ckersey2013
Oyster Reef
This is a picture that I took while paddle boarding in Wrightsville Beach on January 19th, 2017 during a sunset. Pictured is an oyster reef. These oysters all come from a family of the salt-water bivalve molluscs. The oysters relate to ecology in the matter that they are an example of a keystone species - one that provides habitat for many other species. The shells and "nooks" in-between the shells of these oysters can be used as protection and shelter for smaller animals that may be prey to other larger species. Some of these smaller species could include sea anemones and barnacles. They also play an ecological role in being effective filters in waters. These oysters temporarily open to filter large amounts of water and exchange it with CO2 and O2. One individual oyster can filter about 50 gallons of waters per day, removing plankton, nitrogen-containing compounds, bacteria, and several organic compounds in waters where the co-exist. By being important filters, the oyster reefs can ultimately improve water clarity and quality significantly.
Oyster Reef
This is a picture that I took while paddle boarding in Wrightsville Beach on January 19th, 2017 during a sunset. Pictured is an oyster reef. These oysters all come from a family of the salt-water bivalve molluscs. The oysters relate to ecology in the matter that they are an example of a keystone species - one that provides habitat for many other species. The shells and "nooks" in-between the shells of these oysters can be used as protection and shelter for smaller animals that may be prey to other larger species. Some of these smaller species could include sea anemones and barnacles. They also play an ecological role in being effective filters in waters. These oysters temporarily open to filter large amounts of water and exchange it with CO2 and O2. One individual oyster can filter about 50 gallons of waters per day, removing plankton, nitrogen-containing compounds, bacteria, and several organic compounds in waters where the co-exist. By being important filters, the oyster reefs can ultimately improve water clarity and quality significantly.