Multivariate analyses of the role of environmental factors in seasonal and site-related growth variation in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

Abstract

Monthly increases in shell height were measured for 2 age classes (Years 0 and 1) of a common broodstock of oysters Crassostrea gigas in 10 locations in British Columbia, Canada, over 14 mo. Measurements were also taken of several environmental variables known to affect oyster growth. Based on comparisons of shell height growth curves, sites were grouped into low, medium and high growth categories which were similar for both age classes of oysters. According to discriminant function analysis, differences in salinity and particulate organic matter (POM) concentration distinguished low growth sites from medium and high growth areas. Medium and high growth areas were segregated solely on the basis of food-related var~ables: POM, carotenoid concentration and Secchi depth. In multiple regression analysis, chlorophyll b concentration and water temperature were significantly correlated (for both age classes; l2 = 0.34, p < 0.001) to 109,~-transformed monthly instantaneous growth rate (G30) with chlorophyll b being the more important variable. Inclusion of monthly initial shell height in the regression analysis increased to 0.62 and 0.44 for Year 0 and Year 1 equations (p <0.001), respectively. Correlation of chlorophyll b to G.30 may b e indicative of the role of small nanoplankton in oyster diets. Monthly oyster growth rates were primarily regulated by food supply with temperature a secondary factor. Growth rates were highly site-specific depending on food supply and salinity conditions.

Trials on Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas Thunberg) rearing in the middle Adriatic Sea by means of different trays

“…The relationship between specific growth rate and water temperature confirms that the most favorable increments are obtained when the water temperature is over 20°C. The majority of studies investigating the effects of temperature on Pacific oyster growth have reported positive relationships with increasing temperature (Brown 1988;Chavez-Villalba et al 2007;Ferreira et al 2007). Growth rates were highly site-specific, depending on food supply and environmental conditions.…”

“…Growth rates were highly site-specific, depending on food supply and environmental conditions. According to Brown (1988), oyster growth rate is primarily regulated by food supply with water temperature as a secondary factor.…”

The Trans‐atlantic History of Diversity and Body Size in Ecological Guilds

“…Such evidence connecting planktic productivity and maximum size exists for oysters (Brown 1988, Dayton et al 1989, Kirby 2001, Lescinsky et al 2002), scallops (MacDonald and Thompson 1985, mussels (Page andHubbard 1987, Blanchette et al 2007), the New Zealand hard clam Austrovenus stutchburyi (Marsden 2004, Beu 2006, reef-associated bivalves (Highsmith 1980, Birkeland 1989, Vermeij 1990, and turritellid gastropods (Allmon 1992, Teusch et al 2002, Teusch and Guralnick 2003. A connection between high benthic productivity and size of large herbivores has been established for abalones (Haliotidae) by Estes et al (2005) and limpets by Bustamante et al (1995a, b).…”

Growth and economic performance of diploid and triploid Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas cultivated in three lagoons of the Gulf of California

“…was similar to that reported by Chávez-Villalba et al (2007) culturing oysters in the Gulf of California, but POM concentration was lower. As mentioned by Brown (1988) and Lodeiros & Himmelman (1999), the Chl-a concentration is one of the main factors that influence Table 5. Summary of production characteristics for culturing diploid and triploid Crassostrea gigas (n = 250,000 seeds each) in farms located at Guasave, Navolato and Ahome, Sinaloa, Mexico.…”