wwm9074
IMG_0251
Taken 20180117 at Myrtle Grove off the UNCW CMS dock. The picture shows multiple oysters (Crassostrea virginica) that have attached themselves to each other for protection and ease of reproduction. Like coral reefs in the lower latitudes, oyster reefs provide a stable habitat to the many species that live in coastal areas of the East coast. Oysters serve as important filter feeders within the ecosystem and in large numbers help improve water quality by filtering out detritus and plankton. "The filtration rate of Crassostrea virginica was measured at 6.80 liters of seawater per hour in laboratory experiments (RiisgŒrd 1988). Other sources suggest that it is as high as 36 liters per hour (Brusca and Brusca 1990)." This combined with oysters also being a large food source for aquatic animals and humans alike make them an important player in this ecological community.
www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Crassostrea_virginica.htm
citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.489.493...
IMG_0251
Taken 20180117 at Myrtle Grove off the UNCW CMS dock. The picture shows multiple oysters (Crassostrea virginica) that have attached themselves to each other for protection and ease of reproduction. Like coral reefs in the lower latitudes, oyster reefs provide a stable habitat to the many species that live in coastal areas of the East coast. Oysters serve as important filter feeders within the ecosystem and in large numbers help improve water quality by filtering out detritus and plankton. "The filtration rate of Crassostrea virginica was measured at 6.80 liters of seawater per hour in laboratory experiments (RiisgŒrd 1988). Other sources suggest that it is as high as 36 liters per hour (Brusca and Brusca 1990)." This combined with oysters also being a large food source for aquatic animals and humans alike make them an important player in this ecological community.
www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Crassostrea_virginica.htm
citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.489.493...