DataSheet_1_Increased Biodiversity Associated With Abandoned Benthic Oyster Farms Highlight Ecosystem Benefits of Both Oyster Reefs and Traditional Aquaculture.pdf

Oyster reefs are structurally complex habitats which are increasingly recognized for their importance in estuarine systems. With over 85% of oyster reefs lost to human activities globally, there is increasing interest in aquaculture to not only meet the growing need for food worldwide, but also enhance ecological functions and services. Prime among these services is the provision of habitat for marine biodiversity. We assessed the biodiversity associated with an abandoned benthic oyster farm to investigate the potential ecological benefits of benthic farming techniques used in traditional oyster farms. In addition, we made note of any invasive species which may use these abandoned structures as habitat. The macrobenthic assemblage in the oyster habitat formed by the farm was different from the surrounding mudflats, containing 61 and 26 species, respectively. Density of invertebrates was similar in both habitats (~ 5,777 ± 981 indiv·m−2), but biomass in the oyster farm over ten times greater than the mudflat substrate, which had a fauna dominated by small polychaetes (

牡蛎礁作为一种结构复杂的栖息地，其重要性在河口生态系统中日益受到认可。在全球范围内，由于人类活动的干扰，超过85%的牡蛎礁已经消失，因此，对于水产养殖的关注日益增加，这不仅是为了满足全球日益增长的粮食需求，也是为了提升生态功能和服务的目的。在这些服务中，为海洋生物多样性提供栖息地尤为重要。本研究评估了一处废弃底栖牡蛎养殖场相关的生物多样性，以探究传统牡蛎养殖场中使用的底栖养殖技术的潜在生态效益。此外，我们还记录了可能利用这些废弃结构作为栖息地的任何入侵物种。由养殖场形成的牡蛎栖息地中的大型底栖生物群落与周边的泥滩存在差异，分别包含61种和26种物种。两种栖息地中无脊椎动物的密度相似（约5,777 ± 981个个体·平方米），但养殖场中的生物量是泥滩基质的十倍以上，后者主要由小型环节动物构成（）。