Abstract Coastal areas are especially vulnerable to habitat loss, sea-level rise, and other clima... more Abstract Coastal areas are especially vulnerable to habitat loss, sea-level rise, and other climate change effects. Oyster-dominated eco-engineered reefs have been promoted as integral components of engineered habitats enhancing coastal resilience through provision of numerous ecological, morphological, and socio-economic services. However, the assessed ‘success’ of these eco-engineered oyster reefs remains variable across projects and locations, with their general efficacy in promoting coastal resilience, along with related services, often mixed at best. Understanding factors influencing the success of these eco-engineered habitats as valuable coastal management tools could greatly inform related future efforts. Here, we review past studies incorporating reef-building oysters for coastal resilience and enhanced ecosystem services. Our aims are to better understand their utility and limitations, along with critical knowledge gaps to better advance future applicability. Success depends largely on site selection, informed by physical, chemical and biological factors, and adjacent habitats and bottom types. Better understanding of oyster metapopulation dynamics, tolerance and adaptation to changing conditions, and interactions with adjacent habitats will help to better identify suitable locations, and design more effective eco-engineered reefs. These eco-engineered reefs provide a useful tool to assist in developing coastal resilience in the face of climate change and sea level rise.
During the nonbreeding season, the Cape Romain Region of South Carolina supports ca. one-sixth of... more During the nonbreeding season, the Cape Romain Region of South Carolina supports ca. one-sixth of the total population of the eastern race (palliatus) of the American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), which consists of only ca. 11,000 individuals and appears to be declining. I compared the density, size, and orientation of the primary prey, Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and the foraging behaviors of adult American Oystercatchers among the three largest bays in the Cape Romain Region that American Oystercatchers used as foraging areas. Results indicated that prey size, prey orientation, and the foraging behaviors of American Oystercatchers differed among bays. Although American Oystercatchers appeared to have lower rates of energy intake in Bulls Bay compared to Sewee Bay and Copahee Sound, adult American Oystercatchers may have foraged in Bulls Bay during the nonbreeding season in order to occupy nesting territories, which existed in Bulls Bay but not in Sewee Bay or C...
... Blue mussel reef formation and development have not been well studied, but they are recognize... more ... Blue mussel reef formation and development have not been well studied, but they are recognized as being ... (1995) noted that many aquatic species utilize large mats of mussels in ... the last interglacial period that drowned the beach ridges that make up the present-day islands. ...
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals li... more The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals living in the state. This guide gives information about the Ribbed mussel, including description, status, habitat, conservation challenges & recommendations, and measures of success
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals li... more The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals living in the state. This guide gives information about Grass shrimp, including description, status, habitat, conservation challenges & recommendations, and measures of success
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals li... more The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals living in the state. This guide gives information about hard clams, including description, status, habitat, conservation challenges & recommendations, and measures of success
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals li... more The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals living in the state. This guide gives information about the Marsh Periwinkle, including description, status, habitat, conservation challenges & recommendations, and measures of success
The hard clam has two thick, equal-sized valves that are elliptical in shape and marked with cons... more The hard clam has two thick, equal-sized valves that are elliptical in shape and marked with conspicuous concentric rings (Eversole 1987). The valves are joined dorsally by a dark brown external ligament just below the anteriorly-inclined umbo. Opposite the hinge is a distinct heartshaped lunule. The external shell is generally tan-colored or off-white and may have reddish markings (notata form). The internal shell is white or pale yellow with a dark purple margin. The prominent adductor muscle scar may also be purple.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2012
Historic baselines are important in developing our understanding of ecosystems in the face of rap... more Historic baselines are important in developing our understanding of ecosystems in the face of rapid global change. While a number of studies have sought to determine changes in extent of exploited habitats over historic timescales, few have quantified such changes prior to late twentieth century baselines. Here, we present, to our knowledge, the first ever large-scale quantitative assessment of the extent and biomass of marine habitat-forming species over a 100-year time frame. We examined records of wild native oyster abundance in the United States from a historic, yet already exploited, baseline between 1878 and 1935 (predominantly 1885–1915), and a current baseline between 1968 and 2010 (predominantly 2000–2010). We quantified the extent of oyster grounds in 39 estuaries historically and 51 estuaries from recent times. Data from 24 estuaries allowed comparison of historic to present extent and biomass. We found evidence for a 64 per cent decline in the spatial extent of oyster ha...
