Examining the effect of interstitial space on Eastern oysters using photogrammetry
Faculty Advisor Name
Dr. Patrice Ludwig
Department
Department of Biology
Description
Populations of eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, in the Chesapeake Bay have been historically decimated by overharvest, pollution, and disease. We have lost most of our natural shell oyster reefs in the Chesapeake Bay; current population sizes are less than 1% of their historic highs. Efforts to restore oysters to the Chesapeake Bay are widespread, many focus on the physical shape and material type of artificial reefs, there is very little evidence of the effect of interstitial space on oyster recruitment and survival to these artificial reef structures. Prior research suggests that interstitial space influences predator-prey relationships occurring within oyster reefs; however, no practical method has been developed for measure this space. This study aims to fill that gap and develop a method to measure interstitial space of oyster reefs in order to increase recruitment to and subsequent survival of oysters on artificial reefs. We define interstitial space as the relationship between structural complexity and the volume of space between projections such that as the structural complexity of an object increases, the object’s interstitial space increases, while the physical volume of the space decreases. Achieving our objective will allow us to facilitate on recruitment, and thus survival, of oysters by mitigating the effects of predation on artificial oyster reefs. An indirect benefit of this research could be an increase in oyster harvest and economic revenue, while additionally filling the knowledge gaps in quantifying interstitial space in general that exist across biomes.
Examining the effect of interstitial space on Eastern oysters using photogrammetry
Populations of eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, in the Chesapeake Bay have been historically decimated by overharvest, pollution, and disease. We have lost most of our natural shell oyster reefs in the Chesapeake Bay; current population sizes are less than 1% of their historic highs. Efforts to restore oysters to the Chesapeake Bay are widespread, many focus on the physical shape and material type of artificial reefs, there is very little evidence of the effect of interstitial space on oyster recruitment and survival to these artificial reef structures. Prior research suggests that interstitial space influences predator-prey relationships occurring within oyster reefs; however, no practical method has been developed for measure this space. This study aims to fill that gap and develop a method to measure interstitial space of oyster reefs in order to increase recruitment to and subsequent survival of oysters on artificial reefs. We define interstitial space as the relationship between structural complexity and the volume of space between projections such that as the structural complexity of an object increases, the object’s interstitial space increases, while the physical volume of the space decreases. Achieving our objective will allow us to facilitate on recruitment, and thus survival, of oysters by mitigating the effects of predation on artificial oyster reefs. An indirect benefit of this research could be an increase in oyster harvest and economic revenue, while additionally filling the knowledge gaps in quantifying interstitial space in general that exist across biomes.
