Nitrogen Cycling Processes Across an Oyster Aquaculture Chronosequence presented at the May 19th, 2014 Shellfish Management Stakeholder meeting.

1. Nitrogen Cycling Processes Across an Oyster
Aquaculture Chronosequence
Robinson W. Fulweiler • Boston University • Department of Earth and Environment • Department of Biology

2. 40% increase
since ~1900s

3. ~50% of the Global Population – Alive today – because of this process.
Erisman et al., Nature Geoscience, 2008

4. N Loading and Aquatic ecosystem response
• Increased algal productivity
• Harmful algal blooms
• Formation of nuisance algal mats
• Low oxygen conditions
• Fish kills - fin and shell
• Loss of biodiversity
• Loss of submerged aquatic
vegetation
Sybil Seitzinger, 2003

5. Denitrification: NO3
-  N2 Removes nitrogen from the system

6. Atmosphere
(km)
Water
Column
(m)
Sediment
(cm)
Detrital
Organic
matter
Organic
matter
NH4
+
NH4
+
NO2
-
NO3
-
N2
N2O
N2O
N2N2O
Photosynthesis
Bacterial
degradation
Bacterial
degradation
Nitrification
N2
Denitrification
Aerobic conditions
Anaerobic conditions

7. “…the old oysterman knew, there’s no better
place to grow oysters than in Rhode Island.”
-Photo & Quote from Michael A. Rice, 2006

8. Beutel 2012
Millions of Oyster Aquaculture Pieces Sold Over the Last Sixteen Years

10. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
SOD(mmolO2-Om-2hr-1)
-1500
-1000
-500
0
500
1000
1500
2000
Aquaculture Oyster Cultch Control
N2flux(umolN2-Nm-2hr-1) Net N2 Fluxes
Spring
Summer
Fall
Carey et al. 2014 ASLO Poster, Manuscript In Prep,

11. Acknowledgements:
• RI Sea Grant
• Dave Beutel, CRMC
• Jim Arnoux, East Beach Oysters
(http://eastbeachblondes.com/)
• Suzy Ayvazian, EPA
• Boze Hancock, TNC
• Joanna Carey, MBL
• Boston University
Questions? Comments? What to know more?
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12. Questions/Comments
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