Oyster larvae
Oyster reefs are crucial to coastal ecosystems. Growth of oyster reefs depends on recruitment of planktonic larvae, but oyster larvae are notoriously difficult to study due to low abundances and patchy distributions. We are testing an imaging based method for surveying oyster larval abundance. We hope to link larval abundances with settlement and adult population data to assess reef health, the viability of existing artificial reef projects, and the potential for successful creation of artificial reefs.