Abstract
Oyster reef restoration efforts increasingly consider not only oyster recruitment, but also the recovery of ecological functions and the prevention of deploying harmful plastics. This study investigated the efficacy of a biodegradable plastic-alternative, BESE-elements®, in supporting oyster reef restoration in east-central Florida (USA) with consideration for how this material also influences biogeochemistry. Four experiments (two laboratory, two field-based) were conducted to evaluate the ability of BESE to serve as a microbial substrate, release nutrients, support oyster recruitment and the development of sediment biogeochemical properties on restored reefs, and degrade under field conditions. The results indicated BESE is as successful as traditional plastic in supporting initial reef development. In the lab, BESE accelerated short-term (10-day) sediment respiration rates 14-fold and released dissolved organic carbon, soluble reactive phosphorus, and nitrate to the surface water (71,156, 1980, and 87% increase, respectively) relative to without BESE, but these effects did not translate into measurable changes in reef sediment nutrient pools under field conditions. BESE lost 7–12% mass in the first year, resulting in a half-life of 4.4–6.7 years. Restoration practitioners should evaluate the biogeochemical properties of biodegradable materials prior to large-scale deployment and consider the fate of the restoration effort once the material degrades.
Highlights
Oysters have economic significance as a harvestable food source, and a keystone species and ecosystem engineer [1]
As oyster reef restoration activities become increasingly common worldwide, the objectives and approaches have expanded to include consideration for a variety of ecosystem services provided by oyster reefs, as well as the impact of the restoration intervention itself
The results demonstrate that BESE is as successful as traditional plastic mats at promoting oyster recruitment and growth without requiring the use of plastics during restoration
Summary
Oysters have economic significance as a harvestable food source, and a keystone species and ecosystem engineer [1]. Oyster reefs attenuate wave energy to reduce shoreline erosion, improve water clarity by removing suspended particulates, promote denitrification, and support nutrient cycling and storage in the sediments [3,4,5,6,7]. In areas where diseases have reduced populations, disease-resistant oysters have been introduced [1,2]. In locations, such as the east coast of central Florida, where recreational boat wakes are responsible for breaking-off and depositing live oyster above the intertidal zone, community-based restoration re-establishes intertidal elevations and secures shells in positions directly above the sediment interface to take advantage of new recruitment on footprints where historic reefs were located [3,4]
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