Changes in water flow alters community dynamics in oyster reefs in Middle Marsh, North Carolina (1999-2000).

Fluid (air or water) movements are key determinants of living systems from cellular to community levels of organization. Water flow can influence individual fitness and local population dynamics, but less is known about the collective response of natural communities to alteration in water flow because parameter responses to flow may be additive, juxtaposed, or interactive. To examine how changes in water flow affected initial larval settlement patterns of epifaunal and infaunal animals, colonization of larger individuals, and prey survival, we manipulated water flow (-50% or +47%) in situ using large wooden channels over small experimental oyster reefs. To test whether initial settlement patterns were additive or influenced by early post-settlement processes (i.e., predation or competition reduced the densities), we compared patterns in short duration trials (two weeks) to those in longer duration deployments (six weeks). The results of this study are analyzed and presented in the following published manuscript: Power, S. P., and J. H. Grabowski. 2022. Changes in water flow alters community dynamics in oyster reefs. Ecosphere (in press).