An Ecosystem Services Assessment using bioextraction technologies for removal of nitrogen and other substances in Long Island Sound and the Great Bay/Piscataqua.

An Ecosystem Services Assessment using bioextraction technologies for removal of nitrogen and other substances in Long Island Sound and the

Great Bay/Piscataqua Region

REServ

Professor of Environmental Engineering, FCT-UNLChief Scientific Officer, Longline Environment Ltd.

http://longline.co.uk/

6th September 2012

Longline Environment Ltd.

Joao G. Ferreira, Changbo Zhu, Camille Saurel

Ongoing activities for REServ

1. Long Island Sound system-scale ecological model – box definitions

2. Shellfish modelling – use of NOAA Milford experimental results for development of a Crassostrea virginica growth model

3. Software updates for WinShell, FARM, and EcoWin2000 (64 bit versions)

4. General website development/maintenance

ASSETS category: Medium

P90 = 9.6

Data source: LIS NCA nutrient data.zip

CHLA concentration of different layers of LIS in 2006

Chl a (ug/l)

DO of different layers of LIS in 2006

ASSETS category: Biologically stressful

P10 = 4.1

Data source: LIS NCA CTD data.zip

Data source: LIS NCA CTD data.zip

Salinity of different layers of LIS in 2006

Salinity:

0 - 0.5

0.5 – 25

> 25

Data source: LIS NCA CTD data.zip

CLASS ACRES

　 CT_Restricted-Relay/Depuration 6.6

　 CT_Restricted-Relay 136219.1

　 CT_Prohibited 23336.9

　 CT_Conditionally Restricted-Relay 266.6

　 CT_Conditionally Restricted-Relay/Depuration 2292.2

　 CT_Conditionally Approved 93763.5

　 CT_Approved 134038.5

CT SUM 389923.5

STATUS ACRES

　 NY_Seasonal 11349.7

　 NY_Holiday 833.8

　 NY_Closed 83256.1

NY SUM 95439.6

TOTAL (CT + NY ) = 485363.1

Individual Growth Model for American oysterAquaShell

Will be developed to:

a) simulate change in individual weight, expressed as tissue

dry weight and scaled to total fresh weight and shell length;

b) integrate the relevant physical and biogeochemical

components, such as chlorophyll, temperature, and salinity,

and partition phytoplankton and detrital food resources;

c) provide environmental feedbacks for production of

particulate organic waste (feces and pseudofeces) excretion

of dissolved nitrogen, and consumption of DO

Individual Manila clam growth simulationAquaShell model

The AquaShell Manila clam model does a good job of simulating growth – see Aquaculture, 318, 444-457

Sh

ell

len

gth

(m

m)

Julian Day

No growth in winter

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800

Simulation of clam shell length with Samish Island environmental drivers.

Individual Manila clam growth simulationAquaShell model

The meat weight oscillates due to loss of condition. In the last period of culture the clam shell is bigger, but the model does not show higher meat yields

Dry

mea

t w

eig

ht

(g D

W)

Julian Day

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800

Loss of condition in winter

Simulation of clam dry meat weight with Samish Island environmental drivers.

Setup for the FARM model in Samish IslandFARM Aquaculture Resource Management

We need similar descriptive data in order to set up FARM for Long Island Sound and Great Bay.

Type Descriptors Notes

Farm location data

Latitude: 48.5oNLength: 300 m; Width: 75 m; bottom culture under nets, intertidal

Latitude used for seaweed fouling model (light climate); 6 farmed acres

Culture practice

Seeding day 200; cycle: 1180 days; Mortality: 50%; seed weight: 0.2 g;Minimum harvest weight: 15 g TFW

Animals grown in 3 separate year class strips. FARM currently simulates the whole system

Environment Semi-diurnal tidal cycle, current speeds generated by peak spring and peak neap speeds

Can be improved by simulating the tidal harmonics

Salinity, temperature, chlorophyll, detritus, total particulate matter

Project data, Puget Sound database from WA Dept. Ecology, U.S. Navy

Economics Seed cost: $8 per 1,000; Sale value to farm at harvest: $2.33 per lb

Seed from BC commercial suppliers, sale price: British Columbia govt.

Software development

Individual growth model for American oyster will be developed first in PowerSim, and then ported to WinShell (C++) after full testing. It will then be incorporated in EcoWin2000 and FARM, within a population dynamics model.

Some issues and questions

1. NY part of LIS – data appear to be less reliable than for CT

2. To what extent is expansion of shellfish culture possible, given bottom culture limitation?

3. How do closed/conditional areas restrict the role of shellfish culture re: both production and nutrient bioextraction?