Ostrea edulis products occupy a niche and are considered a luxury sea food item, destined for specialized consumers ( Towers, 2010).īoth aquaculture and restoration efforts need comprehensive understanding of oysters’ environmental requirements and life strategies. Although, currently, flat oyster aquaculture is limited, (the sector valued USD 12441 in 2017 and represented 1703 tons of production according to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) ( FAO, 2020)), flat oysters are generally priced around €6/kg where Pacific oyster are around €4/kg (STECF-18-19). Suitable growing conditions boosted production and in 2018, the Pacific cupped oyster represented 95% of the EU’s oyster aquaculture with 100 000 tonnes produced per year ( Wijsman et al., 2019), while flat oyster cultivation became marginal (STECF-18-19). Although European waters were initially assumed too cold for reproduction, Pacific oysters began spreading into the natural environment and are now competing with flat oysters because they have overlapping habitat and food preferences and similar tolerance to temperature and salinity ( Drinkwaard, 1998 Wehrmann et al., 2000 Wrange et al., 2010 Nielsen et al., 2017). Nevertheless, historical, cultural, economic and ecological value of the species has recently kick-started several aquaculture, conservation and restoration projects (see Native Oyster Restoration Alliance, ).Īfter the collapse of the flat oyster culture in Europe, the Pacific oyster ( Crassostrea gigas) was introduced in the 1960s to meet the high demand for oysters ( Shatkin, 1997 Drinkwaard, 1998 Reise et al., 1998 Smaal et al., 2009). ![]() At present, small relic populations remain present in European waters ( Launey et al., 2002 De Mesel et al., 2018 Nielsen and Petersen, 2019 Thorngren et al., 2019). The species is listed as a ‘Threatened and Declining species’ by the Convention for the Protection of the Marine environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR) convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic ( Haelters and Kerckhof, 2009). Bonamia spp.) and several cold winters devastated wild oyster stocks and aquaculture practices since the 18th century ( Airoldi and Beck, 2007 Thurstan et al., 2013 Gercken and Schmidt, 2014). Overfishing, the introduction of diseases (e.g. Oyster spat (attached juveniles) has historically been collected from rocks for grow-out in ponds ( Günther, 1897), and oyster reefs supported a thriving fishery ( Eyton and van Voorst, 1858 Dean, 1893). The European flat oyster ( Ostrea edulis) is indigenous to Europe and has been part of the human diet since prehistoric times ( Kristensen, 1997 Goulletquer, 2004 Gercken and Schmidt, 2014). edulis restoration and aquaculture projects to stable environments will increase success. gigas can cope better with dynamic systems and starvation.Ĭoncentrating O. Ostrea edulis prefers stable environmental conditions, while C. Increasing temperatures due to climate change will increase the suitability of European waters for both C. edulis should be executed in environments with suitable and stable conditions. Based on the life history traits, aquaculture and restoration of O. Flat oysters are especially susceptible to unfavourable environmental conditions during the brooding period, while Pacific oysters’ large investment in reproduction make it well adapted to highly diverse environments. Hence, the reproductive strategies of both species are considerably different. Crassostrea gigas’ high assimilation rate, low investment in soma and extremely low reserve mobility explains the species’ fast growth, high tolerance to starvation and high reproductive output. edulis’ slow growth and low reproductive output. ![]() Lower assimilation rates and high energy allocation to soma explain O. It is expected that increasing water temperatures due to climate change will be beneficial for both species. ![]() DEB parameters and the Arrhenius temperature parameters were compared to get insight in the life history traits of both species. The DEB parameters for both species were validated using growth rates from laboratory experiments at several constant temperatures and food levels as well as with collected aquaculture data from the Limfjorden, Denmark, and the German Bight. This study estimates the DEB parameters for the European flat oyster, based on a comprehensive dataset, while DEB parameters for the Pacific cupped oyster were extracted from the literature. The Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) theory is a mechanistic framework that enables the quantification of the bioenergetics of development, growth and reproduction from fertilization to death across different life stages. To predict the response of the European flat oyster ( Ostrea edulis) and Pacific cupped oyster ( Crassostrea gigas/Magallana gigas) populations to environmental changes, it is key to understand their life history traits.
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