Assessing the Efficacy of a Bouchot-Style Shellfish Reef as a Restoration Option in a Temperate Estuary
Shellfish reefs around the world have become degraded, and recent efforts have focused on restoring these valuable habitats. This study is the first to assess the efficacy of a bouchot-style reef, where mussels were seeded onto wooden stakes and deployed in a hypereutrophic estuary in Australia. Whi...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/1/87 |
| _version_ | 1797343324678389760 |
|---|---|
| author | Charles Maus Alan Cottingham Andrew Bossie James R. Tweedley |
| author_facet | Charles Maus Alan Cottingham Andrew Bossie James R. Tweedley |
| author_sort | Charles Maus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Shellfish reefs around the world have become degraded, and recent efforts have focused on restoring these valuable habitats. This study is the first to assess the efficacy of a bouchot-style reef, where mussels were seeded onto wooden stakes and deployed in a hypereutrophic estuary in Australia. While >60% of translocated mussels survived one month, after ten months, only 2% remained alive, with this mortality being accompanied, at least initially, by declining body condition. Mussel survival, growth, body condition and recruitment were greater on the top section of the stake, implying that the distance from the substrate was important. More fish species inhabited the reefs (31) than unstructured control sites (17). Reefs were also colonised by a range of invertebrate species, including 11 native and six non-indigenous species. However, the number of individuals declined from 4495 individuals from 14 species in December 2019 to 35 individuals representing 4 species in March 2021, likely due to hypoxic bottom water conditions following unseasonal rainfall. Although the bouchot-style reefs were unable to sustain mussels and other invertebrates over sequential years, this approach has the potential to be successful if deployed in shallow water or intertidal zones, which are largely exempt from biotic and abiotic stressors characteristic of deeper waters in microtidal estuaries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:45:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-193dd0fff78a4681bf201d7051ab11f7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:45:58Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-193dd0fff78a4681bf201d7051ab11f72024-01-26T17:15:35ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122024-01-011218710.3390/jmse12010087Assessing the Efficacy of a Bouchot-Style Shellfish Reef as a Restoration Option in a Temperate EstuaryCharles Maus0Alan Cottingham1Andrew Bossie2James R. Tweedley3Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, AustraliaCentre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, AustraliaCentre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, AustraliaCentre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, AustraliaShellfish reefs around the world have become degraded, and recent efforts have focused on restoring these valuable habitats. This study is the first to assess the efficacy of a bouchot-style reef, where mussels were seeded onto wooden stakes and deployed in a hypereutrophic estuary in Australia. While >60% of translocated mussels survived one month, after ten months, only 2% remained alive, with this mortality being accompanied, at least initially, by declining body condition. Mussel survival, growth, body condition and recruitment were greater on the top section of the stake, implying that the distance from the substrate was important. More fish species inhabited the reefs (31) than unstructured control sites (17). Reefs were also colonised by a range of invertebrate species, including 11 native and six non-indigenous species. However, the number of individuals declined from 4495 individuals from 14 species in December 2019 to 35 individuals representing 4 species in March 2021, likely due to hypoxic bottom water conditions following unseasonal rainfall. Although the bouchot-style reefs were unable to sustain mussels and other invertebrates over sequential years, this approach has the potential to be successful if deployed in shallow water or intertidal zones, which are largely exempt from biotic and abiotic stressors characteristic of deeper waters in microtidal estuaries.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/1/87mytilidsmussel reef restorationnon-indigenous speciesstructured habitatinvertebrate communitiesabiotic factors |
| spellingShingle | Charles Maus Alan Cottingham Andrew Bossie James R. Tweedley Assessing the Efficacy of a Bouchot-Style Shellfish Reef as a Restoration Option in a Temperate Estuary Journal of Marine Science and Engineering mytilids mussel reef restoration non-indigenous species structured habitat invertebrate communities abiotic factors |
| title | Assessing the Efficacy of a Bouchot-Style Shellfish Reef as a Restoration Option in a Temperate Estuary |
| title_full | Assessing the Efficacy of a Bouchot-Style Shellfish Reef as a Restoration Option in a Temperate Estuary |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the Efficacy of a Bouchot-Style Shellfish Reef as a Restoration Option in a Temperate Estuary |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the Efficacy of a Bouchot-Style Shellfish Reef as a Restoration Option in a Temperate Estuary |
| title_short | Assessing the Efficacy of a Bouchot-Style Shellfish Reef as a Restoration Option in a Temperate Estuary |
| title_sort | assessing the efficacy of a bouchot style shellfish reef as a restoration option in a temperate estuary |
| topic | mytilids mussel reef restoration non-indigenous species structured habitat invertebrate communities abiotic factors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/1/87 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT charlesmaus assessingtheefficacyofabouchotstyleshellfishreefasarestorationoptioninatemperateestuary AT alancottingham assessingtheefficacyofabouchotstyleshellfishreefasarestorationoptioninatemperateestuary AT andrewbossie assessingtheefficacyofabouchotstyleshellfishreefasarestorationoptioninatemperateestuary AT jamesrtweedley assessingtheefficacyofabouchotstyleshellfishreefasarestorationoptioninatemperateestuary |