Effect of aquacultured oyster biodeposition on sediment N2 production in Chesapeake Bay

Colleen B. Higgins; Craig Tobias; Michael F. Piehler; Ashley R. Smyth; Richard F. Dame; Kurt Stephenson; Bonnie L. Brown

doi:10.3354/meps10062

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MEPS 473:7-27 (2013) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10062

Effect of aquacultured oyster biodeposition on sediment N₂ production in Chesapeake Bay

Colleen B. Higgins¹, Craig Tobias², Michael F. Piehler³, Ashley R. Smyth³, Richard F. Dame⁴, Kurt Stephenson⁵, Bonnie L. Brown^6,*

¹Integrative Life Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284, USA
²University of Connecticut, Avery Point, Groton, Connecticut 06340, USA
³Institute of Marine Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, North Carolina 28557, USA
⁴Distinguished Palmetto Professor Emeritus, Coastal Carolina University, Charleston, South Carolina 29403, USA
⁵Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
⁶Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284, USA

*Corresponding author. Email: blbrown@vcu.edu

ABSTRACT: Suspension feeding bivalves have the potential to mitigate estuarine and coastal marine eutrophication by permanently removing nitrogen (N) from the system. We conducted an integrated field and laboratory examination of the effect of eastern oyster biodeposition on sediment denitrification (DNF) and anammox (AMX) rates to quantify the N removal potential of oyster aquaculture using 2 commercial-scale sites in Chesapeake Bay, USA. Sediment N₂ production rates were measured using 2 techniques, ¹⁵N isotope tracer (n = 51) and N₂:Ar (n = 30). Oyster biodeposit N-load rates explained 21% of variation in sediment N₂ production (DNF and AMX). Oyster sediment N₂ production rates ranged from 0.00 to 1.56 mmol N m⁻²d⁻¹ and were almost always lower than reference sediments. From laboratory-based biodeposit addition and field-based forced biodeposit accumulation experiments, we found ~2.50 mmol N m⁻²d⁻¹ to be the maximum sediment N₂ production capacity of these sediments, regardless of increasing organic N or labile organic carbon delivery rates. We found no evidence to support the contention that biodeposition associated with oyster aquaculture significantly impacts annual N removal via sediment N₂ production, i.e. stimulation or inhibition, above reference rates, but there was evidence that sediment NH₄⁺ efflux rates were increased. We estimate the N removal rate via sediment N₂ production at similar oyster cultivation sites (1750 m²) with 5 × 10⁵ oysters ranges from 0.49 to 12.60 kg N yr⁻¹, compared to 2.27 to 16.72 kg N yr⁻¹ at reference sites. Thus, aquacultured oyster biodeposition did not have a ubiquitously enhancing effect on N removal rates via N₂ production and is therefore unlikely to be effective as a policy initiative for eutrophication mitigation.

KEY WORDS: Eastern oyster · Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin) · N₂ production · Denitrification · Anammox · Sediment nitrogen removal · Oyster biodeposition · Chesapeake Bay

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Cite this article as: Higgins CB, Tobias C, Piehler MF, Smyth AR, Dame RF, Stephenson K, Brown BL (2013) Effect of aquacultured oyster biodeposition on sediment N₂ production in Chesapeake Bay. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 473:7-27. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10062

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MEPS 473:7-27 (2013) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10062