Habitat value of Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) reefs on soft sediments
I. M. McLeod
A I , L. Boström-Einarsson A , C. Creighton A , B. D’Anastasi B C , B. Diggles D , P. G. Dwyer E , L. Firby A , A. Le Port A B , A. Luongo F , F. Martínez-Baena F , S. McOrrie G , G. Heller-Wagner A and C. L. Gillies A H
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A TropWATER (Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research), James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.
B College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.
C AIMS@JCU, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.
D DigsFish Services, Banksia Beach, Qld 4507, Australia.
E Coastal Systems, Department of Primary Industries Fisheries, Wollongbar, NSW 2477, Australia.
F Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia.
G Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Taylors Beach, NSW 2316, Australia.
H The Nature Conservancy, Carlton South, Vic. 3053, Australia.
I Corresponding author. Email: ian.mcleod@jcu.edu.au
Marine and Freshwater Research 71(7) 771-781 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF18197
Submitted: 20 May 2018 Accepted: 30 July 2019 Published: 28 October 2019
Abstract
Estimates of the ecological and economic value of ecosystems can provide important information for the prioritisation of conservation and restoration actions. Oyster reefs that were once common in temperate coastal waters have now been largely degraded or lost. Oyster reefs provide a suite of ecological services, including habitat and a food supply for a range of other species. In Australia, there is growing interest in oyster reef restoration, but there are knowledge gaps with regard to their structure and habitat value. Here, we describe the structure of eight remnant Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) reefs and estimate the density, biomass, productivity and composition of mobile macroinvertebrate and infaunal communities associated with them. The oyster reefs had a distinct assemblage of macroinvertebrates, with fivefold higher density of larger (≥2 mm) macroinvertebrates, fivefold higher biomass and almost fivefold higher productivity, than that of adjacent bare sediments. The productivity of infaunal communities was twice as high under oyster reefs than in adjacent bare sediments. Therefore, S. glomerata reef restoration is likely to provide important habitat for macroinvertebrate communities and boost local secondary production.
Additional keywords: ecosystem services, productivity.
References
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