Citizen Scientists Tend Oyster Gardens

Australia's first 'oyster farming' project has shown that the practice benefits the environment and could be an easy way for citizen scientists to improve the marine environment.

doctor. Lisa Bostrom-Einarson is a principal investigator at James Cook University. He said oyster farming is a community activity where oysters are raised in cages suspended from piers, buoys or other coastal infrastructure.

d said Bostrom Einarson.

He said oyster farming could provide mature oysters for recovery programs, provide habitat for fish and invertebrates, and improve local water clarity and nutrient cycling.

“We provided 30 houses on the Bribie Island Channel in Moreton Bay with two types of oyster beds (small plastic cages). These were propagated from floating pontoons. One cage contained only Sydney oysters and the other a mixture of Sydney oysters and oyster leaves. Oysters co-author said Dr. Ben Diggles, who led the gardening project, called "hairy mussels."

A year later, scientists said that the cages contained various types of invertebrates and fish.

Oyster beds are likely to be a shelter from predators and a food source provided by invertebrate and pollinator communities.

“Oyster farms in channel areas provide islands of complex structure with vast reef-like areas for the historic rubber oyster,” said Dr. Diggles.

He said cages containing a mixture of all three types of oysters supported greater abundance and species richness of invertebrates and fish than cages containing only Sydney oysters.

“Research shows that oyster farming provides a unique opportunity for people to engage in citizen science. Australia has the largest area of live canals in the world.

“Oyster farming is an ideal for citizen science and a great way to enhance the habitat value of man-made ecosystems such as the canal features,” said Dr. Diggles.

The article was published in the Journal of Environmental Management and Restoration .

Further information: Lisa Boström-Einarsson et al, Environmental assessment of Australia's first oyster beds, Environmental Management and Restoration (2023). DOI: 10.1111/Name.12565

Citation : Citizen Scientists Tend Oyster Gardens (February 10, 2023) Retrieved February 10, 2023 from https://phys.org/news/2023-02-citizen-scientists-tend-oyster-gardens.html.

This document is subject to copyright. No part may be reproduced without written permission except in fair dealings for personal study or research. The content is provided for informational purposes only.