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Assessment of Eastern Oysters,Assessment of Eastern Oysters,Crassostrea virginicaCrassostrea virginica, at an , at an
Environmental Enhancement Project AreaEnvironmental Enhancement Project Areain Lake Worth Lagoon, Floridain Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida
John Scarpa and Susan LaramoreJohn Scarpa and Susan LaramoreHarbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
at Florida Atlantic Universityat Florida Atlantic University
Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement ProgramAquaculture and Stock Enhancement Program
Ft. Pierce, FloridaFt. Pierce, Florida
Presented atPresented at
1313thth International Conference on Shellfish Restoration International Conference on Shellfish Restoration
Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina
19 November 201019 November 2010
Comprehensive Everglades Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)Restoration Plan (CERP)
Lake Worth Lagoon: provide suitable habitat through the placement of appropriate material on hard bottom currently impacted by muck deposits.
Courtesy Scott Lynch
Lake Worth Lagoon AreaLake Worth Lagoon Area
• 34 km (21 miles) long
• 1165 sq km (450 sq mile) watershed
• 1.3 million people
• Urban and Ag effects
• Canal (4) drainage
• 65% bulkheaded 2001(81%, 2010)
• 19% mangrove fringe,~283 acres remainwww.co.palm-beach.fl.us/erm/lakes/estuarine/lake-worth-lagoon/pdf/LWLI_Report_2010-11.pdf
Snook Islands Natural AreaSnook Islands Natural Area
• Planned 1998• Started 2003• Completed in 2005• Restored 100 acres
of wetland habitat• Stabilized mangrove
planting areas with 28,000 tons of limestone boulders
• Created 2.2 acresof oyster reefs
www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/erm
Carson, D.C. 2007. Radical Damage Calls for Radical Remediation: The Snook Islands Environmental Enhancement Project, Palm Beach County, Florida. Proceedings of 34th Annual Conference on Ecosystem Restoration and Creation, pp24-37.
Project ObjectiveProject ObjectiveMeasure and compare growth, abundance, reproductive effort, and health of the Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin, 1791) at two natural sites (Ibis Isle and MacArthur State Park) and an Environ. Enhancement Project Area (Snook Island) in Lake Worth Lagoon.
MacArthur
Ibis Isle
Snook
Islands
InnerOuter
MethodsMethods
MethodsMethods• Monthly sampling from March
2008 to February 2010 • Surveys in April & October• Water temperature, salinity,
and dissolve oxygen were measured during sampling
• Five to six adult oysters were collected at each site to determine condition index:(dry meat/dry shell) x 100
• Five to six adult oysters were collected at each site to determine reproductive stage by histology and Dermo infection by RFTM
MethodsMethods• Six sets of 6 oyster shells each were placed on T-bars to
monitor larval recruitment monthly at each site.
• Growth was measured on oysters naturally recruited onto a shell array (25 oyster shells on a 60x60 cm piece of wire mesh) placed at each site.
Results - EnvironmentalResults - Environmental
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0F
eb-0
8
Mar
-08
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-08
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08
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8
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9
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10
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Month
Wa
ter
Te
mp
era
ture
(oC
)
MacArthur Ibis Isle Snook Inner Snook Outer
WATER TEMPERATUREWATER TEMPERATURE
0.0
5.0
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25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0F
eb-0
8
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8
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9
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Month
Sa
linit
y (
pp
t)
MacArthur Ibis Isle Snook Inner Snook Outer
TS Fay, 18-20 Aug.
