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Evaluating Ecosystem Response to Oyster Restoration and Nutrient Load Reduction with a Multispecies Bioenergetics Model

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Evaluating Ecosystem Response to Oyster Restoration and Nutrient Load Reduction with a Multispecies Bioenergetics Model W&M ScholarWorks VIMS Articles Virginia Institute of Marine Science 4-2010 Evaluating ecosystem response to oyster restoration and nutrient load reduction with a multispecies bioenergetics model RS Fulford DL Brietburg Mark Luckenbach Virginia Institute of Marine Science RIE Newell Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles Part of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, and the Marine Biology Commons Recommended Citation Fulford, RS; Brietburg, DL; Luckenbach, Mark; and Newell, RIE, Evaluating ecosystem response to oyster restoration and nutrient load reduction with a multispecies bioenergetics model (2010). Ecological Applications, 20(4), 915-934. doi:10.1890/08-1796.1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in VIMS Articles by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Ecological Applications, 20(4), 2010, pp. 915–934 Ó 2010 by the Ecological Society of America Evaluating ecosystem response to oyster restoration and nutrient load reduction with a multispecies bioenergetics model 1,5 2 3 4 RICHARD S. FULFORD, DENISE L. BREITBURG, MARK LUCKENBACH, AND ROGER I. E. NEWELL 1Department of Coastal Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, 703 East Beach Drive, Ocean Springs, Mississippi 39564 USA 2Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, 647 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, Maryland 21037 USA 3Virginia Institute of Marine Science Eastern Shore Laboratory, P.O. Box 350, Wachapreague, Virginia 23480 USA 4Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, P.O. Box 775, Cambridge, Maryland 21613 USA Abstract. Many of the world’s coastal ecosystems are impacted by multiple stressors each of which may be subject to different management strategies that may have overlapping or even conflicting objectives. Consequently, management results may be indirect and difficult to predict or observe. We developed a network simulation model intended specifically to examine ecosystem-level responses to management and applied this model to a comparison of nutrient load reduction and restoration of highly reduced stocks of bivalve suspension feeders (eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica) in an estuarine ecosystem (Chesapeake Bay, USA). Model results suggest that a 50% reduction in nutrient inputs from the watershed will result in lower phytoplankton production in the spring and reduced delivery of organic material to the benthos that will limit spring and summer pelagic secondary production. The model predicts that low levels of oyster restoration will have no effect in the spring but does result in a reduction in phytoplankton standing stocks in the summer. Both actions have a negative effect on pelagic secondary production, but the predicted effect of oyster restoration is larger. The lower effect of oysters on phytoplankton is due to size-based differences in filtration efficiency and seasonality that result in maximum top-down grazer control of oysters at a time when the phytoplankton is already subject to heavy grazing. These results suggest that oyster restoration must be achieved at levels as much as 25-fold present biomass to have a meaningful effect on phytoplankton biomass and as much as 50-fold to achieve effects similar to a 50% nutrient load reduction. The unintended effect of oyster restoration at these levels on other consumers represents a trade-off to the desired effect of reversing eutrophication. Key words: ecosystem; eutrophication; food web; modeling; oyster; restoration. INTRODUCTION declining water quality and shifts from benthic-domi- Natural resource management in aquatic ecosystems nated to pelagic-dominated primary production in many is shifting from an emphasis on individual problems estuaries throughout the world (Nixon 1995, Cloern towards a more adaptive and sustainable paradigm of 2001, Kemp et al. 2005). Efforts to reduce or reverse this restoring and conserving ecosystem services (National trend have generally focused on reducing the input of Marine Fisheries Service 1999, Ptacnik et al. 2005). This new nutrients and organic material (Jordan et al. 2003, paradigm more strongly integrates management with Fear et al. 2004, Neumann and Schemewski 2005). spatial and temporal patterns in ecosystem structure, Overfishing, disease, and habitat degradation have but it also brings new challenges for defining clear greatly reduced biomass of bivalve suspension feeders, management targets and benchmarks that are inclusive especially oysters, in some of the same systems prior to