data Initiative)

   This dataset contains measurements of Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) recruitment to standardized ceramic tiles deployed across intertidal oyster reef sites in the Virginia Coast Reserve. Recruitment is defined as the number of macroscopic oyster recruits (less than or equal to 25 mm shell height) per square centimeter of tile surface, capturing settlement and early post-settlement survival. Data were collected in 2018, 2019, and 2021 across 9-16 reef sites per year, including both natural and restored reefs. The dataset supports research on spatial and environmental drivers of oyster recruitment and has been validated against natural reef substrate data for comparability. 

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3. Salt marsh shoreline geomorphology influences the success of restored oyster reefs and use by associated fauna

   https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.12992  

   Keller, Danielle A.; Gittman, Rachel K.; Brodeur, Michelle C.; Kenworthy, Matthew D.; Ridge, Justin T.; Yeager, Lauren A.; Rodriguez, Antonio B.; Fodrie, F. Joel (July 2019, Restoration Ecology)

   Restoration is increasingly implemented as a strategy to mitigate global declines in biogenic habitats, such as salt marshes and oyster reefs. Restoration efforts could be improved if we knew how site characteristics at landscape scales affect the ecological success of these foundation species. In this study, we determined how salt marsh shoreline geomorphologies (e.g. with variable hydrodynamic energy, fetch, erosion rates, and slopes) affect the success of restored intertidal oyster reefs, as well as how fauna utilize restored reefs and forage along marsh habitats. We constructed oyster reefs along three marsh shoreline geomorphologies in May 2012: 1) “creek” (small‐fetch, gradual‐sloped shoreline), “ramp” (large‐fetch, gradual‐sloped shoreline), and “scarp” (large‐fetch, steep‐sloped shoreline). Following recruitment, oyster spat density was greatest on ramp reefs; however, 2 years later, the highest adult oyster densities were found on creek reefs. Total nekton and blue crab catch rates in trawl nets were highest in the creek, while piscivore catch rates in gill nets were highest along the scarp shoreline. We found no difference in predation on snails in the salt marsh behind constructed reef and nonconstructed reference sites, but there were more snails consumed in the creek shoreline, which corresponded with the distribution of their major predator—blue crabs. We conclude that oyster reef construction was most successful for oysters in small‐fetch, gradual‐sloped, creek environments. However, nekton abundance did not always follow the same trends as oyster density, which could suggest constructed reefs may offer similar habitat‐related functions (prey availability and refuge) already present along existing salt marsh borders. 

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4. Influence of oyster reefs on infauna and sediment spatial distributions within intertidal mudflats

   https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13983  

   Hogan, S; Murphy, EAK; Volaric, MP; Castorani, MCN; Berg, P; Reidenbach, MA (March 2022, Marine Ecology Progress Series)

   Oysters are described as estuarine ecosystem engineers because their reef structures provide habitat for a variety of flora and fauna, alter hydrodynamics, and affect sediment composition. To what spatial extent oyster reefs influence surrounding infauna and sediment composition remains uncertain. We sampled sediment and infauna across 8 intertidal mudflats at distances up to 100 m from oyster reefs within coastal bays of Virginia, USA, to determine if distance from reefs and physical site characteristics (reef elevation, local hydrodynamics, and oyster cover) explain the spatial distributions of infauna and sediment. Total infauna density increased with distance away from reefs; however, the opposite was observed for predatory crustaceans (primarily crabs). Our results indicate a halo surrounding the reefs of approximately 40 m (using an increase in ~25% of observance as the halo criterion). At 90 m from reefs, bivalves and gastropods were 70% more likely to be found (probability of observance), while there was an approximate 4-fold decrease for large crustaceans compared to locations adjacent to reefs. Increases in percent oyster reef cover and/or mean reef area did not statistically alter infauna densities but showed a statistical correlation with smaller sediment grain size, increased organic matter, and reduced flow rates. Weaker flow conditions within the surrounding mudflats were also associated with smaller grain sizes and higher organic matter content, suggesting multiple drivers on the spatial distribution of sediment composition. This study emphasizes the complexity of bio-physical couplings and the considerable spatial extent over which oyster reefs engineer intertidal communities. 

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5. Hydrodynamics, elevation, and restoration history structure intertidal oyster recruitment

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-025-02126-9  

   Tedford-Callahan, Kinsey N; Smith, Rachel S; Lusk, Bowdoin W; Castorani, Max_C N (June 2025, Landscape Ecology)

   Context Reversing global declines of foundation species requires recovery of critical bottlenecks in population dynamics, particularly the recruitment of early life stages. Understanding the controls on recruitment can substantially improve restoration success. Objectives We investigated how geophysical conditions and restoration history determine recruitment in eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), a foundation species requiring substantial restoration efforts following severe, widespread losses. Methods Over 3 years, we measured annual oyster recruitment to standardized ceramic tiles on 9–16 intertidal reefs in coastal Virginia, USA. We paired these measurements with an 18-year time series of recruitment to natural substrate on 8 natural reference reefs and 44 restored reefs (0–16 years post-construction). Results Recruitment to tiles was highly correlated with recruitment to natural substrate, validating our methodology. Recruitment was positively spatially autocorrelated within 1 km and increased 9–14 × with moderate wind fetch. A one-meter increase in substrate elevation tripled recruitment. Recruitment was 4 × higher on natural reefs compared to restored reefs, regardless of elapsed time since restoration. Geospatial model predictions identified 6% (24 km2) of intertidal areas as highly suitable for oyster recruitment, offering a refined target for restoration practitioners. Conclusions By integrating multi-year field studies, long-term monitoring, and habitat suitability modeling, our research identified environmental conditions favorable for oyster recruitment, offering insights that could enhance restoration planning and population resilience. Our findings provide actionable insights for optimizing oyster restoration by targeting areas with favorable wind fetch and elevation. These results offer valuable guidance for spatial planning in restoration and may inform strategies for other species where recruitment limits restoration success. 

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