The Effects of a Simulated Suspended Sediment Plume on Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) Survival, Growth, and Condition

Suedel, Burton C.; Clarke, Joan U.; Wilkens, Justin L.; Lutz, Charles H.; Clarke, Douglas G.

doi:10.1007/s12237-014-9835-0

Cited by 23 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…The mean temperature observed in our mesocosms (27.2°C; Table 3) is within the 15 yr mean temperature range for Virginia (23−29°C) (Southworth & Mann 2014) and for other mid-Atlantic estuaries (19− 31°C) (Kiddon & Buffum 2000). Elevated temperatures (> 30°C) were observed for <10% of the ex periment's duration, indicating that any effects of thermal stress are likely minimal relative to stress due to burial.…”

Section: Mesocosm Conditionssupporting

confidence: 66%

“…The decline in condition index with burial depth could be indicative of either the deterioration of tissue due to metabolic stress and sustained anaerobic conditions or to the investment of energy into shell growth when access to food and oxygen are limited by burial. In contrast, high suspended-sediment loads had little effect on oyster condition index after 7 d (Suedel et al 2014), indicating that sediment deposition and burial are more detrimental to oyster condition index than are high suspended-sediment loads.…”

Section: Sublethal Effectsmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Reef burial can be caused by episodic events such as storms (Livingston et al 1999), run-off (Twichell et al 2010), or dredging (Wilber & Clarke 2001) whose associated deposition can rival or exceed annual rates (Norris 1953, Miller et al 2002, Suedel et al 2014. Winds, waves, and storm surge causes the erosion and mass transport of sediments (Livingston et al 1999), the deposition of which can kill oysters and bury entire reefs (Norris 1953, Miller et al 2002, Twichell et al 2010.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Each year, approximately 400 million m 3 of sediment are dredged throughout the United States to maintain channels (Jones & Lee 1981). Dredged sediments produce a plume that increases suspended sediment concentrations and affects areas up to 500 m from the dredge site (Wilber & Clarke 2001, Suedel et al 2014. Suspended sediments can abrade gill tissues, inflicting metabolic stress (Suedel et al 2014), and associated deposition may increase oyster mortality by 40% (Rose 1973).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Dredged sediments produce a plume that increases suspended sediment concentrations and affects areas up to 500 m from the dredge site (Wilber & Clarke 2001, Suedel et al 2014. Suspended sediments can abrade gill tissues, inflicting metabolic stress (Suedel et al 2014), and associated deposition may increase oyster mortality by 40% (Rose 1973). Despite the presumed importance of sediment deposition on oyster reef persistence (Jordan-Cooley et al 2011), few studies have addressed burial effects quantitatively and results of those studies have been variable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lethal and sublethal effects of sediment burial on the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica

Colden¹,

Lipcius²

2015

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Eastern oysters Crassostrea virginica are dominant ecosystem engineers that construct complex reefs in estuarine systems. Reef persistence relies on reef growth, which must outpace reef degradation and sediment deposition. The quantitative impact of burial on oyster survival and sublethal effects of sediment deposition are undefined. In this mesocosm study, we quantified effects of partial and complete burial (0, 50, 70, 90, and 110% of oyster shell height) on survival, biodeposition, condition index and growth of oysters (shell height = 25−75 mm). Survival only declined significantly when 90% or more of an oyster was buried; the critical burial depth inducing 50% mortality was 108%. This finding will allow scaling of mortality rates of oysters as a function of sediment load and oyster size. Biodeposition and condition index were negatively related to burial depth, whereas shell growth increased with burial depth. Decreases in biodeposition and condition index were likely related to disruption of feeding by burial and reallocation of energy resources to shell growth. The increase in shell growth was analogous to vertical migration of infaunal species -buried oysters increased vertical shell growth to breach the sediment surface to feed and respire, at the expense of tissue growth. While oysters are tolerant of partial burial in terms of survival, burial adversely affects metabolic processes that influence demographic rates and reef persistence. Future management efforts should consider the effects of partial burial, which often occur more frequently than catastrophic burial events causing mass mortality.

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Section: Mesocosm Conditionssupporting

confidence: 66%

Section: Sublethal Effectsmentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Lethal and sublethal effects of sediment burial on the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica

Colden¹,

Lipcius²

2015

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Resuspended contaminated sediments cause sublethal stress to oysters: A biomarker differentiates total suspended solids and contaminant effects

Edge

Dafforn

Simpson

et al. 2015

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Resuspended contaminated sediments represent an important route of contaminant exposure for aquatic organisms. During resuspension events, filter-feeding organisms are exposed to contaminants, in both the dissolved form (at the gills) and the particulate form (in the digestive system). In addition, these organisms must manage the physical stress associated with an increase in total suspended solids (TSS). To date, few studies have experimentally compared the contributions to biological stress of contaminated and clean suspended solids. The authors mixed field-collected sediments (<63 μm) from clean and contaminated field sites to create 4 treatments of increasing metal concentrations. Sydney rock oysters were then exposed to sediment treatments at different TSS concentrations for 4 d, and cellular biomarkers (lysosomal membrane stability, lipid peroxidation, and glutathione) were measured to evaluate sublethal toxicity. Lysosomal membrane stability was the most sensitive biomarker for distinguishing effects from resuspended contaminated sediments, as increasing amounts of contaminated TSS increased lysosomal membrane destabilization. The authors' results illustrate the importance of considering contaminant exposures from resuspended sediments when assessing the toxicity of contaminants to aquatic organisms.

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Sediment dynamics and implications for management: State of the science from long‐term research in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA

et al. 2020

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This review aims to synthesize the current knowledge of sediment dynamics using insights from long‐term research conducted in the watershed draining to the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the U.S., to inform management actions to restore the estuary and its watershed. The sediment dynamics of the Chesapeake are typical of many impaired watersheds and estuaries around the world, and this synthesis is intended to be relevant and transferable to other sediment‐impaired systems. The watershed's sediment sources, transport, delivery, and impacts are discussed with implications for effectively implementing best management practices (BMPs) to mitigate sediment issues. This synthesis revealed three key issues to consider when planning actions to reduce sediment loading: Scale, time, and land use. Geology and historical land use generated a template that current land use and climate, in addition to management, are acting upon to control sediment delivery. Important sediment sources in the Chesapeake include the Piedmont physiographic region, urban, and agricultural land use, and streambank erosion of headwater streams, whereas floodplain trapping is important along larger streams and rivers. Implementation of BMPs is widespread and is predicted to lead to decreased sediment loading; however, reworking of legacy sediment stored in stream valleys, with potentially long residence times in storage, can delay and complicate detection of the effects of BMPs on sediment loads. In conclusion, the improved understanding of sediment sources, storage areas, and transport lag times reviewed here can help target choices of BMP types and locations to better manage sediment problems—for both local streams and receiving waters. This article is categorized under: Science of Water > Water Quality Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems Water and Life > Conservation, Management, and Awareness

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The Effects of a Simulated Suspended Sediment Plume on Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) Survival, Growth, and Condition

Cited by 23 publications

References 34 publications

Lethal and sublethal effects of sediment burial on the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica

Lethal and sublethal effects of sediment burial on the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica

Resuspended contaminated sediments cause sublethal stress to oysters: A biomarker differentiates total suspended solids and contaminant effects

Sediment dynamics and implications for management: State of the science from long‐term research in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA

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