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Investigation of Pleistocene Oyster Population Structure and Growth Rates in a Piankatank River Reef (Virginia)
Grant, Amanda
Grant, Amanda
Abstract
Crassostrea virginica oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay today face threats from disease, overharvesting, pollution, and habitat destruction (Kennedy and Sanford, 1999). While modern populations are depleted, the Pleistocene fossil record holds evidence of once thriving reefs in the region. By looking at the age distribution within the reef, the growth rates of the oysters, and the population densities, a clearer picture of pre-historic oyster reefs can be established to provide a baseline comparison that modern reef restoration projects can work from today. Samples collected from the Piankatank River, Virginia show that the Pleistocene reef was dominated by young spat and juvenile oysters (x̄= 31.4 mm). Growth rates calculated in the Pleistocene (x̄= 20.26 mm/yr) were slightly slower than those in the modern (x̄=21.6 mm/yr), but not significantly different with a standard deviation of 5.24 (Figure 21). Population densities, however, were much greater in the Pleistocene (x̄=6,212 oysters/m’) than the modern (300-500 oyster/m’) with a standard deviation of + 2,066 (Figure 24). Pleistocene reefs represent productive and thriving reefs restoration projects are working to produce in the Chesapeake Bay today.
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2012-01-01
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Geology