CONTACT INFORMATION:

Research Institution:

PI First name, Last name:   Jennifer Ruesink,  Alan Trimble

Phone:                               (206) 734-6507,   (206) 734-6717

Email:                                ruesink@uw.edu, trimblea@uw.edu

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Objectives:

1) Evaluate long-term records of environmental conditions (daily water temperature, meteorological observations, water chemistry) for evidence of spatio-temporal patterns, and their predictive power for the magnitude and timing of oyster recruitment.

2) Compare present-day spatial and temporal patterns of larval abundance and recruitment among 3 estuarine bivalves, specifically addressing a) connectedness among spatially discrete populations (whether spatial patterns of recruitment are related to spawning), and b) species-specific constraints to recruitment across life history stages and environmental conditions.

3) Extend long-term records of environmental conditions (temp, salinity, pH, chlorophyll, nutrients) and recent measurements of pCO2 throughout the estuary.

KEYWORDS:    Crassostrea gigas, Ostrea lurida, recruitment

FUNDING AGENCY:   Washington Sea Grant