Abstract Coastal areas are especially vulnerable to habitat loss, sea-level rise, and other clima... more Abstract Coastal areas are especially vulnerable to habitat loss, sea-level rise, and other climate change effects. Oyster-dominated eco-engineered reefs have been promoted as integral components of engineered habitats enhancing coastal resilience through provision of numerous ecological, morphological, and socio-economic services. However, the assessed ‘success’ of these eco-engineered oyster reefs remains variable across projects and locations, with their general efficacy in promoting coastal resilience, along with related services, often mixed at best. Understanding factors influencing the success of these eco-engineered habitats as valuable coastal management tools could greatly inform related future efforts. Here, we review past studies incorporating reef-building oysters for coastal resilience and enhanced ecosystem services. Our aims are to better understand their utility and limitations, along with critical knowledge gaps to better advance future applicability. Success depends largely on site selection, informed by physical, chemical and biological factors, and adjacent habitats and bottom types. Better understanding of oyster metapopulation dynamics, tolerance and adaptation to changing conditions, and interactions with adjacent habitats will help to better identify suitable locations, and design more effective eco-engineered reefs. These eco-engineered reefs provide a useful tool to assist in developing coastal resilience in the face of climate change and sea level rise.
During the nonbreeding season, the Cape Romain Region of South Carolina supports ca. one-sixth of... more During the nonbreeding season, the Cape Romain Region of South Carolina supports ca. one-sixth of the total population of the eastern race (palliatus) of the American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), which consists of only ca. 11,000 individuals and appears to be declining. I compared the density, size, and orientation of the primary prey, Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and the foraging behaviors of adult American Oystercatchers among the three largest bays in the Cape Romain Region that American Oystercatchers used as foraging areas. Results indicated that prey size, prey orientation, and the foraging behaviors of American Oystercatchers differed among bays. Although American Oystercatchers appeared to have lower rates of energy intake in Bulls Bay compared to Sewee Bay and Copahee Sound, adult American Oystercatchers may have foraged in Bulls Bay during the nonbreeding season in order to occupy nesting territories, which existed in Bulls Bay but not in Sewee Bay or C...
... Blue mussel reef formation and development have not been well studied, but they are recognize... more ... Blue mussel reef formation and development have not been well studied, but they are recognized as being ... (1995) noted that many aquatic species utilize large mats of mussels in ... the last interglacial period that drowned the beach ridges that make up the present-day islands. ...
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals li... more The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals living in the state. This guide gives information about the Ribbed mussel, including description, status, habitat, conservation challenges & recommendations, and measures of success
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals li... more The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals living in the state. This guide gives information about Grass shrimp, including description, status, habitat, conservation challenges & recommendations, and measures of success
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals li... more The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals living in the state. This guide gives information about hard clams, including description, status, habitat, conservation challenges & recommendations, and measures of success
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals li... more The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals living in the state. This guide gives information about the Marsh Periwinkle, including description, status, habitat, conservation challenges & recommendations, and measures of success
The hard clam has two thick, equal-sized valves that are elliptical in shape and marked with cons... more The hard clam has two thick, equal-sized valves that are elliptical in shape and marked with conspicuous concentric rings (Eversole 1987). The valves are joined dorsally by a dark brown external ligament just below the anteriorly-inclined umbo. Opposite the hinge is a distinct heartshaped lunule. The external shell is generally tan-colored or off-white and may have reddish markings (notata form). The internal shell is white or pale yellow with a dark purple margin. The prominent adductor muscle scar may also be purple.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2012
Historic baselines are important in developing our understanding of ecosystems in the face of rap... more Historic baselines are important in developing our understanding of ecosystems in the face of rapid global change. While a number of studies have sought to determine changes in extent of exploited habitats over historic timescales, few have quantified such changes prior to late twentieth century baselines. Here, we present, to our knowledge, the first ever large-scale quantitative assessment of the extent and biomass of marine habitat-forming species over a 100-year time frame. We examined records of wild native oyster abundance in the United States from a historic, yet already exploited, baseline between 1878 and 1935 (predominantly 1885–1915), and a current baseline between 1968 and 2010 (predominantly 2000–2010). We quantified the extent of oyster grounds in 39 estuaries historically and 51 estuaries from recent times. Data from 24 estuaries allowed comparison of historic to present extent and biomass. We found evidence for a 64 per cent decline in the spatial extent of oyster ha...
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Papers by Loren Coen