This document summarizes a research project that aims to develop realistic metrics to measure acidification stress on commercially important bivalves in variable coastal habitats. The project will use a degree day model to account for different components of carbonate chemistry variability and its impact on Pacific oyster larvae in Oregon coastal waters. Experiments will be conducted with NOAA to vary conditions and measure stress and growth responses. The goals are to help oyster growers understand crop success under acidification and engage stakeholders through an outreach plan including a web interface to translate the science.

1. Developing realistic metrics of acidification stress for commercially
important bivalves in variable habitats
P.I. George Waldbusser
Co P.I.s Burke Hales, Chris Langdon
Students Rebecca Mabardy, Iria Giménez
Oregon Sea Grant- All Hands Meeting
9 March 2012

2. What’s the Big Idea?
Coastal ecosystems are variable, organisms that live in these environments must
compensate basic physiology to deal with environmental stress. When environmental
stress exceeds capacity for acclimation, then organism fitness suffers.
To date, almost all acidification studies have focused on responses in static conditions,
however organisms in coastal and estuarine environments live in a fluctuating world.
We therefore need tools to understand environmental stress impacts in a realistic,
variable, messy world.
Our model system is Pacific Oyster Larvae in Oregon Coastal Waters
Our approach is to use a Degree Day Type Model that accounts for different
Components of Carbonate Chemistry Variability in coastal waters.
Goal- To develop a model that will help oyster growers and hatcheries to determine
success of oyster “crops” under a highly variable system.

3. ~ size egg reserves are depleted
Size at 24 hrs
Free swimming
larvae
6-12 hrs
>22oC Fertilized egg Larvae ready to ‘settle’
14-21 days
Pacific Oyster
Gametes
Life Cycle
Reproductive adults
2-3 Years
Oyster spat 1-2 months

4. Conditions in Netarts Bay
(May to August 2009)
Conditions during early shell
development critical to overall
cohort production.
Barton et al. (in press)

5. Diurnal Variability in Netarts Bay (July 8-17, 2009)
Even over that critical initial 24
hour window, conditions are
highly variable.
Therefore, environmental stress
may be related to different
components of the system
variability.
Barton et al. (in press)

6. Degree Day Models
17 different stocks of North Atlantic Cod (Neuheimer and Taggart 2007)
Accumulated thermal effect on growth.
Why not accumulated acidification stress on growth and survival?

8. Experimental Challenges
How to vary conditions?
Working with NWFSC-NOAA Seattle to utilize their experimental system
How to measure stress?
Overall growth and survival (~weeks)
RNA:DNA on short time scales (<hours)
How to account for different life stages?
Model will have variable stress parameters over life history
NWFSC-NOAA Montlake Facility RNA:DNA Life History Ecology

9. Rebecca Mabardy
Outreach Plan MRM Master’s Student
Oregon Oyster Hatcheries
Integrated Ecosystem Study & Public Engagement Model
Expand Stakeholder Engagement
Hatchery operators and oyster growers
Gauge stakeholder perception of Ocean Acidification
Web based model output of “Acidification Climatology”
Akin to other meteorological data
Heating Degree Days
Rainfall Total
Acid Stress Hours (ASH)
Model has potential applications to other organisms
Ocean Acidification Lesson Plan and Activities (High School Level or Science Center)
Website to provide user friendly interface and translation of science to public.
To inform about Oregon’s coastal dynamics and oyster physiology/ecology
“Why should we care about ocean acidification in highly variable system?”
“Oysters have grown for years in this system, what changed?”
“What is unique about bivalves in how they grow and maintain shells?”

10. Where we are…
Awaiting Index Number…
• Literature Review of bivalve larvae stress responses
• Outreach components begun
• Method development for RNA:DNA
• Larval Stress experiments this summer with NOAA-NWFSC
• Conceptual paper on PID approach to stress in variable environments
Acknowledgements:
Paul McElhaney
Shallin Busch