Ecology Summary - Ostrea edulis

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Ecology of Ostrea edulis

Main Ref.	Narberhaus, I., J. Krause and U. Bernitt (eds.), 2012
Remarks	Typically found in rich estuaries and shallow-waters along the tidal zone, attached to stones, compacted mud or silt, muddy sand or gravel substrate, or on bivalve shell fragments. May also be found on wave-exposed areas; and up to depths of 80 m. Prefer salinities between18 to 40; and water temperature of 17°C. Suspension feeders; filters phytoplankton from the ambient waters. Sexual maturity at 3 years. Alternating hermaphrodites; initially producing and releasing sperm as males and then becoming female and producing eggs kept in the mantle cavity where they are fertilized. Highly fecund with 500,000 to more than a million eggs produced by a single individual per year. Incubation in the mantle cavity lasts from 7 to 10 days, followed by a 10 to 30-day planktonic larval veliger stage, until it permanently cements itself with a byssal substance unto the substrate, often in aggregating colonies. Dispersal distances, as influenced by the currents, estimated to be more than 10 km. Life span estimated at 20 to 30 years. A human food source since the Stone Age. German North Sea populations decline began in the late 18th century and attributed to the use of steam ships in oyster fishery; and since the 1950s to 2012, is considered extinct in German waters. Identified hindrance to recolonization include anthropogenic influences such as overfishing and unregulated fishing; presence of invasive species and eutrophication linked to aquaculture; habitat-altering and destructive marine construction activities; poisoning from oil spills and from the liquid biocide, tributyltin hydride, in anti-fouling marine paint used in commercial shipping; as well as temperature and osmotic stress due to climate change (Ref. 88171).

Main Ref.

Narberhaus, I., J. Krause and U. Bernitt (eds.), 2012

Remarks

Typically found in rich estuaries and shallow-waters along the tidal zone, attached to stones, compacted mud or silt, muddy sand or gravel substrate, or on bivalve shell fragments. May also be found on wave-exposed areas; and up to depths of 80 m. Prefer salinities between18 to 40; and water temperature of 17°C. Suspension feeders; filters phytoplankton from the ambient waters. Sexual maturity at 3 years. Alternating hermaphrodites; initially producing and releasing sperm as males and then becoming female and producing eggs kept in the mantle cavity where they are fertilized. Highly fecund with 500,000 to more than a million eggs produced by a single individual per year. Incubation in the mantle cavity lasts from 7 to 10 days, followed by a 10 to 30-day planktonic larval veliger stage, until it permanently cements itself with a byssal substance unto the substrate, often in aggregating colonies. Dispersal distances, as influenced by the currents, estimated to be more than 10 km. Life span estimated at 20 to 30 years. A human food source since the Stone Age. German North Sea populations decline began in the late 18th century and attributed to the use of steam ships in oyster fishery; and since the 1950s to 2012, is considered extinct in German waters. Identified hindrance to recolonization include anthropogenic influences such as overfishing and unregulated fishing; presence of invasive species and eutrophication linked to aquaculture; habitat-altering and destructive marine construction activities; poisoning from oil spills and from the liquid biocide, tributyltin hydride, in anti-fouling marine paint used in commercial shipping; as well as temperature and osmotic stress due to climate change (Ref. 88171).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Ostrea edulis may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Benthic: sessile; Soft Bottom: sand ( coarse, ); silt; mud; Hard Bottom: rocky;
Substrate Ref.	Harbo, R.M., 1997
Special habitats	Beds: rock;
Special habitats Ref.	Narberhaus, I., J. Krause and U. Bernitt (eds.), 2012

Associations

Ref.	Narberhaus, I., J. Krause and U. Bernitt (eds.), 2012
Associations	parasitism; colony-forming/symphorism; commensalism;
Associated with	Parasites: Marteilia refringens; Bonamia ostreae. Commensals: Ascidiella aspersa; A. scabra; Myxicola infundibulum; Sabella pavonina; Lanice conchilega; Chaetopterus variopedatus; C. terebellids; Cliona viridis; C. celata; Plocamium cartilagineum; Nitophyllum punctatum; Spyridia filamentosa.
Association remarks	Associated parasites: Marteilia refringens and Bonamia ostreae protozoans caused severe losses in flat oyster farms in the 1960s and since 1979, respectively. Colony-forming behavior: larvae settle preferentially in areas where other larvae of its species have colonized. Commensal associations in oyster banks: sea squirts, large tube-dwelling bristle worms, boring sponges, red algae, and a variety of juvenile fish populations (Ref. 88171).
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly plants/detritus (troph. 2-2.19)
Feeding type Ref.	Narberhaus, I., J. Krause and U. Bernitt (eds.), 2012
Feeding habit	selective plankton feeding
Feeding habit Ref.	Narberhaus, I., J. Krause and U. Bernitt (eds.), 2012

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	2.00	0.00			Trophic level and s.e. inferred from exclusive plant/detritus food items.
Ref.

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Aquatic zones / Water bodies

Habitat

Associations

feeding

Trophic Level(s)