more mature reefs described in Georgia. 

 Lehman (1974) reported that oyster reefs 

 in the Crystal River estuarine ecosystem 

 in West Florida occupied about 3% of the 

 total surface area. 



To put these various estimates in 

 perspective, it must be remembered that 

 different survey techniques were used, and 

 that some subjectivity is involved in dis- 

 tinguishing viable reefs from areas of 

 dead shell. Whether or not a major de- 

 cline in oyster reefs has occurred since 



1899, the present proportion of reef area 

 to marsh-estuarine area throughout the 

 study area appears to be between 0.04% and 

 0.06%, with some local variation. The reef 

 community's occupying such a small propor- 

 tion of the total marsh-estuarine area may 

 reflect both the very specific physico- 

 chemical requirements of the reef commun- 

 ity and the limited productive capacity of 

 the total system in supporting the high, 

 heterotrophic demands of the oyster com- 

 munity. 



63 