SALINITYSALINITY
DISSOLVED OXYGENDISSOLVED OXYGEN
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0F
eb-0
8
Mar
-08
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-08
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08
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8
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9
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10
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-10
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Month
D.O
. mg
/L
MacArthur Ibis Isle Snook Inner Snook Outer
Results – Population SurveyResults – Population Survey
0
50
100
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400
Mac II SI Mac II SI Mac II SI Mac II SI
Apr-08 Oct-08 Apr-09 Oct-09
Me
an
Oy
ste
r D
en
sit
y (
#/m
2 )
Live Oysters Dead Oysters
OYSTER DENSITY*OYSTER DENSITY*
*Quadrat samples that contained no oysters were not used to determine density.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Mac II SI Mac II SI Mac II SI Mac II SI
Apr-08 Oct-08 Apr-09 Oct-09
Me
an
Sh
ell
He
igh
t (m
m)
OYSTER SHELL HEIGHTOYSTER SHELL HEIGHT
0
50
100
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300
Apr-08 Oct-08 Apr-09 Oct-09
Sample Date
Me
an
Oy
ste
r D
en
sit
y (
#/s
q. m
ete
r)
Bottom Middle Top
OYSTER VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION – SNOOK ISLANDOYSTER VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION – SNOOK ISLAND
Results – Sampled OystersResults – Sampled Oysters
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
90.0F
eb-0
8
Mar
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08
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8
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10
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Month
Me
an
Sh
ell
He
igh
t (m
m)
MacArthur Ibis Isle Snook Island
OYSTER SHELL HEIGHTOYSTER SHELL HEIGHT
OYSTER WHOLE WEIGHTOYSTER WHOLE WEIGHT
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0F
eb-0
8
Mar
-08
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08
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8
Aug
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9
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Month
Me
an
We
igh
t (g
)
MacArthur Ibis Isle Snook Island
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5F
eb-0
8
Mar
-08
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8
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9
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10
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Month
Co
nd
itio
n In
de
x
MacArthur Ibis Isle Snook Island
CONDITION INDEXCONDITION INDEX
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0F
eb-0
8
Mar
-08
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08
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8
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9
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-10
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Month
Me
an
De
rmo
In
ten
sit
y(M
ac
kin
Sc
ale
0-5
)
MacArthur Ibis Isle Snook Island
DERMO INTENSITYDERMO INTENSITY
DERMO PREVALENCEDERMO PREVALENCE
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100F
eb-0
8
Mar
-08
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08
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8
Aug
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09
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9
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Month
Der
mo
Pre
vale
nce
(%
)
MacArthur Ibis Isle Snook Island
PARASITESPARASITES
NEMATOPSISNEMATOPSIS BUCEPHALUSBUCEPHALUS TYLOCEPHALUMTYLOCEPHALUM
EUTIMAEUTIMA TURBELLARIANTURBELLARIAN
PREDATORSPREDATORS
Oyster Drill
Florida Crown Conch
PREDATORSPREDATORS
Stylochus
Pea Crab
Fish eggs on shell
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mar-08 Apr-08 May-08 Jun-08 Jul-08 Aug-08 Sep-08 Oct-08 Nov-08 Dec-08 Jan-09 Feb-09
Pe
rce
nt
of
Ge
nd
er
Male Female Undifferentiated
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mac
II SI
Mar-09 Apr-09 May-09 Jun-09 Jul-09 Aug-09 Sep-09 Oct-09 Nov-09 Dec-09 Jan-10 Feb-10
Pe
rce
nt
of
Ge
nd
er
Male Female Undifferentiated
♀
♂
SEX RATIO PROPORTIONSSEX RATIO PROPORTIONS(Male: Female: Undifferentiated)(Male: Female: Undifferentiated)
• MacArthur: 0.21:0.40:0.39 (n=119)
• Ibis Isle: 0.17:0.58:0.25 (n=118)
• Snook Island: 0.19:0.53:0.28 (n=141)
• n.b.: 2-3x more females, expected
Proportion (%) of sampled oysters at mature reproductive stages (stage 5-7)from sites in Lake Worth Lagoon: A) March 2008-February 2009 and
B) March 2009-November 2009. n.b. Snook Island is combined inner/outer.
