ABSTRACT

This chapter quantifies the most important ecosystem services believed to be provided by nearshore oyster reefs. It also quantifies the effects of oyster reef addition on the dynamics of nutrients and organic matter within the water-column and sediments, including nutrient export from the creeks. Live oysters and associated fauna were tonged by local oystermen from Little Dauphin Island Bay and placed on top of the shell pad. The chapter examines the effects of oyster reef additions on fish community structure. To quantify the ecosystem services provided by shallow intertidal oyster reefs in coastal Alabama, a relatively simple replicated Before–After, Control–Impact, Paired design is employed. The chapter explains that functional redundancy of biogenic structure in the form of marsh plants likely caused our finding that oyster reefs did not significantly increase mobile fish and macrocrustaceans. The chapter emphasizes that restoration of nearshore oyster reefs should not be carried out because functional oyster reefs offer many benefits such as enhanced benthic–pelagic coupling.