Archaeology, taphonomy, and historical ecology of Chesapeake Bay blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus)

Rick, Torben C.; Ogburn, Matthew B.; Kramer, Margaret A.; McCanty, Sean T.; Reeder-Myers, Leslie; Miller, Henry M.; Hines, Anson H.

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2014.12.016

Cited by 13 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…), and the same species used in an archaeological study on land also resulted in claws being most resistant to decay (Rick et al . ). Burial experiments using the crab Panopeus sp.…”

Section: Previous Taphonomic Experiments Involving Marine Macroarthromentioning

confidence: 97%

Comparative experimental taphonomy of eight marine arthropods indicates distinct differences in preservation potential

2017

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Global biodiversity patterns in deep time can only be understood fully when the relative preservation potential of each clade is known. The relative preservation potential of marine arthropod clades, a diverse and ecologically important component of modern and past ecosystems, is poorly known. We tackled this issue by carrying out a 205-day long comprehensive, comparative, taphonomic experiment in a laboratory by scoring up to ten taphonomic characters for multiple specimens of seven crustacean and one chelicerate species (two true crabs, one shrimp, one lobster, one hermit crab, one stomatopod, one barnacle and one horseshoe crab). Although the results are preliminary because we used a single experimental setup and algal growth partially hampered observations, some parts of hermit crabs, stomatopods, swimming crabs and barnacles decayed slowly relative to other parts, implying differential preservation potentials within species, largely consistent with the fossil record of these groups. An inferred parasitic isopod, manifested by a bopyriform swelling within a hermit crab carapace, decayed relatively fast.We found limited variation in the decay rate between conspecifics, and we did not observe size-related trends in decay rate. Conversely, substantial differences in the decay rate between species were seen after c. 50 days, with shrimps and stomatopods decaying fastest, suggesting a relatively low preservation potential, whereas the lobster, calico crabs, horseshoe crabs and barnacles showed relatively slow decay rates, suggesting a higher preservation potential. These results are supported by two modern and fossil record-based preservation potential metrics that are significantly correlated to decay rate ranks. Furthermore, we speculate that stemward slippage may not be ubiquitous in marine arthropods. Our results imply that diversity studies of true crabs, lobsters, horseshoe crabs and barnacles are more likely to yield patterns that are closer to their true biodiversity patterns than those for stomatopods, shrimps and hermit crabs.

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“…), and the same species used in an archaeological study on land also resulted in claws being most resistant to decay (Rick et al . ). Burial experiments using the crab Panopeus sp.…”

Section: Previous Taphonomic Experiments Involving Marine Macroarthromentioning

confidence: 97%

Comparative experimental taphonomy of eight marine arthropods indicates distinct differences in preservation potential

2017

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“…Consequently, the restoration reef sites harbored high oyster densities both historically and in recent times, and are suitable for restoration. The utility of historical ecology in conservation and restoration has become much more prominent in recent years (Jackson et al, 2001;Lotze and Worm, 2009), and can be applied to species with written records, as we have done, or with archaeological or paleontological information, as done for the blue crab (Rick et al, 2015).…”

Section: Historical and Recent Oyster Abundancementioning

confidence: 99%

Overcoming restoration paradigms: value of the historical record and metapopulation dynamics in native oyster restoration

et al. 2015

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Restoration strategies for native oyster populations rely on multiple sources of information, which often conflict due to time-and space-varying patterns in abundance and distribution. For instance, strategies based on population connectivity and disease resistance can differ, and extant and historical records of abundance and distribution are often at odds, such that the optimal strategy is unclear and valuable restoration sites may be excluded from consideration. This was the case for the Lynnhaven River subestuary of lower Chesapeake Bay, which was deemed unsuitable for Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) restoration based on physical conditions, disease challenge, and extant oyster abundance. Consequently, we (i) evaluated previously unknown historical data from the 1800s, (ii) quantified extant oyster recruitment and abundance, physical conditions, and disease presence on constructed restoration reefs and alternative substrates, and (iii) assessed simulations from biophysical models to identify potential restoration sites in the metapopulation. The collective data distinguished numerous restoration sites (i) in the polyhaline zone (salinity 18.4-22.2) where disease resistance is evolving, (ii) where oysters were abundant in the late 1800s-early 1900s, (iii) of recent high recruitment, abundance and survival, despite consistent and elevated disease challenge, and (iv) interconnected as a metapopulation via larval dispersal. Moreover, a network of constructed restoration reefs met size structure, abundance and biomass standards of restoration success. These findings demonstrate that assumptions about the suitability of sites for oyster restoration based on individual processes can be severely flawed, and that in-depth examination of multiple processes and sources of information are required for oyster reef restoration plans to maximize success. We use these findings and previous information to recommend a strategy for successful restoration of subtidal oyster reefs throughout the range of the Eastern Oyster.

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“…This work is part of a larger research program (Reeder-Myers et al., 2016; Rick et al., 2015b, 2016, 2017) on Chesapeake Bay shell middens and other sites through examining the technologies recovered from six of these sites. While these other studies primarily focused on the shell and vertebrate remains recovered at these sites, this study looks at the ways in which the analysis of technologies employed by Native Americans and Euroamericans can provide us with a more clear and detailed picture of the human consumption of coastal and estuarine resources at these sites.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shell middens and human technologies as a historical baseline for the Chesapeake Bay, USA

Jansen

2018

North American Archaeologist

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The Chesapeake Bay has an archaeological record that dates from the Paleoindian period to the early 20th century. In this paper, the research and analysis of artifact technologies recovered from six radiocarbon (14C) dated shell middens located at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Maryland is provided. This paper demonstrates the ways in which the use of artifact analysis and 14C dating can provide information on human use of coastal resources, settlement-subsistence patterns, and serve as a tool to document sites threatened by coastal processes. Furthermore, this work demonstrates the ways in which the analysis of technologies from shell midden sites can be used to help guide contemporary oyster and other fisheries and natural resources management, restoration, conservation, and sustainability issues in the Chesapeake and other coastal areas.

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Archaeology, taphonomy, and historical ecology of Chesapeake Bay blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus)

Cited by 13 publications

References 18 publications

Comparative experimental taphonomy of eight marine arthropods indicates distinct differences in preservation potential

Comparative experimental taphonomy of eight marine arthropods indicates distinct differences in preservation potential

Overcoming restoration paradigms: value of the historical record and metapopulation dynamics in native oyster restoration

Shell middens and human technologies as a historical baseline for the Chesapeake Bay, USA

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