Oyster density and size distribution from the coast of North Carolina in 2010 (NCEI Accession 0278118)

Acquisition Description:
Methodology from Smyth, A. R., Piehler, M. F. and Grabowski, J. H. (2015), Habitat context influences nitrogen removal by restored oyster reefs. J Appl Ecol, 52: 716–725. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12435

Sediment cores (contained in 6·4-cm-diameter by 17-cm-long polycarbonate tubes, 10 cm depth) were collected adjacent to each reef habitat (n = 3) and control habitat (without reefs, n = 3) in each context at low tide on 28 June 2010. Cores collected from oyster reefs did not contain live oysters. Additionally, ~100 L of water was collected for use in the laboratory incubations. Following collection, sediment cores and water were transported to an environmental chamber (Bally, Inc., Morehead City, NC, USA) at The University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Sciences in Morehead City, NC. Surface water measurements of dissolved O2, salinity and water temperature (YSI 600 Series Sonde and Model 650 data logger; Yellow Springs Instruments, Yellow Springs, OH, USA) were also collected. Oyster density in the reef was determined by placing a 0·25-m2 quadrat on each reef (one quadrat per reef) and counting all the oysters present with a shell length >25 mm (Powers et al. 2009).