Restoration of habitats in the Chesapeake Bay has been occurring for many years and the benefits can be seen for numerous organisms in the area. With the water quality of the Inner Harbor on the decline it is imperative for a change. The national aquarium and the city of Baltimore teamed up to devise a “Harbor 2.0” project that will implement bivalves as a way to increase the water quality along with the biodiversity in the Inner Harbor. Water quality analysis was conducted in order to test the health of the water. It is planned to put in floating wetlands and strategically place different bivalves in order to implement a natural water filtration system. Examining the ability of oyster to grow and survive in this environment as well as what other organisms use this habitat is an important step to determine the future course of restoration in urban settings.
Results/Conclusions
We are hoping to be able to compare several sites in the area including the inner harbor sites to see how oysters and oyster reef communities can be a part of restoration and improvement of water quality. We can see some differences in the presence and abundance of numerous invertebrate and fish species using the sites. The oyster survival rate is above 80% for the first month and the growth is higher in the urban site. We are also seeing a higher growth and survival rate in the sites that have better circulation. The survival rates and growth rates are lower in the second urban site due to large mussel settlement. The ampipod, shrimp, and small fish abundances are similar in most of the urban sites. Comparing the survival of oysters in these sites to determine if it is feasible to have oyster reef and wetlands sites be a part of restoration in Baltimore.