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The relationship between trends in a condition index of the American oyster,Crassostrea virginica, and environmental parameters in three Virginia estuaries

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Abstract

Oyster Condition Index (CI) was partitioned, using a moving average filter, into seasonal cycles and long-term trends in the James, York, and Rappahannock rivers for the period 1970–1983. Seasonal cyclic fluctuations in CI could be explained partially by changes in salinity and number of days within various temperature regimes. Long-term trends in the James River show a steady increase in CI over the study period, while a concurrent decline was noted in the Rappahannock River. Superimposed on these trends is a 4 to 5 yr cycle that is in synchrony with river discharge (salinity). In the York River, CI peaked in 1975–1976 at all stations. Measured environmental parameters do not sufficiently explain the trends. We speculate that the differences in the Rappahannock and James rivers may be due to a decline in bottom oxygen as a result of gravitational circulation differences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Virginia Institute of Marine Science School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, 23062, Gloucester Point, Virginia

    Herbert Austin & Dexter S. Haven

  2. Science Applications Int. Corporation, 1710 Goodridge Drive, 22102, McLean, Virginia

    Mary Sue Moustafa

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  1. Herbert Austin
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  2. Dexter S. Haven
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  3. Mary Sue Moustafa
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Contribution Number 1757 from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062.

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Austin, H., Haven, D.S. & Moustafa, M.S. The relationship between trends in a condition index of the American oyster,Crassostrea virginica, and environmental parameters in three Virginia estuaries. Estuaries 16, 362–374 (1993). https://doi.org/10.2307/1352508

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1352508

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