Abstract
Oyster reef habitat created by the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, has been declining at an alarmingly rapid rate along the United States Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Oyster reefs support an important commercial fishery as well as provide estuarine ecological services such as filtration, creation of refugia, and provision of feeding habitat for mobile and sessile species across a spectrum of life stages. They also greatly contribute to biomass production of both reef-associated fishes and invertebrates which have long term benefits for estuarine environments and the anglers that utilize reef habitats to target economically important fishes, making the species dynamics on these reefs an important area of study. Predator foraging Finfish species such as Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus) are commonly found on Alabama oyster reefs along with predatory invertebrates such as the stone crab (Menippe mercenaria). Stone crabs are one of many reef-associated invertebrate predators of eastern oysters, with eastern oyster spat (< 30mm) being the most vulnerable life stage. Sheepshead are a generalist species, but previous studies have indicated a diet preference towards crustaceans and gastropods. A manipulative mesocosm experiment was used to assess the interaction and potential non-consumptive effects between Sheepshead, stone crabs, and eastern oysters. Preliminary research showed that when presented with the option of consuming a stone crab or eastern oysters, crabs are preferentially selected by Sheepshead every time. By consuming the predatory invertebrates found on oyster reefs, Sheepshead could protect the vulnerable eastern oyster from stone crab predation. This potential predator-prey interaction, if found to exist, could be used to inform management to protect these valuable and sensitive environments.
