Oyster gardening in the Baltimore Harbor: Quantifying oyster growth & influencing factors

Abstract

In Baltimore, industrialization has degraded the ecosystem and displaced communities from the waterfront. Organizations like the Great Baltimore Oyster Partnership and the Environmental Justice Journalism Initiative aim to address these problems via restoration efforts. While oyster gardening has occurred in the Inner Harbor since 2013, the health and growth of the oysters has never been quantified, nor are any programs established in the Middle Branch. The goal of this study was to understand location-specific factors contributing to growth differences of the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica). Oysters were deployed in the Harbor for 7 months and measurements for oyster growth and influencing factors collected. Oyster shell growth varied by site, but was not explained solely by temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen. Through phytoplankton metabarcoding, the preferred food sources of oysters were detected at all sites. These findings provide a baseline for quantifying oyster restoration initiatives in the Baltimore Harbor.