Research Seminar: Jonathan Lucas

A research seminar from UNC Marine Sciences graduate student, Jonathan Lucas. Presented by the UNC at Chapel Hill Department of Marine Sciences. The location of this event will be in seminar room G201 on the ground floor of Murray Hall on UNC-CH campus in Chapel Hill, NC and online via Zoom (Meeting ID: 667 697 701). This event will be held on Monday, April 15th at 12:20pm.

Seminar Title: Population Dynamics on a Series of Constructed North Carolina Oyster Reefs.

Abstract: The eastern oyster is an ecosystem engineer which creates biogenic marine habitat and improves surrounding water quality via filtration. 130 years ago, the New River Estuary in Onslow County, North Carolina was a pristine body of water maintained by numerous healthy oyster reefs. Since that time, oyster habitat in the estuary has declined and water quality has been degraded due to nutrient inputs from point and non-point sources such as runoff from urban development, agricultural operations, and sewage treatment plant discharge. A cooperation of local stakeholders has procured funding for the construction of six oyster reefs in the middle portion of the New River Estuary, which are intended to enhance water quality and restore estuarine habitat. My research will monitor the trajectory of this project over the next two years. I will monitor the settlement of oyster larvae and population growth and regulation on two different artificial reef substrate materials. I will study patterns in the population dynamics as the populations on the reefs grow, looking for evidence of recruitment limitation, substrate limitation, or post settlement density-dependent factors. I will compare this with data on abiotic factors such as salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen to determine the suitability of the middle New River Estuary for oyster populations, with a view toward long term assessment and future restoration goals in the system.