y g o l o c E d n a y g o l o i B
projPecOt RTS r e t s y O Contents: I Primer 3 3 I Activity 3.1 Beach in a Box—Exploring Shell
Collections e
I Activity 3.2 d That’s Gross Anatomy i
I Activity 3.3 u Crunchy on the Outside, Soft and G Squishy on the Inside
I Activity 3.4
Cha, Cha, Changes m
I Activity 3.5 u Parasites on the Half-Shell l
I Activity 3.6 u
I Can See Clearly Now—A Demonstration c
of Filter Feeding i r
I Activity 3.7 r One Fish, Two Fish—Assessing Habitat
Value of Restored Oyster Reefs u C Seeding the future: Inspiring youth to care for the environment
Project PORTS: Promoting Oyster Restoration Through Schools is a unique community- based restoration program that gives K-12 students an opportunity to experience environmental stewardship first hand as they help restore critical Delaware Bay oyster habitat.
Developed and coordinated by the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Rutgers University, Project PORTS utilizes the oyster as a vehicle to acquaint students, educators and the broader community with the Delaware Bayshore and the methodologies and science of a real world oyster restoration project. Project PORTS’ in-school education programs teach students about estuarine ecology and the maritime history of the Delaware Bay, while a complementary oyster restoration program engages students in real-world oyster habitat restoration work.
How to use the guide. This Curriculum and Activity Guide provides a series of lesson plans targeting grades K-8 that ground and support an extension of Project PORTS enrichment programs. The Guide focuses on three themes: the Delaware Estuary, the history of the Delaware Bay oyster The Curriculum Guide is divided fishery, and oyster biology and ecology. The lessons are designed to address and supple - into three main chapters, each ment current national and state curriculum standards. presenting lessons on one of three themes: the Delaware Acknowledgements : We gratefully thank DuPont Clear into the Future and the National Fish and Wildlife Estuary, the history of the Foundation Delaware Estuary Watershed Grant Program for supporting the development and publication of this Guide; Jenny Paterno for assistance with the development of the Guide and authorship of Delaware Bay oyster fishery, Curriculum Guide Activities 3. 6 and 3.7; Gail Curcio, David Bushek, Kim Hannum, and Ellen Patee for their excellent suggestions and review of the original curriculum materials; to Diane Driessen for her and oyster biology and ecology. original drawings of common shells; James Kirks for his oyster can photograph; Clarke Rupert for the Each chapter opens with Delaware Estuary County Map; University of Delaware Sea Grant for the Delaware Estuary map; Gustavo Calvo, Walter Canzonier, Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, the Bayshore Center, and the a Primer, which presents Cumberland County Historical Society for providing photographic images; the Estate of Karin Grosz for the oyster drill illustration; and Keith Ragone Studio for design. background information for © 2008 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey [Revised 2013] the educator. The Primer is followed by a series of class - Project PORTS: Promoting Oyster Restoration Through Schools room activities and lessons. Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Copy-ready student worksheets Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey 6959 Miller Avenue can be found at the end of Port Norris, New Jersey 08349 each chapter. phone: 856.785.0074
hsrl.rutgers.edu Primer 3. Oyster Biology and Ecology Related Vocabulary Invertebrates— animals without Oysters are invertebrate animals belonging to the phylum known as Mollusca. backbones. This group includes Animals within this phylum are commonly called mollusks. There are about 100,000 mollusks, worms, insects, spiders, species of mollusks. The phylum includes snails, clams, mussels, squids and and crustaceans. octopuses. Among the distinguishing features of animals in this phylum are an Mollusca— the phylum of animals exoskeleton in the form of a calcareous shell and a fold of the body wall known as containing animals that characteristi - a mantle that secretes the shell. cally have a soft body protected by a Oysters are commonly found in brackish and salt water. Their bodies are enclosed hard shell. in an exoskeleton or shell composed of two halves or valves. Hence they are Mollusk— common name for ani - commonly called bivalves. Other well-known bivalves include clams, scallops, mals in the Phylum Mollusca. and mussels. Bivalves may be contrasted with snails, whelks, and conchs, which Exoskeleton— a hard structure have only one shell or valve and are called univalves. The species of oyster most developed on the outside of the body, commonly found along the eastern coast of the United States is the eastern oyster, such as the shell of a crab or an oyster. Crassostrea virginica. Bivalves— mollusks that have two Oysters begin their life as free-floating shells. microscopic plankton known as larvae. Sessile— permanently attached or The larvae arise from the external fertilization fixed, not free-moving. of sperm and eggs, which are released into the water column by mature male and Spat— a post-larval oyster that is female oysters. Mature oysters release attached to a surface and less than a gametes, spawn, after seasonal water year old. temperatures reach about 75°F. Eggs that Crassostrea virginica— the come into contact with sperm will become scientific name for the eastern oyster. fertilized and initiate cell division. The Filter feeder— an animal that eats first larval stage is known as a trochophore. The larvae drift and swim in the water small particles (eg. Phytoplankton column for a period of about 2 to 3 weeks. In order to develop further, a larva must and zooplankton), which it filters, or settle or attach itself to a clean hard surface. The larvae undergo a dramatic collects from water. metamorphosis, changing from free-swimming larvae to a form that becomes permanently attached to a substrate. For the rest of the oyster’s life it will remain sessile, not moving from its original place of settlement. The ideal settlement surface is the shell of another oyster. Once the oyster has attached to a clean hard surface, it is referred to as spat. Over time oysters settle on top of one another. This layering of oysters forms reefs that grow bigger and bigger over time. The oyster reefs pro - vide shelter and food to many animals. Oyster shells in themselves provide a surface for many other plant and animal species to live upon. Often the shell of a living oyster will contain algae, barnacles, worms, and sponges. The shape, size, and thickness of oyster shells can vary greatly often in response to the environmental conditions to which the oyster is exposed. The reef structure provides an ideal habitat for oysters, keeping them well above the sediments of the estuary floor and placing them up in the water column where they can filter food from the water. Oysters feed on microscopic plants known as plankton through a process known as filter feeding. Oysters are known for their great capacity to filter food from the water. It has been estimated that an average sized adult oyster they can filter 50 gallons a day. The removal of large quantities of plankton from the water column improves water quality. The ability to gain their energy needs from these tiny plants makes the oyster a dominant primary consumer in estuarine systems. They in turn become a food source for other animals thereby serving as an important link in the food chain. Oysters are considered keystone species being essential to the ecological health of the waters they inhabit. Project PORTS Curriculum Guide 3. 1 Oyster Biology & Ecology