Bronx River Oyster Project 2006 De Shaundra Johnson

Bronx River Oyster Project 2006 De. Shaundra Johnson Calbert Warner Scott White Rocking The Boat Mentor: Tony Archino and Seth Goodwin

Abstract • To restore the Bronx River to a clean body of water. • To restore and replenish disappearing species by reintroducing oysters.

Vocabulary • Oyster: Marine mollusk having two rough irregular shells that use filter feeding as their primary way of retrieving nutrients. • Fresh Water: Water that contains little to virtually no salt, usually inland water such as ponds, lakes, or streams. • Salt Water: water containing large amounts of salt; seawater. • Brackish Water: Slightly salty water; water that is a mix of salt water and fresh water.

Materials www. knysnaoysters. co. za www. pikeplacefish. com www. dnr. state. md. us antares. in 2 p 3. fr

Procedures • Fill a net bag with oyster shells or manmade substrates. • Tie closed with a plastic twist tie. • Place 2 oyster bags into a crate. • Place 3 to 4 bricks into the crate for sufficient weight • Lower the crate down to the bottom of the river, connected to a marker buoys.

Procedures Contd. • Lift crates up from the river floor where the marker buoys are found. • Remove bricks from the crate to ease the weight. • Cut out the oyster bags out of the crate. • Remove about 10 % of the shells in the bag • Observe and record what organisms are living inside the bag or inside the crate.

Introduction to Oysters: Basic Facts • Filter Feeders • Soft body animals that live in two protective shells • Create habitat space for other organisms • Live between 8 to 25 years • Mature fast • Can be found between 30 to 80 meters below the surface • Require a hard surface to live on

Oyster Anatomy

Oyster Garden Results Critters Crate # 4 (Oyster Shells) Crate # 4 (Substrate) Crate # 3 (Oyster Shells) Crate # 2 (Oyster Shells) Bryozoans (Membranipora) None found 10% covered None found Sea Squirt (Mogula) 10 - 15% covered 25% covered 35 - 40% covered 25 - 30% covered Mud Tubeworm (Spionidae) 4 present 10 present None found Sand Tubeworm (Sabellaria vulgaris) None found 1 present 2 present None found Blue Claw Crab None found 1 present 2 present None found Tube Dwelling Amphipods 3 present 6 present 9 present None found

Oyster Garden Results Contd. Critters Crate # 4 (Oyster Shells) Crate # 4 (Substrate) Crate # 3 (Oyster Shells) Crate # 2 (Oyster Shells) Barnacles (Balanus spp. ) 15 present None Found 10 present 11 present Flatworm 1 present None Found Slipper Shell (Crepidula spp. ) 2 present None Found Oyster Spat 1 present None Found Filamentous Algae None Found 5 - 10% covered None Found Fish (Gobi) None Found 1 present None Found Sea Anemones 2 present None Found

Pictures of Critters Bryozoans www. seawater. no Tube Worm personal. cityu. edu. Sea Squirts www. seagrant. uconn. edu Blue Claw Crab www. scottsbt. com

Pictures Of Critters Barnacles calacademy. com Oyster Spat gordonsshellfish. com Slipper Shell alpha 2. bigelow. org Flatworm www. bu. edu

Pictures of Critters Sea Anemones www. glaucus. org. uk Green Filamentous Algae cornell. edu Gobi Fish www. globio. org Red Filamentous Algae massbay. mit. edu

Conclusion • The population of fish drastically decreased, however the Bronx River seems to be “stabilizing” as compared to previous years. • Oysters are an important part of the river, the areas where oysters are found have a wider variety of creatures living there. • By cutting down on the water usage you can help decrease the pollution in the water. • Water monitoring results suggest, by restoring the oyster population the Bronx River will return to a more natural and healthier state.

Future plans • To continue monitoring the oyster reef every month. • To re-launch the oyster garden project that was started in the summer 2005. • To also replenish the native fish populations.

References 1. Stott, Rebecca (2004). Oyster. The University of Chicage Press. Retrieved on 2006 -08 -11. Modified 07: 01, 17 November 2002. 2. Nell J. A. (2002). "Farming triploid oysters". Aquaculture 210: 69 -88. DOI: 10. 1016/S 00448486(01)00861 -4. 07: 01, 07 September 2003. 3. New York City Department of Parks. “Bronx River”. Nov 05, 2001. Retrieved on 2006 -08 -06. http: //www. nycgovparks. org/sub_your_park/hist orical_signs/hs_historical_sign. php? id=11583 4. Lexico Publishing Group. Edition 2006. Retrieved on 2006 -08 -21. <http: //dictionary. reference. com/search? q=fresh+wat er>

Acknowledgements • • • Rocking The Boat Tony Archino Seth Goodwin Harlem Children Society Dr. Sat MSKCC

To The Audience