Resolve & Outreach

Assessment of Oyster Fitness Relative to Freshwater Inputs 

The goal of the on-going study is to provide information to water managers that would allow them, when necessary (e.g., drop lake stage before an approaching hurricane), to maximize freshwater discharges without undermining the sustainability of oyster reefs in our estuaries. Accordingly, the objective of the study is to carry out iterative bioassays to determine the longest duration (i.e., consecutive days) that oysters can be exposed to some minimum salinity (e.g., 0‰-5‰, where shells will likely remain closed) followed by a minimum number days of recovery at some higher salinity (alternating stress and recovery over 40 days) for the adult and spat to survive and, for the latter, to continue to grow. Results from these bioassays will be synthesized together with information from the long-term oyster-monitoring program that was carried out by FGCU  to develop a transparent and scientifically defensible decision support tool for managers.