Dataset Information

Bioextractive Removal of Nitrogen by Oysters in Great Bay Piscataqua River Estuary, New Hampshire, USA.

ABSTRACT: Eutrophication is a challenge to coastal waters around the globe. In many places, nutrient reductions from land-based sources have not been sufficient to achieve desired water quality improvements. Bivalve shellfish have shown promise as an in-water strategy to complement land-based nutrient management. A local-scale production model was used to estimate oyster (Crassostrea virginica) harvest and bioextraction of nitrogen (N) in Great Bay Piscataqua River Estuary (GBP), New Hampshire, USA, because a system-scale ecological model was not available. Farm-scale N removal results (0.072 metric tons acre^-1 year^-1) were up-scaled to provide a system-wide removal estimate for current (0.61 metric tons year^-1), and potential removal (2.35 metric tons year^-1) at maximum possible expansion of licensed aquaculture areas. Restored reef N removal was included to provide a more complete picture. Nitrogen removal through reef sequestration was ~ 3 times that of aquaculture. Estimated reef-associated denitrification, based on previously reported rates, removed 0.19 metric tons N year^-1. When all oyster processes (aquaculture and reefs) were included, N removal was 0.33% and 0.54% of incoming N for current and expanded acres, respectively. An avoided cost approach, with wastewater treatment as the alternative management measure, was used to estimate the value of the N removed. The maximum economic value for aquaculture-based removal was $105,000 and $405,000 for current and expanded oyster areas, respectively. Combined aquaculture and reef restoration is suggested to maximize N reduction capacity while limiting use conflicts. Comparison of removal based on per oyster N content suggests much lower removal rates than model results, but model harvest estimates are similar to reported harvest. Though results are specific to GBP, the approach is transferable to estuaries that support bivalve aquaculture but do not have complex system-scale hydrodynamic or ecological models.

SUBMITTER: Bricker SB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6997951 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Bioextractive Removal of Nitrogen by Oysters in Great Bay Piscataqua River Estuary, New Hampshire, USA.

Bricker Suzanne B SB Grizzle Raymond E RE Trowbridge Philip P Rose Julie M JM Ferreira Joao G JG Wellman Katharine K Zhu Changbo C Galimany Eve E Wikfors Gary H GH Saurel Camille C Miller Robin Landeck RL Wands James J Rheault Robert R Steinberg Jacob J Jacob Annie P AP Davenport Erik D ED Ayvazian Suzanne S Chintala Marnita M Tedesco Mark A MA

Estuaries and coasts : journal of the Estuarine Research Federation 20200101

Eutrophication is a challenge to coastal waters around the globe. In many places, nutrient reductions from land-based sources have not been sufficient to achieve desired water quality improvements. Bivalve shellfish have shown promise as an in-water strategy to complement land-based nutrient management. A local-scale production model was used to estimate oyster (<i>Crassostrea virginica</i>) harvest and bioextraction of nitrogen (N) in Great Bay Piscataqua River Estuary (GBP), New Hampshire, USA ...[more]

PMID: 32021593

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Dataset Information

Bioextractive Removal of Nitrogen by Oysters in Great Bay Piscataqua River Estuary, New Hampshire, USA.

Publications

Bioextractive Removal of Nitrogen by Oysters in Great Bay Piscataqua River Estuary, New Hampshire, USA.

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