The Efficacy of Suspended Broodstock Cages As a Restoration Strategy for the European Flat Oyster Ostrea Edulis Linnaeus, 1758: a Case Study in the Solent, UK
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The Efficacy of Suspended Broodstock Cages as a Restoration Strategy for the European Flat Oyster Ostrea edulis Linnaeus, 1758: A Case Study in the Solent, UK. Luke David Helmer The thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the University of Portsmouth September 2019 UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH Abstract Faculty of Science and Health, School of Biological Sciences Doctor of Philosophy The efficacy of suspended broodstock cages as a restoration strategy for the European flat oyster Ostrea edulis Linnaeus, 1758: A case study in the Solent, UK. By Luke David Helmer The European flat oyster Ostrea edulis has been subject to multiple stressors that have resulted in the functional extinction of many populations, those that remain are fragmented and require active intervention to accommodate their recovery. One of the last self-sustaining populations in Europe was, until recently, present within the Solent, but extraction pressure, disease and sporadic recruitment resulted in its recent collapse. This study aimed to determine the abundance of the remaining oyster populations in relation to the invasive American slipper limpet Crepidula fornicata, suspected to occupy the ecological niche made available by the removal of O. edulis. Oyster populations were minimal within the three harbours surveyed, < 0.2 ±0.2 individuals / m2 (Portsmouth, Langstone and Chichester), whereas, C. fornicata was extremely abundant, present in densities of up to 4043 ±2374 individuals / m2. In an attempt to increase reproduction and larval output, therefore seabed recruitment, mature oysters were purchased from the local fishery and placed into broodstock cages at high stocking densities across the Solent. Monitored across two years, the effect of stocking density, pressure-washing and environmental conditions on mortality, larval production and disease prevalence were observed. Mortality was seasonal peaking after an increase in brooding activity and spawning. Brooding occurred within the expected temporal period, peaking in June, and larval brood sizes were significantly different between oysters in different marinas, as well as between full- and half-density populations, despite there being no significant difference in the proportion of brooding adults. Disease status was monitored and geographical variation in Bonamia ostreae prevalence was observed. The detection of Bonamia exitiosa in the region increases the described range of the parasitic species. With design and operational modifications, the broodstock cage system can be used as an effective management tool to assist with increasing initial densities of larvae in recruitment limited areas in the early stages of restoration. i Declaration of Authorship and Word Count Whilst registered as a candidate for the above degree, I have not been registered for any other research award. The results and conclusions embodied in this thesis are the work of the named candidate and have not been submitted for any other academic award. Word Count: 44,088 . Luke David Helmer 30/09/2019 “I love oysters. It’s like kissing the sea on the lips” Léon-Paul Fargue (1876-1947) ii Acknowledgements This project would not have been possible without the help and support of countless people and a whole thesis could be written in thanks to all involved. Firstly, I would like to show my eternal gratitude to Dr Joanne Preston, her unwavering support and guidance has allowed me to develop immensely whilst making some amazing memories and enjoying the whole process. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Jo for four years and I genuinely couldn’t have asked for any more on a professional or personal level, I am thoroughly looking forward to our future collaborations. I would also like to thank my other supervisors, Dr Ian Hendy and Professor Chris Hauton. Ian’s assistance with, and explanation of, the statistical analysis was invaluable and very much appreciated. Chris’ guidance and suggestions during PhD meetings and the publication process provided me with insights that were extremely useful during my studies. I look forward to continuing to work and publish with all three supervisors. I would also like to thank many of the academic staff at the Institute of Marine Sciences for providing information and resources over the past four years of my postgraduate studies. I would also like to show my appreciation for the support and guidance of all my co-authors of the publications that I have been involved with. A special mention must also be made for the support and encouragement received from Dr Joy Watts, she has been one of the most genuine and kindhearted mentors throughout, particularly when kindly reviewing my thesis. This research was match funded by the University of Portsmouth and the Blue Marine Foundation and without the financial, moral and physical support of the Blue team I would have really struggled to complete as much of the work as I did. Hands on monitoring for long periods would not have been as enjoyable as it was without the graft and pure grit of Morven Robertson, Jacob Kean-Hammerson and others. The welcoming attitude of Tim Glover and all those based at the office in London always provided a boost of encouragement and optimism which did not go unnoticed. Additional financial and logistical support was also provided by the MDL marina staff, I would like to especially thank Jo Meekley and Oliver Witt who again have always been extremely accommodating and were very understanding during a propeller incident. I would also like to thank Amy Munro, Mark Rogers and Helen King of, what was, Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing for their support during site visits. For their technical and moral support on the boat and in the lab, as well as their “humour”, I would like to thank Marc Martin, Dr Graham Malyon, Dr Paul Farrell and Jenny Mackellar. I was fortunate enough to travel to multiple destinations and attend a number of conferences as part of my professional development during the course of iii my studies and I am extremely grateful to the University of Portsmouth, Marine Biological Association, Malacological Society of London and Solent Forum for providing the necessary funding to make that all possible. For accommodating me on my first study tour and igniting a passion for oysters I would like to thank Boze Hancock at the Nature Conservancy. For all those who also accommodated me on the three study tours conducted, I am immensely grateful for your hospitality and willingness to share your knowledge. The writing process would not have been possible without the moral support of my fellow University of Portsmouth PhD cohort Dr Regina Kolzenburg, Dr Laura Michie, Dr Neil Fuller and Dr Shanelle Kohler as well as MRes student Eric Harris-Scott. For her help and friendship throughout my masters and PhD. I am also hugely indebted to Monica Fabra for her witt and humor, I wish her all the best with her own studies. Without James Robbins and Kate Dey, I would not have been able to work my way through R for minor corrections, so I am extremely grateful for their stats wizardry. It has been a pleasure to share the journey, and many a conference party night, with my fellow oyster PhD student Zoë Holbrook and Christina Thiele at the University of Southampton, I would also like to extend my thanks to them for assistance during fieldwork and lab meetings as well as Nicola Pratt, who’s assistance during the trials and tribulations of larval analysis was greatly appreciated. Countless undergraduate students, master students, work experience students and volunteers have all been influential during field sampling and lab work, without them this work would not have been feasible, I hope that the experience gained will enable them to pursue their own work where they will also receive similar assistance. For their continued encouragement, support and devotion, my most sincere and heartfelt appreciation is for my family, in particular my parents who put up with me moving home for a year and have always been there for me throughout my many years of study. Completion of this PhD in such a manner would genuinely not have been possible without them. Despite her claims that “all you do is stroke oysters”, I would also like to thank my sister for her support, and I forgive her for the return of this kind of abuse that I undoubtedly gave her growing up! I am grateful for having close family that helped me to maintin some form of “normal” life and that bring out the child in me, also thank you to Emma for constantly sending “relevant” marine life Facebook videos. For tolerating and engaging with all the obscene activities that I have signed us up for, my disappearance during travels and almost complete disappearance during the writing process, as well as her proofreading, I am extremely grateful to Elena Burton. I would also like to thank her family for accommodating us during the initial year of the PhD. iv Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................. i Acknowledgements ......................................................................................... iii Contents............................................................................................................ v List of Tables .................................................................................................. xi List of Figures ..............................................................................................