Environmental Challenges
The Chesapeake Bay has been identified as a vulnerable region due to the emergence of multiple environmental stressors. In Virginia, the occurrence and frequency of HABs have increased over the past several years. The shellfish aquaculture industry is most concerned about the effect of HABs on larvae and small seed, but an emerging concern is the potential for human illness when toxins from HABs are concentrated in shellfish that are consumed. Ocean acidification poses another threat to shellfish aquaculture, as a more acidic ocean may impact the ability of shellfish to properly form and maintain their shells, grow, and ultimately survive. Heavy precipitation events are predicted with global climate change scenarios, which can result in eutrophication, dead zones, and decreased salinity levels in coastal areas. Success of the Virginia shellfish aquaculture industry relies, in part, to understanding how these cultured species react to emerging environmental challenges.
Related links:
- VIMS daily Bay-wide maps of salinity, temperature, ocean acidification, hypoxia, bay nettles, harmful algal blooms, pthogens (Vibrio), and more.
- Eastern Shore Laboratory Water Quality Monitoring
- Harmful algal blooms (HABs) and the research being conducted by VIMS scientists to address potential interactions with shellfish aquaculture.
- Biogeochemical Circulating Ocean Modeling (BioCOM): an interdisciplinary research program that focuses on examining the impact of physical processes on the biology and chemistry of estuaries and coastal oceans. Specifically, they are using models to isolate the relative impacts of changes in riverine nutrient loading, atmospheric deposition of nutrients, coastal acidification and changing temperature and precipitation patterns.