Effects of Geoduck (Panopea generosa Gould, 1850) Aquaculture Gear on Resident and Transient Macrofauna Communities of Puget Sound, Washington

摘要: In Washington state, commercial culture of geoducks (Panopea generosa) involves large-scale out-planting juveniles to intertidal habitats, and installation PVC tubes netting exclude predators increase early survival. Structures associated with this nascent aquaculture method are examined determine whether they affect patterns use by resident transient macrofauna. Results summarized from regular surveys operations reference beaches in 2009 2011 at three sites during phases culture: (1) pregear (-geoducks, -structure), (2) gear present (+geoducks, +structures), (3) postgear -structures). Resident macroinvertebrates (infauna epifauna) were sampled monthly (in most cases) using coring methods low tide all phases. Differences community composition between plots areas permutational analysis variance homogeneity multivariate dispersion tests. Scuba shoreline transect used examine habitat fish macroinvertebrates. Analysis similarity complementary nonmetric multidimensional scaling compare differences species functional groups type different suggest that macrofauna respond differently structures geoduck aquaculture. No consistent the observed or any year. Conversely, total abundance more than two times greater when place. Community differed (analysis similarity) gear-present phase, but did not persist next farming stage (postgear). Habitat complexity shellfish may attract some structure-associated infrequently on beaches, displace other typically occur lacking epibenthic structure. This study provides a first look effects multiple macrofauna, has important implications for management rapidly expanding sector industry.