Topic Oysters: Concept 6 Connection to sustainability

Oysters are ecosystem engineers (sensu Jones et al. 1994) with many ecological functions. They
contribute with both allogenic and autogenic engineering properties (Jones et al. 1994). As
autogenic engineers, they generate shell structures that constitute an abiotic resource that support
other species, e.g. interstitial-shell spaces that can be used as shelter from predators, colonization
substrate for algae and invertebrates and refuge and foraging substrate for many invertebrates
and fish (Arve 1960, Newell 1988, Lenihan 1999, Ozbay et al. 2017). Consequently, one of the
great benefits of oyster farming is the development of an entire ecosystem around the culture
structures and the oysters, which can be seen as temporary artificial bivalve reefs. The
biodiversity values of these structures are well documented (Theuerkauf et al. 2021, The Nature
Conservancy 2021) and can be exemplified by reports from fishermen from Santa Catarina
Island (Brazil) who describe that, “around oyster lanterns, it is an excellent place to fish due to
the presence of fish that had previously disappeared due to overfishing”. In fact, it is recorded
that oyster aquaculture increases biodiversity by 1.3 times and abundance of associated
organisms by 1.7 times.