A Multidisciplinary Approach to Evaluating Impacts of Shellfish Aquaculture on Benthic Communities

Grant, Jon E.; Hatcher, A.; Scott, David B.; Pocklington, Patricia; Schafer, Charles T.; Winters, G. V.

doi:10.2307/1352288

Cited by 217 publications

(123 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…The rates of sedimentation recorded in this study are much lower than those recorded by Grant et al (1995) (annual average of 88.9 g m À 2 day À 1 ). They are, however, similar to measures obtained by Hayakawa et al (2001) under Pacific oyster longline culture in Japan (annual mean of 11 g m À 2 day À 1 ).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 75%

“…It is more likely that the larger level of production over a longer period of time at site 2 had a significant influence on the impact observed. Grant et al (1995) investigated the impact of suspended mussel culture on benthic communities in Nova Scotia, Canada, using a number of techniques, and also concluded that the impact overall was minor. However, the culture density of mussels in that study, approximately 12 kg m À 2 , was higher than that generally used in Tasmania, and the overall effects of mussel culture were also more obvious than in Tasmania.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the benthic invertebrate community did not clearly show the same effects of organic enrichment that have been observed in other studies, for example, under salmon farms. Grant et al (1995) concluded that the impact on the benthic community structure was more noticeable from mussels fallen onto the seabed than from organic sedimentation or hypoxia.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of shellfish farming on the benthic environment

2003

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The benthic environment under and near three shellfish farms in Tasmania, Australia, which had had a relatively high level of production over many years was investigated. Benthic samples were collected along transects which ran across the farms, generally from 100 m upstream to 100 m downstream. Sediment deposition, redox values, sediment sulphide concentrations, organic carbon content and water turbidity levels near the bottom were significantly different between the farms but not between sites outside the farm, at the boundary and sites within the farm. Video recordings at one farm showed dense coverage of fine filamentous algae and patchy bacterial mats directly under some longlines and this algae is thought to have fallen off the mussel longlines. At another farm dense beds of seagrass were observed in the videos both under trays of oysters and outside the farm. The benthic infauna did not show clear signs of organic enrichment, and neither univariate nor multivariate measures of benthic infauna were significantly different between sites inside and outside the farm, although they were different between farms.It was concluded from these results that shellfish farming is having little impact, and much less than salmon farming, on the benthic environment in Tasmania. Thus extensive monitoring of shellfish farms would appear to be not necessary. D

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 75%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of shellfish farming on the benthic environment

2003

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“…Andersson et al, 2010;Guerra-García et al, 2004;Marzinelli et al, 2009). The presence of hard-bottom fauna on artificial substrates can influence the established community composition on adjacent soft substrates (Davis et al, 1982;Grant et al, 1995;Krone et al, 2013;Seitz et al, 2006). When nonindigenous species (NIS) occur on artificial structures (Ruiz et al, 2009;Glasby et al, 2007;Tyrrell and Byers, 2007;Wasson et al, 2005) these substrates may serve as stepping stones for invasive alien species (Apte et al, 2000;Wilhelmsson and Malm, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Artificial structures in sediment-dominated estuaries and their possible influences on the ecosystem

Wetzel

Scholle

Teschke

2014

Marine Environmental Research

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a b s t r a c tArtificial substrates are omnipresent today in most estuaries mostly in form of massive rip-rap used for groynes and jetties. In the Weser estuary, Germany, 60% of the shoreline is covered with such artificial substrates while, natural rocky substrate is lacking, as in all Wadden Sea estuaries. This large quantity of artificial substrates may be colonized by a benthic hard-substrate community which differs from the local natural soft-substrate assemblage. In this study we examined species compositions, abundances, biomass, and numbers of species of subtidal benthic communities on groynes and in the natural habitat, the sediment, along the salinity gradient of the Weser estuary. Species composition changed on both substrates significantly with salinity and was also significantly different between the substrates. In a comparison with the sediment, the groynes did not provide any benefit for non-indigenous nor for endangered species in terms of abundance, biomass, and number of species, but represent habitats with higher total abundances and biomass; though some non-indigenous species even occurred exclusively on groynes. In particular, groynes supported filter-feeding organisms which play an important role by linking benthic and pelagic food webs. The dominance of the suspension feeders affects crucial estuarine ecosystem services and may have important implications for the estuarine management by altering the estuarine ecological quality status. Hence, artificial substrates should be considered in future conservation planning and in ecological quality monitoring of the benthic fauna according to the European Water Framework Directive.

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“…As such, the environmental consequences of shellfish aquaculture are just beginning to be considered. Concerns related to shellfish aquaculture have centred around the introduction of non-indigenous species, habitat alteration, changes to community structure or function (Grant et al, 1995;Simenstad and Fresh, 1995;Kaiser et al, 1998;Bartoli et al, 2001;Naylor et al, 2001;Stenton-Dozey et al, 2001;Beadman et al, 2004;Bendell-Young, 2006), and effects on bird and mammal populations (Price and Nickum, 1995;Hilgerloh et al, 2001;Markowitz et al, 2004;Roycroft et al, 2004;Watson-Capps and Mann, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of off‐bottom shellfish aquaculture on winter habitat use by molluscivorous sea ducks

Žydelis

Esler

Kirk

et al. 2008

Aquatic Conservation

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ABSTRACT1. Shellfish farming is an expanding segment of marine aquaculture, but environmental effects of this industry are only beginning to be considered.2. The interaction between off-bottom, suspended oyster farming and wintering sea ducks in coastal British Columbia was studied. Specifically, the habitat use of surf scoters (Melanitta perspicillata) and Barrow's goldeneyes (Bucephala islandica), the most abundant sea duck species in the study area, was evaluated in relation to natural environmental attributes and shellfish aquaculture.3. The extent of shellfish farming was the best-supported habitat variable explaining variation in surf scoter densities, and the only habitat attribute from the considered set that was a strong predictor of Barrow's goldeneye densities. In both cases, the findings indicated strong positive relationships between densities of sea ducks and shellfish aquaculture operations. These relationships are presumably the result of large numbers of wild mussels (Mytilus trossulus) that settle and grow on aquaculture structures and are preferred prey of these sea ducks.4. Previous work has shown that aquaculture structures provide good conditions for recruiting and growing mussels, including refuge from invertebrate predators, which in turn provides higher densities of higher quality prey for sea ducks than available in intertidal areas. This offers a rare example in which introduction of an industry leads to positive effects on wildlife populations, which is particularly important given persistent declines in numbers of many sea ducks.

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A Multidisciplinary Approach to Evaluating Impacts of Shellfish Aquaculture on Benthic Communities

Cited by 217 publications

References 63 publications

Effects of shellfish farming on the benthic environment

Effects of shellfish farming on the benthic environment

Artificial structures in sediment-dominated estuaries and their possible influences on the ecosystem

Effects of off‐bottom shellfish aquaculture on winter habitat use by molluscivorous sea ducks

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