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Fresh Water Inflow and Oyster Productivity in Apalachicola Bay, FL (USA)

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Abstract

Apalachicola Bay lies at the mouth of the Apalachicola River, where seasonally variable freshwater inflows and shifting winds have long been thought to contribute to the support of an unusually productive and commercially important oyster fishery. Links between the river and productivity have been shown to lie in salinity-induced reductions in oyster predators and oyster disease as well as organic supplements from an extensive floodplain. Several studies have also indicated that nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) carried by the river are important in fertilization of bay primary production. While there is concern that upstream water withdrawals may impact the fishery, the importance of riverine N to oyster diets remains unclear. We measured N and carbon (C) stable isotopes (δ15N, δ13C) in macroalgae, surface-water nitrate, and surface sediments, which showed a gradient from enriched riverine δ15N values to more depleted values in the Gulf of Mexico. In contrast, δ13C of particulate matter is depleted in the river and enriched offshore. Oyster stable isotope values throughout Apalachicola Bay are more complex, but are dominated by freshwater inputs and reflect the variability and hydrodynamics of the riverine inflows.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Jenna Wanat from the Apalachicola Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve for her assistance in sample collection, Tiffany Heywood from the University of Rhode Island for laboratory assistance, Carol Thornber for macroalgae identification, and Rick McKinney from the U.S. EPA for use of the IRMS. This work was partially supported by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and by NOAA's Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program for A. Oczkowski. Although the research described in this article has been funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency it has not been subjected to agency-level review. Therefore, it does not necessarily reflect the views of the agency. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA or the Department of Commerce. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. This is contribution number AED-10-062 of the EPA Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory at the Atlantic Ecology Division.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Dr., Narragansett, RI, 02882, USA

    Autumn J. Oczkowski

  2. Northwest Florida Water Management District, 81 Water Management Dr., Havana, FL, 32333, USA

    F. Graham Lewis

  3. Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI, 02882, USA

    Scott W. Nixon & Rebecca S. Robinson

  4. Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas, Department of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee, FL, 32399, USA

    H. Lee Edmiston

  5. Department of Oceanography, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA

    Jeffrey P. Chanton

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  1. Autumn J. Oczkowski
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  2. F. Graham Lewis
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Correspondence to Autumn J. Oczkowski.

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Oczkowski, A.J., Lewis, F.G., Nixon, S.W. et al. Fresh Water Inflow and Oyster Productivity in Apalachicola Bay, FL (USA). Estuaries and Coasts 34, 993–1005 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-011-9383-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-011-9383-9

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