Do restored oyster reefs benefit seagrasses? An experimental study in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Oyster reefs and seagrass beds are being lost worldwide at alarming rates. These habitats provide many services to humankind and, thus, much effort has been dedicated to their restoration. Here, we examine the efficacy of created oyster reefs at enhancing seagrass beds through the amelioration of hydrographic conditions and water quality. We carried out a field experiment in the Northern Gulf of Mexico where we compared areas shoreward of created reefs with adjacent reef-free areas over several years using a before-after control-impact (BACI) design. The reefs were built with oyster shell, measured 65 m, and were placed at circa 100 m from the shoreline to ensure subtidal conditions and enhance oyster recruitment. The BACI results showed few and disparate effects of the reefs, even when distance from the reef was factored in. However, we found a temporal increase in seagrass cover throughout all the experimental area (i.e. including both reef and control plots) following reef deployment. Interestingly, further analysis with satellite imagery showed the experimental area had higher seagrass cover 5 years after reef deployment than it did before reef deployment, but such increase was not observed for nearby areas. In concert, the results suggest “shadow” effects for the reefs examined, where positive effects on seagrass beds extend beyond the area directly shoreward from the reef. Oyster reef restoration may have positive impacts on shallow seagrass beds in turbid, high-energy systems; however, more work on the extent and mechanisms for this interaction is needed.