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eScience: Losing oyster reefs to history

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Carolyn Haese

In the May 2015 eScience magazine, PhD student Heidi Alleway and her supervisor Professor Sean Connell highlight the importance of oyster reefs in maintaining a healthy marine environment.

The article explores the history behind the large loss of natural oyster reefs in an effort to better understand how future conservation of oyster species can occur.

“They (oyster reefs) are commonly considered to be ‘ecosystem engineers’ creating an environment that supports and encourages many other species of plants and animals to thrive… At one time, these habitats were widespread throughout temperate seas worldwide but their distribution and abundance has declined by more than 85% due to overfishing, disease and water pollution.”

Read more about Heidi and Sean’s research into the loss of oyster reefs, the impacts and future restoration goals in the full e-Science article.

Dr Dom Mcaffee has been chosen to speak at TEDxAdelaide

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading and has been organising events for thirty years. TEDx is an independently run event based on the original TED conference structure. Dr Dominic Mcafee, a marine ecologist who specialises in Shellfish ecology. His previous work has focused on studying the effects of climate change on shellfish […]

Science in the Pub: Sustainability of Natural Resources

Professor Sean Connell will speak at the regional Science in the pub on the Fleurieu Peninsula next Tuesday night. Sean Connell is a Professor of Marine Biology and is involved in the Windara Reef which was recently launched by the South Australian Government, Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Science in the Pub – Fleurieu Penninsula Where: The […]

New artificial reef to be built to support local marine habitats

A new $600,000 artificial reef system is to be built south of Ardrossan, informed by research by the Environment Institute’s Professor Sean Connell and PIRSA’s Dr Heidi Alleway. The artificial reef, which is to be constructed from limestone, oyster shells and live native oysters, is part of a $3.52m State Government initiative to enhance the experience […]

Building blue infrastructure in South Australia through restoration of native shellfish reefs

The Natural Resource Management (NRM) Science Conference showcases the science underpinning environmental decision making, policy and management in South Australia, featuring some of our phenomenal Environment Institute researchers. Dr Heidi Alleway presents a seminar on the restoration of native shellfish reefs. South Australia was once home to an extensive oyster fishing industry, with oyster reefs hugging […]

New research: Neo-Europe and its ecological consequences

Heidi Alleway, Professor Bronwyn Gillanders and Professor Sean Connell from the University of Adelaide’s Environment Institute have found that the colonisation of Australia contributed to an overexploitation of inland fisheries species. Their paper entitled, ” ‘Neo-Europe’ and its ecological consequences: the example of systematic degradation in Australia’s inland fisheries,” published in Biology Letters, compared fish market […]

Media release: Global marine analysis suggests food chain collapse

A world-first global analysis of marine responses to climbing human CO2 emissions has painted a grim picture of future fisheries and ocean ecosystems. Published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), marine ecologists from the University of Adelaide say the expected ocean acidification and warming is likely to produce a […]

New theory on ecosystem stability

Professor Sean Connell and PhD student Giulia Ghedini from the University of Adelaide recently had a paper published in Trends in Ecology and Evolution, entitled “Resisting regime-shifts: the stabilising effect of compensatory processes“. This new paper develops a new theory on ecosystem stability. Most researchers study that ecosystems focus on change and the drivers of that […]

The Great Southern Reef – have you heard of it?

Professor Sean Connell from the University of Adelaide was one of the authors on a collaborative article among six scientists across Southern Australia published in The Conversation. The article highlights the need to increase awareness of the true value of the Great Southern Reef so that it can be managed effectively now and for future […]

Podcast: Recovering historic oyster reefs

Around 150 years ago oyster reefs lined our coastline, improving water quality, clarity and fish life. Unfortunately, due to the reefs being harvested to extinction we now have a much less healthy ecosystem. However, a collaborative venture between the University of Adelaide and SA Water is about to begin to restore the lost oyster reefs. […]

New frontiers in marine movement ecology

Dr Pablo Munguia from the University of Adelaide was one of three researchers involved in a paper entitled ‘Frontiers in marine movement ecology: mechanisms and consequences of migration and dispersal in marine habitats,’ published in Biology Letters. The paper explores the state of ‘marine movement ecology’ from small invertebrates to the largest fish, inhabiting benthic and pelagic realms. […]

Podcast: Protecting the ecology of the Spencer Gulf

Professor Bronwyn Gillanders from the University of Adelaide’s Environment Institute was interviewed by Sarah Martin on Radio Adelaide’s The Sound of Science program about her thoughts on protecting the ecology of the Spencer Gulf. The Spencer Gulf is home to many unique sea creatures, such as the giant cuttlefish. In her interview, Professor Gillanders explores […]

Doctoral Research Medal winners

The Environment Institute congratulates Dr Sarah Catalano, Dr Owen Burnell and Dr Simon Divecha on winning Adelaide University Doctoral Research Medals. The University awards up to 15 Doctoral Research Medals for the highest quality PhD theses examined each year. Two of the four science University Research Medalists from 2014 were from the Marine Biology Group. […]

Conserving the seascape nursery

Mangroves and other coastal ecosystems are important nurseries for recreational and commercial finfish and shellfish species. Yet almost half of the global coverage of mangrove has been lost due to humans. To sustain their important ecosystem services adequate management is needed. However, evaluation of their nursery role for management purposes is largely based on protecting […]

Media Release: Oyster ecosystems a huge loss for South Australia

Researchers at the University of Adelaide have discovered the loss of one of the State’s most significant marine ecosystems, which may have disappeared some 70 years ago. For her PhD in the University’s School of Biological Sciences, Heidi Alleway and supervisor Professor Sean Connell identified the loss of oyster reefs, formed by the native oyster Ostrea angasi, from […]

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