A scientific framework for conservation aquaculture: A case study of oyster restoration in central California

Wasson, Kerstin; Gossard, Daniel J.; Gardner, Luke D.; Hain, Peter R.; Zabin, Chela J.; Fork, Susanne; Ridlon, April D.; Bible, Jillian M.; Deck, Anna; Hughes, Brent B.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108745

Cited by 18 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“… 2017 ). Relatedly, certain foundation species, such as oysters, are often recruitment limited (Wasson 2016 ), presenting unique conservation challenges (Wasson 2020 , Ridlon 2021 ). Thus, expectations for the rate of recovery of ecosystem services should be tailored to the life history and demography of different foundation species and habitat types.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, coral reef species are typically long lived and slow growing (Young and Schopmeyer 2012, Ladd et al 2018, Ladd and Burkepile 2019; consequently, returning reefs to predisturbance conditions can take 5+ yr (Hein et al 2021), sometimes decades (Jaap 2000, Victoria-Salazar et al 2017. Relatedly, certain foundation species, such as oysters, are often recruitment limited (Wasson 2016), presenting unique conservation challenges (Wasson 2020, Ridlon 2021. Thus, expectations for the rate of recovery of ecosystem services should be tailored to the life history and demography of different foundation species and habitat types.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Rapid enhancement of multiple ecosystem services following the restoration of a coastal foundation species

Beheshti

Williams

Boyer

et al. 2021

Ecological Applications

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The global decline of marine foundation species (kelp forests, mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses) has contributed to the degradation of the coastal zone and threatens the loss of critical ecosystem services and functions. Restoration of marine foundation species has had variable success, especially for seagrasses, where a majority of restoration efforts have failed. While most seagrass restorations track structural attributes over time, rarely do restorations assess the suite of ecological functions that may be affected by restoration. Here we report on the results of two small‐scale experimental seagrass restoration efforts in a central California estuary where we transplanted 117 0.25‐m2 plots (2,340 shoots) of the seagrass species Zostera marina. We quantified restoration success relative to persistent reference beds, and in comparison to unrestored, unvegetated areas. Within three years, our restored plots expanded ~8,500%, from a total initial area of 29 to 2,513 m2. The restored beds rapidly began to resemble the reference beds in (1) seagrass structural attributes (canopy height, shoot density, biomass), (2) ecological functions (macrofaunal species richness and abundance, epifaunal species richness, nursery function), and (3) biogeochemical functions (modulation of water quality). We also developed a multifunctionality index to assess cumulative functional performance, which revealed restored plots are intermediate between reference and unvegetated habitats, illustrating how rapidly multiple functions recovered over a short time period. Our comprehensive study is one of few published studies to quantify how seagrass restoration can enhance both biological and biogeochemical functions. Our study serves as a model for quantifying ecosystem services associated with the restoration of a foundation species and demonstrates the potential for rapid functional recovery that can be achieved through targeted restoration of fast‐growing foundation species under suitable conditions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid enhancement of multiple ecosystem services following the restoration of a coastal foundation species

Beheshti

Williams

Boyer

et al. 2021

Ecological Applications

Self Cite

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“…Both are in areas where genetic analyses suggest isolation is high, with limited connectivity to other populations [ 50 ]. Restoration incorporating aquaculture has been attempted in both places [ 36 , 79 ]. We recommend scaling up these efforts until populations there are self-sustaining, large enough, and located in areas of higher residence time so that successful recruitment occurs at least in some locations in the estuary in most years.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In fact, conservation aquaculture is likely to be of greatest benefit in supporting imperiled populations where reproduction is a key bottleneck to population growth, and where conditions are favorable for survival of juveniles [ 36 ]. Aquaculture is only one of many conservation tools and may be most effectively used for species recovery when integrated into a holistic management strategy (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first conservation hatchery for this species, the Chew Center, was established in 2013, increasing capacity for restoration efforts in Washington via a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Puget Sound Restoration Fund. A few aquaculture-assisted restoration projects have since been employed in central California and Oregon where estuary-wide recruitment failure is common [ 27 , 36 ]. However, the majority of projects throughout the species’ range have not utilized aquaculture to restore or enhance populations [ 28 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conservation aquaculture as a tool for imperiled marine species: Evaluation of opportunities and risks for Olympia oysters, Ostrea lurida

et al. 2021

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Conservation aquaculture is becoming an important tool to support the recovery of declining marine species and meet human needs. However, this tool comes with risks as well as rewards, which must be assessed to guide aquaculture activities and recovery efforts. Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida) provide key ecosystem functions and services along the west coast of North America, but populations have declined to the point of local extinction in some estuaries. Here, we present a species-level, range-wide approach to strategically planning the use of aquaculture to promote recovery of Olympia oysters. We identified 12 benefits of culturing Olympia oysters, including identifying climate-resilient phenotypes that add diversity to growers’ portfolios. We also identified 11 key risks, including potential negative ecological and genetic consequences associated with the transfer of hatchery-raised oysters into wild populations. Informed by these trade-offs, we identified ten priority estuaries where aquaculture is most likely to benefit Olympia oyster recovery. The two highest scoring estuaries have isolated populations with extreme recruitment limitation—issues that can be addressed via aquaculture if hatchery capacity is expanded in priority areas. By integrating social criteria, we evaluated which project types would likely meet the goals of local stakeholders in each estuary. Community restoration was most broadly suited to the priority areas, with limited commercial aquaculture and no current community harvest of the species, although this is a future stakeholder goal. The framework we developed to evaluate aquaculture as a tool to support species recovery is transferable to other systems and species globally; we provide a guide to prioritizing local knowledge and developing recommendations for implementation by using transparent criteria. Our collaborative process engaging diverse stakeholders including managers, scientists, Indigenous Tribal representatives, and shellfish growers can be used elsewhere to seek win-win opportunities to expand conservation aquaculture where benefits are maximized for both people and imperiled species.

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Strategies for managing marine disease

Glidden

Field

Bachhuber

et al. 2022

Ecological Applications

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The incidence of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) has increased in wildlife populations in recent years and is expected to continue to increase with global environmental change. Marine diseases are relatively understudied compared to terrestrial diseases but warrant parallel attention as they can disrupt ecosystems, cause economic loss, and threaten human livelihoods. While there are many existing tools to combat the direct and indirect consequences of EIDs, these management strategies are often insufficient or ineffective in marine habitats compared to their terrestrial counterparts, often due to fundamental differences between marine and terrestrial systems. Here, we first illustrate how the marine environment and marine organism life histories present challenges and opportunities for wildlife disease management. We then assess the application of common disease management strategies to marine versus terrestrial systems to identify those that may be most effective for marine disease outbreak prevention, response, and recovery. Finally, we recommend multiple actions that will enable more successful management of marine wildlife disease emergencies in the future. These include prioritizing marine disease research and understanding its links to climate change, improving marine ecosystem health, forming better monitoring and response networks, developing marine veterinary medicine programs, and enacting policy that addresses marine and other wildlife diseases. Overall, we encourage a more proactive rather than reactive approach to marine wildlife disease management and emphasize that multi-disciplinary collaborations are crucial to managing marine wildlife health.

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A scientific framework for conservation aquaculture: A case study of oyster restoration in central California

Cited by 18 publications

References 41 publications

Rapid enhancement of multiple ecosystem services following the restoration of a coastal foundation species

Rapid enhancement of multiple ecosystem services following the restoration of a coastal foundation species

Conservation aquaculture as a tool for imperiled marine species: Evaluation of opportunities and risks for Olympia oysters, Ostrea lurida

Strategies for managing marine disease

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