title: Nitrogen extraction potential of wild and cultured bivalves harvested from nearshore waters of Cape Cod, USA.
abstract: As nitrogen entering coastal waters continues to be an issue, much attention has been generated to identify potential options that may help alleviate this stressor to estuaries, including the propagation of bivalves to remove excess nitrogen. Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and quahogs (Mercenaria mercenaria) from numerous Cape Cod, MA, (USA) sources were analyzed for nitrogen content stored in tissues that would represent a net removal of nitrogen from a water body if harvested. Results showed local oysters average 0.69% nitrogen by total dry weight (mean 0.28gN/animal) and quahogs average 0.67% nitrogen by total dry weight (mean 0.22gN/animal); however, these values did vary by season and to a lesser extent by location or grow-out method. The differences in nitrogen content were largely related to the mass of shell or soft tissue. Nitrogen isotope data indicate shellfish from certain water bodies in the region are incorporating significant amounts of nitrogen from anthropogenic sources.
authors.affiliation: Cape Cod Cooperative Extension & Woods Hole Sea Grant, PO Box 367, Barnstable, MA 02630, United States. Electronic address: jreitsma@barnstablecounty.org.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reitsma
authors.affiliation: Cape Cod Cooperative Extension & Woods Hole Sea Grant, PO Box 367, Barnstable, MA 02630, United States.
authors.forename: Diane C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Cape Cod Cooperative Extension & Woods Hole Sea Grant, PO Box 367, Barnstable, MA 02630, United States.
authors.forename: Abigail F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Archer
authors.affiliation: Mashpee Department of Natural Resources, 16 Great Neck Road North, Mashpee, MA 02649, United States.
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: York
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049896:Crassostrea / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D008404:Massachusetts; D049891:Mercenaria / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012623:Seawater
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Bioextraction; Nitrogen; Oyster; Quahog; Shell; Tissue