Human noise pollution makes it difficult for baby oysters to find their natural habitats.
According to The National Tribune, the larvae of oysters and other marine species need the natural sounds of the ocean to find their habitats. Due to habitat loss and human-made sounds, it's become difficult for conservationists to attract oysters to restored reefs using natural sounds.
What's happening?
Research published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B indicates that marine organisms, such as oysters, are vulnerable to increased human-made noise levels. These organisms use natural sounds to find their habitats, navigate, communicate, sense their surroundings, find mates and food, and avoid predators.
"Noises from shipping, machinery, and construction, for example, are pervasive and pose serious environmental change that affects both terrestrial and marine animals," said Dr. Brittany Williams, who researched at the University of Adelaide's Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories and was lead author of the paper.
Researchers have found that new acoustic technology can attract oysters to restored reef habitats, but this research indicates that the technology has limitations in areas with high human-made noise pollution.
Why is the effect of human-made noise pollution on baby oysters concerning?
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, oysters are essential to reefs because they are filter feeders, which results in cleaner water. Oysters filter nitrogen and other things from the water.
It's vital that oysters filter out nitrogen because too much of it can cause harmful algae blooms. Oysters can remove a lot of nitrogen from the water. For example, in Harris Creek in Maryland, the oysters remove nitrogen equal to about 20,000 bags of 10-10-10 garden fertilizer annually, per NOAA
NOAA's website also said: "The number of small fish and invertebrates increases with the number of live oysters. So healthy restored reefs are a good source of food for larger fish."
Additionally, according to the National Park Service, oyster reefs are essential for coast and shorelines because they protect against erosion.
What's being done about baby oysters?
While it's hard for researchers to attract baby oysters to noisy coastlines, they are still optimistic about quieter coastlines, The National Tribune reported.
A restoration project in Belfast Lough is seeing success. Oyster reefs were common here until the late 1900s. Pollution, disease, and overfishing reduced the oyster population by about 95%. Now, oysters are making a comeback because of the Ulster Wildlife group's project.
You can also help oysters make a comeback by donating to climate causes.
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