Update on the natural based oyster mats. First let me remind you of the scientific question.
Is there a cost effective method of creating a natural oyster mat vs a plastic oyster mat?
So it was broke down into two parts: 
Method & Time + Material & Cost
BUT: Before I get into the results let me explain why we should care !
What is Known about oysters
They filter our water naturally, provide habitat & food for other marine life, add stability to our coastal areas and provide food for us and jobs in the fishery industry. 85% of the oyster reefs are gone and is the most severely effected marine ecosystem in the world.
Oysters in their natural environment
and the natural base solution
"So the results of my findings"
While the numbers show promise, the effectiveness is still a work in progress, I will continue my research through the summer by deploying them and watching for development of attachment of spat. Log any and all growth patterns as well as salinity, water temperature and anything else that might be of significance.
Does depth play a role in how fast new growth appears?
ReplyDeleteDo oysters half to spend any of their time out of water, does it matter?
Answers to Questions for Blog
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Dear Joseph Benet,
Jody first let me say how good it is to hear from you and that you are keeping up with the Blog and your research. I got your question, but please accept my apology for not getting my response out sooner, also I thought your questions would be easy, but I have found them to be more complicated then I had anticipated.
Question: 1 > Does depth play a role in how fast new growth appears?
Question: 2 > Do oysters half to spend any of their time out of water and does it matter?
I wanted to be able to answer these questions with a simple “yes” or “no” but as science would have it, that was not the case. The adaptability of the oyster is simple, like a camel in the desert, but unlike a camel the environment of the oyster has different elements which all or part of has to do with its survival. In my search to answer your question with a certain “yes and no” factor became a quest, searching many different avenues, including biology, history and research papers that specifically referred to oyster in various depths (littoral zones) and if time out of water mattered.
Question #1 – to answer this question to the best of my understanding is that at different stages of the oyster’s life (from larvae to spat to full establishment) water flow is the most important, but not necessarily a constant water flow as would be found in depths such as the low tide zone or sub-tidal zone. Oysters were design to take harsh or stressful environmental conditions and thrive, therefore different depths can be particularly helpful in fast growth spurts, but not so much in other stages in their survival for life. New growth and how fast they appear depends mostly on the cycle of life, for example, predation, weather conditions, and water conditions.
Question #2 – to answer this is question is best said that not all oysters have to spend time out of water, but they do best in mid-intertidal areas where the tides come and go twice a day. This type of environment helps with oxygen, diseases and upwelling of nutrients.
Robin--you are now a CUR! :-)
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