Marine Soundscapes And EDNA For Assessing Biodiversity And Functioning Of Re-establishing European Flat Oyster Reefs, Ostrea Edulis

该项目将有助于“生物多样性”和“面临挑战的生态系统”主题：欧洲牡蛎礁为许多具有生态或经济重要性的物种提供栖息地，改善水质，并有助于蓝碳储存。至少有五分之一的英国沿海人口曾经受雇于牡蛎捕捞业，但巨大的牡蛎床在20世纪初的S时代在整个欧洲被消灭。为数不多的幸存下来的牡蛎床现在受到保护，栖息地被奥斯帕列为威胁和/或衰落。在整个欧洲，研究人员现在正在与政府、非政府组织和业界合作，恢复这些曾经丰富的栖息地，并优化方法1。该项目将首次制作欧洲本土平坦牡蛎礁栖息地的声景录音，并就与礁石相关的动物群生物多样性方面将生态礁的表达与环境DNA(EDNA)的表达进行比较。结果将用于开发一种工具，用于快速评估牡蛎恢复项目的状况和成功情况，并为今后在珊瑚礁优化项目中的部署提供空间。学生还将有机会评估生态生态学改善幼虫定居的潜力，并有机会支持未来的珊瑚礁恢复/优化项目。

The project will contribute to both the 'Biodiversity' and 'Challenged Ecosystems' themes: European oyster reefs provide habitat for many ecologically or economically important species, improve water quality and contribute to blue carbon storage. At least a fifth of the coastal population of the UK are thought to have once been employed in the oyster fishing industry, but the vast beds were extirpated throughout Europe by the early 1900's. The few oyster beds that have survived are now protected and the habitat is classified as threatened and/or declining by OSPAR. Across Europe, researchers are now collaborating with governments, NGOs and industry restore these once abundant habitats and optimize method1. The studentship will generate the first soundscape recordings of European native flat oyster reef habitats and compare the ecoacoustic reef expression with environmental DNA (eDNA) expression in terms of the reef associated faunal biodiversity. The results will be used for the development of a tool for rapid assessment of the state and success of oyster restoration projects, with a scope for future deployment in reef enhancement projects. The student will also be given the opportunity to assess the potential of ecoecoustics to enhance larval settlement, with a scope to support future reef restoration/enhancement projects.