Oyster drill mobility
Since three years the Japanese oyster drill (Ocinebrellus inornatus) has become a big threat to oyster cultivation in the Oosterschelde and other systems in the South Western Delta of the Netherlands. The oyster drill is an invasive species that drills a hole in the shell of the oyster to feed on the flesh. The snail causes large oyster losses on the on bottom culture plots. They predate especially on smaller oysters thereby directly affecting the starting material for the culture. Since most of the oyster cultivation takes place on bottom plots, measures are needed to either keep the oyster drill outside the plots or to actively prevent drills to enter the plots. From February 2018 (depending on granted funds), the Delta Academy hopes to start a 2 year research project to help Oyster farmers deal with the Oyster drill on bottom plots and to decrease oyster mortality.
Since there are gaps in knowledge or contradicting evidence about general oyster drill behavior (mobility, predation activity, predation preference and how it relates to season/temperature), practical research experiments are necessary. This research will focus on mapping the mobility of oyster drills in the field, ideally with tracking transponders, and if possible analyze how mobility is related to water temperature.
Research type: sampling & experiments (mark and recapture) in the Oosterschelde
Research level: minor/internship
Perquisite: Technical skills, dedicated, creative, preferably affinity with biology, precise, in posession of a drivers' licence
Partners: Local shellfish famers, national and international knowledge partners
Researcher involved: research group aquaculture (Eva Hartog/Tony van der Hiele/Michel Trommelen)
Period: 2nd semester 2017-2018
Status: open