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Shellfish Mariculture in Drakes Estero, Point Reyes National Seashore, California (2009) / Chapter Skim
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I. Benthic/Pelagic Coupling - Nutrients and Particulates
Pages 25-29

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 25...
... . Oysters feed by filtering particulates from the water column and when populations are abundant they can depress turbidity in their local vicinity and help graze down algal blooms in estuaries (Herman and Scholten, 1990; Haamer, 1996; Rice, 2000; Smaal et al., 2001; Landry, 2002; Newell, 2004)
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From page 26...
... First, he observed that the Schooner Bay channel appears to be artificially maintained by boat traffic associated with oyster operations. Propeller action was inferred to maintain the navigation channel and prevent sedimentary in-filling from the adjacent, extensive eelgrass beds.
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From page 27...
... Even though these properties endow the estero with excellent water quality, filtration by the cultured oysters could provide additional benefits to eelgrass production by lowering turbidity and adding nutrients because these limit eelgrass distribution and production even in relatively oligotrophic estuaries (Carroll et al., 2008)
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From page 28...
... Dame (1986) reviewed a body of work relating to nutrient fluxes induced by Crassostrea gigas filtration and biodeposition in northern France and concluded that 15–40% of nitrogen input to the water column was recycled from oysters and that the measured values were always higher than the estimated values, probably enhanced by mineralization occurring in adjacent sediments containing oyster
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From page 29...
... . Although no specific study relating oysters to nutrient dynamics, sediment deposition, and water quality has been conducted in Drakes Estero, it is reasonable to assume that processes identified here apply under similar conditions (i.e., oyster production levels, and hydrological flushing and water residence times)
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Key Terms

  • water column
  • organic content
  • water quality
  • oyster racks
  • strong tidal

  • oyster farm
  • water residence
  • tidal flux
  • nutrient dynamics
  • primary production

  • residence times
  • altering sediment
  • oyster production
  • sustaining water
  • nutrient inputs

  • oyster operations
  • excellent water
  • nutrient fluxes
  • water clarity
  • water depths

  • oyster reef
  • nutrient remineralization
  • shallow water
  • containing oyster
  • tidal flow

  • oyster reefs
  • fine particles
  • phytoplankton blooms
  • additional benefits
  • researchers provided


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