0102030405060708090
100
Mar
chApr
ilM
ayJu
ne July
Augus
t
Septe
mbe
r
Octob
er
Novem
ber
Decem
ber
Janu
ary
Febru
ary
Month
Pro
po
rtio
n (
%)
Ma
ture
Sta
ge
MacArthur
Ibis Isle
Snook Island
0102030405060708090
100
Mar
chApr
ilM
ayJu
ne July
Augus
t
Septe
mbe
r
Octob
er
Novem
ber
Decem
ber
Janu
ary
Febru
ary
Month
Pro
po
rtio
n (
%)
Ma
ture
Sta
ge
MacArthur
Ibis Isle
Snook Island
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
Mar
-08
Apr
-08
May
-08
Jun-
08
Jul-0
8
Aug
-08
Sep
-08
Oct
-08
Nov
-08
Dec
-08
Jan-
09
Feb
-09
Mar
-09
Apr
-09
May
-09
Jun-
09
Jul-0
9
Aug
-09
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Dec
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Jan-
10
Feb
-10
Month
Me
an
Oy
ste
r S
pa
t/S
he
ll
MacArthur Ibis Isle Snook Inner Snook Outer
50.6SE +4.4
SE +4.4 79.7SE +4.9
SE +2.7
LARVAL RECRUITMENTLARVAL RECRUITMENT
• Year 1MacArthur: 0.7 spat/shell Ibis Isle: 4.9 spat/shell
Snook-Inner: 10.0 spat/shell Snook-Outer: 7.0 spat/shell
• Year 2MacArthur: 1.1 spat/shell Ibis Isle: 3.2 spat/shell Snook-Inner: 18.1 spat/shellSnook-Outer: 8.5 spat/shell
Mean Annual RecruitmentMean Annual Recruitment
Barnacles
Oyster spat
0
10
20
30
40
50
60F
eb-0
8
Mar
-08
Apr
-08
May
-08
Jun-
08
Jul-0
8
Aug
-08
Sep
-08
Oct
-08
Nov
-08
Dec
-08
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09
Feb
-09
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-09
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-09
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-09
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09
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9
Aug
-09
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-09
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-09
Nov
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10
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-10
Mar
-10
Month
Mea
n S
hel
l Hei
gh
t (m
m)
MacArthur Ibis Isle Snook Inner Snook Outer
ARRAY OYSTERS – GROWTHARRAY OYSTERS – GROWTH
n.b.
SUMMARY - RESULTSSUMMARY - RESULTS• Water Quality Parameters: Little differences between sites, except MP
higher salinity and SI and II lower in summer; not below acceptable levels.
• Oyster Density: Average density in the fall of year one at SI (54/m2) was similar to MP (42/m2), but lower than II (291/m2). In year two SI was similar (186/m2) to both natural sites (MP=132/m2, II=208/m2). No vertical distribution at SI.
• Condition Index: CI of oysters varied (1.21-4.24), but mean (±s.d.) was similar between sites (SI=2.98±0.55, MP=2.91±0.71, II=2.54±0.47).
• Reproduction: Bi-modal reproduction (late-spring/early-summer and fall) was evident at SI in both years, but only in year one at MP and II.
• Larval Recruitment: Overall mean: SI highest (10.4±16.3 spat/shell), followed by II (3.9±9.0 spat/shell) and MP (0.8±1.0 spat/shell).
• Juvenile Growth: Final shell height of recruited juveniles was less at SI (34 mm) compared to the IbIs (51 mm) and MP (46 mm) in year one, but similar in year two (SI=37; II=38; MP=41 mm).
• Health: Dermo intensity ranged from 0-4.5 (Mackin scale), but mean intensity (±s.d.) was low (SI=0.9±0.7, II=1.0±1.0, MP=1.1±1.0) with a mean prevalence at SI of 59%, II of 67% and MP of 66%. No MSX (Haplosporodium nelsoni) was found at any of the sites. Other parasites found included gregarine protozoa Nematopsis sp., turbellarians, trematode Bucephalus, cestode Tylocephalum, cnidarians Eutima sp. and pea crabs Pinnotheres sp.
CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS
• Oyster beds/reefs in Lake Worth Lagoon are as productive or more productive than oyster reefs in other east Florida locales.
• Annual variation in oyster productivity may be the result of natural or man-made variations in environmental parameters (e.g., temperature, salinity, phytoplankton, fresh-water releases).
• Created oyster reefs, as exemplified by Snook Island, are as “productive” as natural reefs.
• Productivity may be enhanced by carefully considering placement of created reefs in relation to natural oyster beds.
Take Home MessageTake Home MessageLWL is a productive system with patches of healthy oyster populations that can be
expanded by providing substrate and relying on natural recruitment.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS• Bill Arnold, Steve Geiger and Melanie Parker of
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission,
• Aswani Volety (FGCU) and Jim Winstead,• R. LeRoy Creswell of the St. Lucie Cooperative
Extension Service,• Paul Wills (HBOI) and Ed Proffitt (FAU)• Staff of MacArthur State Park, Ibis Isle and the
Lake Worth Municipal Golf Course,• Federico Prahl, Michelle Harangody and William
Krebs (HBOI), and• Palm Beach – Environmental Resources
Management personnel and support (Project #2008-0404)
Questions?