Principal Investigator
Bonnie Becker, University of Washington, Tacoma, School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
Co-Principal Investigators
Brian Allen, Puget Sound Restoration Fund
Henry Carson, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Betsy Peabody, Puget Sound Restoration Fund
Andrés J. Quesada, Northwest Indian College, Salish Sea Research Center
Brent Vadopalas, University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
Project
The native Olympia oyster played a key role in Puget Sound’s ecology and economy. But despite cleaner water and an end to commercial harvests, it has failed to reestablish itself. An important question remains unanswered: to what extent does a restored oyster population self-seed, seed other sites, and exchange larvae with other populations? Genetic analysis assesses these connections across multiple generations, but restoration occurs much faster. This project will use the distinctive chemical signatures of seawater at different locations to more speedily and precisely decipher the connections between various Olympia oyster populations.
Research Updates
Washington Sea Grant-funded researchers from three academic institutions partnered with state shellfish managers and growers and a local restoration group to develop a system for tracking movement of larval oysters. Working with undergraduates and colleagues from four oyster farms and two Native tribes, the team applied markers to the shells of larval oysters and tracked movement. More than 14,000 adult females were examined to identify the very small fraction (less than one percent) with shelled larvae that were needed to conduct the analysis.
The team completed field collection and garnered enough samples to validate this approach to planning future sustainable restoration sites. A reference map showing the chemical signature distribution of the shells gathered from throughout Puget Sound will be used to determine the origin of juvenile oysters and measure the distance traveled by larvae. Educational benefits included the contribution of more than 1,000 hours by seven undergraduate students. The project has potential application worldwide.