title: Comparative analysis of modeled nitrogen removal by shellfish farms.
abstract: The use of shellfish aquaculture for nutrient removal and reduction of coastal eutrophication has been proposed. Published literature has indicated that nitrogen contained in harvested shellfish can be accurately estimated from shell length:nitrogen content ratios. The range of nitrogen that could be removed by a typical farm in a specific estuarine or coastal setting is also of interest to regulators and planners. Farm Aquaculture Resource Management (FARM) model outputs of nitrogen removal at the shellfish farm scale have been summarized here, from 14 locations in 9 countries across 4 continents. Modeled nitrogen removal ranged from 105 lbs acre(-1) year(-1) (12 g m(-2) year(-1)) to 1356 lbs acre(-1) year(-1) (152 g m(-2) year(-1)). Mean nitrogen removal was 520 lbs acre(-1) year(-1) (58 g m(-2) year(-1)). These model results are site-specific in nature, but compare favorably to reported nitrogen removal effectiveness of agricultural best management practices and stormwater control measures.
authors.affiliation: NOAA Fisheries, Northeast Fisheries Science Center Milford Laboratory, 212 Rogers Avenue, Milford, CT 06460, USA. Electronic address: julie.rose@noaa.gov.
authors.forename: Julie M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.affiliation: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment, 1305 East West Highway, Floor 9, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA. Electronic address: Suzanne.bricker@noaa.gov.
authors.forename: Suzanne B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Bricker
authors.affiliation: New University of Lisbon, IMAR - Centro de Modelação Ecológica, Dept. Ciências e Engenharia do Ambiente, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Quinta da Torre, 2829-516 Monte de Caparica, Portugal. Electronic address: joao@hoomi.com.
authors.forename: Joao G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture / Q000379:methods*; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D058440:Denitrification / Q000502:physiology*; D005068:Eutrophication / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012758:Shellfish; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Eutrophication; Nutrient bioextraction; Shellfish aquaculture; Water quality