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Abstract

 

 

Ozbay, G., F. Marenghi and J. Fay. 2008. The application of geographic information systems (GIS) in oyster restoration (crassostrea virginica) in delaware’s inland bays. JEMREST 5:106-112.

 

Oysters play an important role in filtering large volumes of water on a daily basis, therefore improving water quality by removing sediments, nutrients, and bacteria from the water column and adding nutrients to the benthos.  The oyster (Crassostrea virginica) populations that once flourished throughout the coastal Mid-Atlantic region have reached dire levels.  In an attempt to reverse this decline, many states have developed oyster restoration programs which sometimes require a multifaceted approach.  Oyster aquaculture gear can provide many of the same ecological benefits as oyster reefs, providing a unique habitat for many ecologically and economically important species in estuaries worldwide.  Restoration efforts in Delaware’s Inland Bays have involved residents and include the collection of water quality data and a habitat value assessment of the program’s floating oyster aquaculture gear.  Using shellfish as a water quality indicator has been successful in water quality monitoring due to the bioaccumulation of different microorganisms that may be present in the environment.  One of the foremost naturally occurring marine bacterial grou ps is Vibrionaceae, which may cause seafood-borne illnesses of great concern.  The objectives of this research program are to monitor water quality and habitat value of oyster aquaculture gear and to monitor total bacteria and Vibrionaceae colonies at selected oyster gardening sites.  Maps of water quality and bacterial monitoring at the study sites were made using Arc GIS 9.2 (ESRI).  Application of GIS in our research efforts helped us understand trends and relationships between study site conditions and water quality data.

 

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