Table 8. Time scales relating ecosystem processes and components at 

 the three conceptual levels of oyster reef organization and function. 



System 

 components 



Intertidal area 

 Marsh area 

 Reef area 

 Mudflat area 

 Water surface area 



Wetland area 

 Water area 



Phytoplankton biomass 

 Reef area 

 Reef biomass 

 Suspended load 



High (mature) reef area 

 Low (mature) reef area 

 Suspended load (POC and 

 inorganic carbon) 

 Reef biomass 

 Predator component 

 Oyster larvae 

 Nutrient pool 



Forcing Sea level rise 



functions Latitude-tidal 



pattern 



Lati tude-temperature 



regime 



Riverine sediment 



input 



Marine input-salts 



Marine inputs-storm 



energy 



Solar 



Tidal 



currents 



Sediment, 



riverine 



insolation 



and wind-driven 



marine or 



Local tidal regime 

 (amplitude and period) 

 Currents (tidal and wind) 

 Temperature effects 

 Sediment input 

 POC input 



Important 

 system 

 processes 

 related to 

 reefs 



Areal trade offs 

 among wetlands, 

 waterbodies, and 

 reefs 



Physiographic changes 

 in basin caused by 

 reefs 



Reef growth (vertical) 



Reef growth (lateral ) 



Water clearance and 



biodeposition 



Mineralization and nutrient 



release 



Hydrologic damping by reefs 



70 



