![]() ![]() Surprisingly, the highest proportion of individuals with sex-differentiated gametes and the highest average gonad maturation index was found at a low salinity site. Growth rate was highest in Jamaica Bay and had high variation among other sites. Survival was generally higher in the lower salinity river sites and in the higher salinity Jamaica Bay sites relative to mesohaline NYC harbor sites. Oysters were hatchery-produced from wild, moderate-salinity broodstock, then outplanted for measurement of growth, survival, reproduction and disease prevalence over two years. This study assessed fitness-related performance across the HRE salinity gradient to evaluate habitat suitability on an estuarine scale. Recent surveys have documented substantial remnant populations of adult oysters in the upper low salinity zone of the Hudson/Raritan Estuary (HRE) near Tarrytown, NY. Oyster restoration in urban estuaries is motivated by the synergistic ecosystem benefits this native keystone species can deliver. New York City (NYC) coastal waters, once home to a booming oyster fishery for eastern oysters ( Crassostrea virginica), are now nearly devoid of live oyster reefs. Oyster restoration, in particular, faces threats from alterations in precipitation, warming water temperatures, and urbanization of coastlines that dramatically change salinity patterns, foster the proliferation and spread disease, and disrupt habitat connectivity, respectively. Restoring and conserving coastal resilience faces increasing challenges under current climate change predictions. ![]()
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