Patterns of oyster recruitment and habitat provision across tidal elevation gradients are dependent on predator mitigation methods

For restoration projects conducted in environments with strong predation, effective predator mitigation can be key to the successful recruitment of habitat-forming species, and the development of associated ecological communities. Predator mitigation may involve exclusion through caging, or the provision of protective spaces through complex habitat mimics. The relative efficacy of the two approaches may vary across environmental gradients, according to predation and environmental stress.
To inform the most effective predator mitigation methods for oyster reef restoration, we compared oyster recruitment and associated community development between uncaged concrete blocks, caged concrete blocks and biodegradable complex habitat mimics (BESE), across 3 tidal elevations and 3 sites in eastern Australia.
After one year, oyster and associated invertebrate recruitment to uncaged concrete was low at all sites and tidal elevations. Whereas BESE supported greater invertebrate abundance and richne..., , , # Data from: Patterns of oyster recruitment and habitat provision across tidal elevation gradients are dependent on predator mitigation methods

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.nk98sf838](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.nk98sf838)

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Esquivel-Muelbert et al. (2024). Patterns of oyster recruitment and habitat provision across tidal elevation gradients are dependent on predator mitigation methods

Data description:

To inform the most effective predator mitigation methods for oyster reef restoration, we compared oyster recruitment and associated community development between uncaged concrete blocks, caged concrete blocks and biodegradable complex habitat mimics (BESE), across 3 tidal elevations (mid and low intertidal and subtidal) and 3 sites within 2 estuaries in eastern Australia. Additionally, to compare substrate use by cryptic fish, we quantified fish occupation of each subtidally placed e...