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COURSE INFO PROVIDER: SWSPCP Webinar
COURSE TITLE: Restoring Native Clam Communities for Improved Water Quality in the Indian River Lagoon

INSTRUCTORS Todd Z. Osborne PhD

COURSE DESCRIPTION Todd Z. Osborne PhD

Title: Restoring Native Clam Communities for Improved Water Quality in the Indian River Lagoon

Abstract:
In this webinar, Dr. Todd Osborne, the Primary Investigator of the Indian River Lagoon Clam Restoration Initiative, will discuss the concept of leveraging natural selection of hard clams by environmental pressures (harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, nutrient pollution) to improve water quality. By identifying small populations of clams that survived devastating environmental decline and then breeding these clams in the laboratory, the Clam Restoration Initiative has repatriated 3.5 million adult clams to the IRL that filter 20-30 gallons of water per day and tolerate the degraded water quality conditions currently present. This biological filtration reduces turbidity, retains nutrients, and helps control algal populations all of which impact the ecologically sensitive native seagrass communities. The return of seagrasses to the IRL is paramount to returning the lagoon to a healthy status and is a primary focus of current restoration strategies for this Estuary of National Significance. The process of identifying broodstock, rearing clams and the intricacies of repatriation will be discussed in detail as will results of the first year of effort on this work. Finally, discussion of successful collaboration strategies with public and private entities will be presented as well as the future vision of the Clam Restoration Initiative.

Bio:
Dr. Todd Osborne is an Associate Professor of Estuarine Biogeochemistry at the University of Florida's Whitney Laboratory for Marine Biosciences in St. Augustine FL. Todd has a faculty appointment in the Soil and Water Sciences Department and maintains affiliate faculty status in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment, UF Water Institute, and Florida Seagrant. Dr. Osborne's research interests revolve around biogeochemical cycling of ecologically relevant elements in wetlands.

Credit Points: 0.06

SYLLABUS/TOPICAL OUTLINE 1) Leveraging natural selection of hard clams to improve water quality and ultimately return seagrasses to the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) (12 min.). 2) Repatriating stress-tolerant clams to the IRL to provide biological filtration to reduce turbidity, retain nutrients, and help control algal populations; ultimately creating conditions to facilitate the return of seagrasses (12 min.). 3) The process of identifying clam brood-stock for aquaculture and the intricacies of repatriation (12 min.). 4) Discussion: Collaboration strategies with public and private entities, and the future vision of the “Clam Restoration Initiative”. (12 min.). 5) Questions & Answers (12 min.).

COURSE CONTACT

Louis Mantini
9225 CR49, Live Oak, FL 32025
lfm@srwmd.org
P: 3866974891
F:

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