Assessing the Current and Potential Role of Shellfish for Improving Water Quality - NERRS/NSC(NERRS Science Collaborative)

By leveraging reserve capacity and deepening relationships, this project fostered connectedness between people and data to strengthen water quality restoration efforts in Guana River Estuary.

The Project

The Guana River Estuary in northeast Florida is impacted by excess nutrients, regular occurrences of algal blooms, and a clear gradient of human influence from the headwaters to the estuary. In 2022, Florida Department of Environmental Protection determined that the Guana River Estuary headwaters, Guana Lake, and Guana River do not meet state water quality standards for nutrient concentrations.

Restoring shellfish populations in ecosystems like the Guana River Estuary, can help improve water quality, since shellfish like oysters and mussels naturally filter water and increase removal of excess nutrients. However, this approach requires that ecosystem managers have a better understanding of how nitrogen moves through their estuary and the capacities of shellfish communities to remove nitrogen (N). Key information gaps include the distribution of shellfish species, the efficacy of different shellfish for nutrient removal, and the effects that water quality may have on shellfish function. By leveraging a well-established collaborative group, GTM Reserve's Oyster and Water Quality Task Force, and engaging additional users, this project helped to fill these gaps and support more holistic water quality management efforts in and around the Guana River Estuary.

To assist with the development of restoration and management plans, this project:

1.Identified how land use change in the watershed affects the delivery of N to Guana Lake;

2. Surveyed shellfish distributions and condition;

3. Quantified filtration and N removal by shellfish;

4. Conducted field experiments to assess how N affects phytoplankton biomass and shellfish growth rates; and,

5. Quantified N removal via denitrification throughout the Guana River Estuary.

The project not only generated valuable water quality and shellfish data but it also established a path for increased research and monitoring by fostering connectedness between people and data. The combination of robust data, open and transparent discussions, and regular check-ins increased trust in science, deepened relationships, and generated a number of products, including shellfish distribution maps, shellfish filtration and denitrification rates, sediment nutrient fluxes and denitrification rates along the salinity gradient, monitoring and restoration recommendations, and peer-reviewed and outreach publications. These outcomes will strengthen water quality restoration efforts in the Guana River Estuary and the greater watershed area.

The Impact

Generated robust data on water quality, potential solutions, and recommendations that have enabled organizations to advocate for water quality in the Guana River Estuary.

Established new relationships and strengthened existing ones, creating a network of expertise to rely on for spin-off questions and future collaborations.

Built trust in the science by providing opportunities for partners to engage with and discuss the data.

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==Project Lead

Ashley Smyth, University of Florida, ashley.smyth@ufl.edu

==Collaborative Leads

Nikki Dix, GTM NERR, Nikki.Dix@dep.state.fl.us

Kaitlyn Dietz, GTM NERR, Kaitlyn.Dietz@dep.state.fl.us

==Technical Leads

Christine Angelini, University of Florida

Alexander Reisinger, University of Florida

Shirley Baker, University of Florida

Peter Ifju, University of Florida

Hallie Fischman, University of Florida, halliefischman@ufl.edu

Jayla Kindelspire, University of Florida

Orlando Cordero, University of Florida

The distributor does not assume liability.

None

Cite this dataset when used as a source: NOAA retains the right to analyze, synthesize and publish summaries of the NERRS/NSC data. The NERRS/NSC retains the right to be fully credited for having collected and process the data. Following academic courtesy standards, the NERR site where the data were collected should be contacted and fully acknowledged in any subsequent publications in which any part of the data are used. The data enclosed within this package/transmission are only as accurate as the quality assurance and quality control procedures that are described in the associated metadata reporting statement allow. The user bears all responsibility for its subsequent use/misuse in any further analyses or comparisons. The Federal government does not assume liability to the Recipient or third persons, nor will the Federal government reimburse or indemnify the Recipient for its liability due to any losses resulting in any way from the use of this data. Requested citation format: NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Science Collaborative(NSC).

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This information is detailed within the project links.

This information is detailed within the project links.