of a broad range of environmental issues. In particular, major increases in anthropogenic nutrient loading interest in ecosystem-based approaches to management (Mackenzie et al. 1997). Restoration of important of highly impacted coastal ecosystems has increased with bivalve species is a management objective in many a growing recognition of the overlapping goals and systems for rebuilding important commercial fisheries approaches of living resource restoration, improving and to restore healthy benthic habitat that increases the water quality, and fisheries management. transfer of benthic secondary production to pelagic Cultural eutrophication has increased in coastal and consumers (Coen et al. 1999, 2007). Increased abun- estuarine systems over the last 50 years, resulting in dances of bivalve suspension feeders may also reduce concentrations of phytoplankton and other suspended particulates, allowing a return to higher rates of benthic Manuscript received 22 October 2008; revised 12 August primary production (Newell and Ott 1998, Nakamura 2009; accepted 13 August 2009. Corresponding Editor (ad hoc): R. R. Christian. and Kerciku 2000, Cressman et al. 2003). Restoration of 5 E-mail: [email protected] benthic suspension-feeder biomass has therefore been 915 916 RICHARD S. FULFORD ET AL. Ecological Applications Vol. 20, No. 4 proffered as a potentially important supplement to historical abundances of oysters were still present, they nutrient reduction strategies to reverse cultural eutro- might have made Chesapeake Bay more resilient to phication (Officer et al. 1982, Newell et al. 2005). anthropogenic nutrient inputs (Carpenter et al. 1995, Reducing nutrient loads and restoring benthic sus- Newell et al. 2005). Increased oyster biomass has also pension-feeder populations both have the potential to been associated with increased benthic secondary decrease phytoplankton biomass in the water column production (Coen et al. 1999, Luckenbach et al. 2005, and can be considered complementary management Rodney and Paynter 2006), alteration of nutrient strategies. However, both actions are likely to have recycling rates (Newell et al. 2005), decreased pelagic substantial direct and indirect effects on trophic primary production (Cloern 1982, Officer et al. 1982, structure that can be difficult to predict. Reductions in Dame 1996, Souchu et al. 2001), and increased nutrient loads should reduce the specific rate of pelagic reproductive success of the sea nettle, Chrysaora primary production (Neumann and Schemewski 2005), quinquecirrha (Breitburg and Fulford 2006). and increases in total benthic filtration should reduce Trophic network modeling provides a powerful tool phytoplankton standing stocks, both of which reduce for examining the direct and indirect effects of multiple suspended particulates and provide more light penetra- management actions. Previous examination of trophic tion to support benthic primary producers (Newell effects of increasing oyster biomass in Chesapeake Bay 2004). The efficacy of top-down control of phytoplank- utilizing a network model suggested that increased ton biomass and increases in benthic primary produc- oyster biomass will result in decreased phytoplankton tion have been demonstrated in freshwater systems both biomass, increased benthic primary production, de- with and without nutrient enrichment (Carpenter et al. creased biomass of gelatinous zooplankton, and in- 1995, 2001). Yet, effects on phytoplankton specific creased biomass of both forage fishes and top carnivores production rate (i.e., bottom-up) and effects on phyto- (Ulanowicz and Tuttle 1992). However, Ulanowicz and plankton biomass (i.e., top-down) may have very Tuttle (1992) did not address seasonality, foraging different influences on energy flow through food webs efficiency, consumer diet flexibility, or increases in due to potential differences in how these two pathways benthic habitat in their analysis, and considered only a impact other consumers. A model-based examination of 2.5-fold change in oyster density. synergistic outcomes of oyster restoration and nutrient We developed a trophic network simulation model load reductions is, therefore, a useful approach for intended to capture important features of the benthic- comparing and contrasting the effects of these two pelagic food web of Chesapeake Bay and extend potential management actions. previous examinations of the effects of increasing oyster Chesapeake Bay, located on the U.S. Atlantic coast, biomass and decreasing nutrient inputs on energy flow. has experienced a long history of cultural eutrophication We focus primarily on the pelagic food web of a resulting in increased phytoplankton biomass (Kemp et composite of representative tributaries in the discussion al. 2005), decreased water clarity (Gallegos 2001), of model results because
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