Native Oyster Restoration Monitoring (NORM) Program
 
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Shell Volume at Oyster Restoration Sites

Oyster populations at restoration sites are typically surveyed with either dive or patent tong surveys. Dive surveys are done on three dimensional reefs with substrate of 100% shell. During patent tong surveys, the volume (liters) of oyster shell collected within each patent tong grab is recorded and categorized as either "brown" or "black" shell. "Brown" shell describes any shell with more than 10% of its surface brown with fouling organisms present on the shell. "Black" shell has more than 90% of its surface black with no living organisms present on the shell. The total volume within a patent tong grab is estimated by adding the brown shell and black shell volumes. In general, brown shell volume is a good indicator of the amount of cultch (habitat) available for oyster larvae to settle on whereas the presence of black shell is an indicator of shells that have either been buried or experienced prolonged periods of poor oxygen conditions. In either case, black shell is not suitable habitat for settling oyster larvae.

Contact:
Dr. Roger Mann
Contact e-mail:
rmann@vims.edu
Inititation date:
5/1/2004
Data available:
3/31 of following year
Status:
Active
Data type(s)
Average brown shell volume per square meter, average black shell volume per square meter, Average total shell volume per square meter

Site(s) for which these data are available

 


 

  

Date last modified 12.22.2006

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Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

 

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