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R/F-92
A Genetic Analysis of Oyster Recruitment Patterns in Chesapeake Bay
Principal Investigator:
Matthew P. HareStart/End Year:
2002 - 2004Institution:
University of Maryland, College ParkCo-Principal Investigator:
Kennedy T. Paynter, Jr., University of Maryland, College ParkTopic(s):
Description:
Several concrete objectives will be met by this work. First, spatial variation across Chesapeake Bay will be examined more extensively and with larger samples than previously, using multiple DNA markers that have proven useful in other oyster studies, and using a sampling strategy that supports tests of isolation by distance. Second, we will examine the extent to which recruitment processes create temporal variation by comparing adults and new recruits at each site. This study is preliminary in that it is designed to reveal genetic patterns that can be informative about demographic processes. The uncertainty associated with previous Chesapeake oyster studies, and the recent changes in the population warrants this preliminary approach.
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Featured Fellow
Leone Yisrael is a cephalopod-loving scuba diver, cook, and loves to try new activities. She conducts genetic analysis and fieldwork at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center through the Coastal Disease Ecology Lab.
Featured Research Project
Exploring the Use of Benthic Microbial Fuel Cells to Remove Sulfide While Harvesting Energy from Oyster Aquaculture Biodeposits
Oyster aquaculture is a rapidly growing industry in Maryland’s Chesapeake waters which stimulates economic activity and may provide a host of ecosystem benefits. A potential concern associated with the intensification of the oyster aquaculture is the local production and accumulation of oyster biodeposits, which can lead to a porewater sulfide accumulation and declining bioturbation, symptoms of declining ecosystem function. Sulfide is naturally removed from the seafloor by the interactions between bioturbating infauna and sulfide oxidizing bacteria.
