Submarine groundwater discharge interacts with creek geomorphology to affect eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica growth rates in a coastal Georgia creek.

ABSTRACT: Eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica, are commercially important coastal species that provide many ecosystem services for coastal communities. Unfortunately, 85% of oyster reefs have been lost globally, prompting investments in restoration efforts to rebuild populations. Managers often consider several well-studied environmental and water quality parameters when making restoration site decisions. However, recent research suggests that submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) may play a role in driving the distribution of oysters in some estuaries. Specifically, SGD may result in localized areas of low dissolved oxygen and low pH that could inhibit oyster recruitment and survival. However, SGD may interact with other potential oyster stressors, including creek geomorphology. On point

SUBMITTER: Carroll JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10405797 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature