PREFACE 



This oyster reef comnunity profile is 

 the second in a developing series of pro- 

 files of coastal habitats. The purpose of 

 this profile is to describe the structure 

 and ecological function of intertidal oys- 

 ter reefs in the salt niarsh estuarine eco- 

 systeni of the Southeastern United States. 

 The intertidal oyster reef habitat, as 

 described here, is classified by Cowardin 

 et al. (1979) as occurring in the Carolin- 

 ian province, in the euhaline estuarine 

 system, in the intertidal subsysterri, in 

 the reef class, and in the riollusk sub- 

 class, v/ith the eastern oyster Crassostrea 

 vi rqinica as the dominance type. 



This profile provides a handy refer- 

 ence which synthesizes the voluminous sci- 

 entific literature on oysters and focuses 

 on aspects of the less-studied oyster reef 

 community. The profile also points out 

 some of the many deficiencies in the cur- 

 rent level of understanding of the oyster 

 reef subsystem and of the entire estuarine 

 ecosystem. If additional research efforts 

 are thereby initiated, this profile vji 1 1 

 have been a success. (The observant read- 

 er will notice that in many instances 

 where quantitative data were not avail- 

 able, extrapolations from other communi- 

 ties or educated judgments, or both, were 

 necessary. ) 



The information in the profile will 

 be useful to environmental managers, re- 



source planners, coastal ecologists, ma- 

 rine science students, and interested lay- 

 men who wish to learn about the oyster 

 reef community and its role in the coastal 

 ecosystem. The format, style, and level 

 of presentation should make this report 

 adaptable to a diversity of needs, from 

 the preparation of environmental assess- 

 ment reports to supplementary reading 

 material in college marine science 

 courses. 



This profile proceeds from a descrip- 

 tion of the estuarine setting (Chapter 1), 

 to a discussion of oyster biology (Chapter 

 2), to a characterization of the oyster 

 reef per se (Chapter 3), to a discussion 

 of the development and role of the reef 

 system in the coastal ecosystem (Chapter 

 4). Chapter 5 is a summary of the role of 

 the oyster reef as expressed in three con- 

 ceptual models, and Chapter 6 includes a 

 brief synopsis of the first five chapters, 

 along with implications for management. 



Any questions or comn:ents about or 

 requests for this publication should be 

 directed to: 



Information Transfer Specialist 

 iJational Coastal Ecosystems Team 

 U.S. Fish and l.'ildlife Service 

 NASA-SI idell Computer Complex 

 ICIC Cause Boulevard 

 SI idell, LA 70458 



