Presenter:  Tyler Power

Title: “The influence of oyster leases and eelgrass beds on local biodiversity levels at two productive bays in Prince Edward Island”

Marine sedimentary communities include epifaunal and infaunal organisms, and those found in Prince Edward Island (PEI) are often associated with beds of eelgrass (Zostera marina) and Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica). Unlike eelgrass, oysters are farmed as part of a productive aquaculture industry and occur adjacent to both eelgrass and bare sediments. Since eelgrass and oysters contribute to the structural complexity of the seafloor, the overarching hypothesis of this thesis was that habitats formed by these species sustain more diverse communities. To test this hypothesis, I compared epifaunal and infaunal communities in eelgrass beds, on-bottom and off-bottom oyster leases, and bare sediments across North Rustico and Rustico Bay. Epifauna was sampled using trapping surveys during 2021-2022, while infauna was sampled on a single diving survey (2021). Generally, eelgrass and on-bottom oyster leases supported more diverse and abundant epifauna than bare sediments, and their community composition and abundance were different. The infauna was more abundant in bare sediments, but diversity was again higher in eelgrass beds and on-bottom oyster leases, and their community composition was distinct. Most of the results gathered supported the hypothesis proposed and suggest that structurally complex habitats foster richer local communities.

Date/time/location: Tuesday, April 23, 2024, 1:00 pm, AVC 286A

Everyone is welcome.