The Effect of Light and Algae on the Calcification and Respiration Rates of the Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea virginica

Authors: Ace Austria, Aaron Ninokawa, Naimul Islam

SUNY Campus: SUNY ESF

Presentation Type: Poster

Location: UU 108

Presentation #: 79

Timeslot: Session D 3:00-4:00 PM

Abstract: Bivalve aquaculture is a rapidly expanding industry providing food for an ever-growing global population. However, there are several challenges to its success, including reduced production due to ocean acidification (OA), the decrease in ocean pH driven by increased anthropogenic carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. One possible technique to offset the impacts of OA is co-culturing bivalves with macroalgae, whose photosynthetic activity during the day can locally ameliorate increased carbon dioxide, though their respiration at night could exacerbate OA. Here, we examine how calcification, the formation of calcium carbonate shell material, in an economically important bivalve, the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica), responds to the presence of macroalgae and whether it depends on the amount of light available. We conducted a series of incubations spanning multiple light levels and the presence or absence of Chaetomorpha sp., a commonly cultured macroalgae. The calcification rate was measured with the calcium anomaly technique during the sealed incubations. Oyster calcification increased in the presence of light while it decreased in the presence of macroalgae. These results highlight the complexity of assigning drivers for shell formation for these bivalves. Further studies are warranted to determine how light intensity affects oyster behavior or whether other biological functions beyond calcification are impacted in order to determine the full effect of co-culturing these bivalves with macroalgae.