Dataset: Survival and growth results from oyster reciprocal transplant experiment

A reciprocal transplant experiment was conducted at two sites in an estuary in NE Florida, USA that encompassed different environmental (salinity, aerial exposure) and biotic (predators) stressors.  Juvenile oysters were reciprocally transplanted within and between the two locations. At each location, the home and away oyster ‘demes’ were randomly assigned between a predator exclosure and a control treatment. After one month and then again at nine months, the individual traits (shell length, shell thickness, and condition index) of the oysters were measured and destructively sampled. (Note: multiple oysters were observed for each experimental unit/cage)

Spat Collection: Oyster spat that had naturally settled out on dead oyster shells were collected from reefs in two zones of the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR). The zones were the Butler site at 29.77002 N, -81.2641 W, and the Pellicer site at 29.62923 N, -81.2144 W. Shells contained one to three spat which was marked using nail polish. Shells were attached to a 2 x 2 inch square of bird netting using 2-part marine epoxy. Dead shell/bird netting was attached to a 1 ft length of PVC using cable ties, with differing numbers of dead shells used to obtain the density of three spat per PVC length (“oyster pop”). All PVC posts were numbered. Initial sizes of all spat were recorded prior to outplant. Three spat from one of the locations (either Butler or Pellicer) were placed in each experimental unit (cage or control).

Cages: Cages were 12” X 12” X 12” made from Industrial Netting (Product Number XB1132). The bottom of the cage was open and buried into the ground. Half-inch PVC pipes 12” long were cabled tied to the inside corners of the cage to give it some stability. The control plots consisted of four PVC posts hammered into the ground 12” apart from each other. Cages were deployed in the vertical midpoint of the reef at both Butler and Pellicer zones to allow for the reciprocal transplant design.

Survival:  At each location, the home and away oyster ‘demes’ were also randomly assigned between a predator exclosure and control treatment. After one month and nine months, the survival of oysters was quantified.

Each of these experimental units contained three posts that were removed one month after deployment (Sept. 2019) and three posts removed after nine months (May 2020). Those time periods correspond approximately to a post-settlement/juvenile stage (vulnerable to mud crabs), and an early adult stage (preferred by crown conch), respectively. At each sampling period, the oysters attached to the sampled post were removed, brought to the lab, and processed to quantify two fitness components: survival (live or dead) and growth (final – initial shell length).