Project Updates
August 2024
The LO-SPAT project team has been BUSY over the past year! Read below for a few major highlights of our accomplishments since the last update.
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Genomically-selected Spawns & Experiments
During 2023, the project team was able to non-lethally sample over 2,200 candidate broodstock oysters at our Broodstock Facility at UL Lafayette. These oysters, tagged with unique IDs, went on to grow and condition for the purpose of production and restoration (partner hatchery) or for highly controlled research spawns in collaboration with Auburn University Shellfish Laboratory (AUSL). Our team used the sampling data to estimate genomic breeding values (GEBVs) of the broodstock of either high-, mid-, or low-breeding value. This spring, approximately 4.5 million single-set larvae were produced at AUSL from genomically-selected broodstock. These selectively-bred oysters will take part in tolerance validation testing later this year, once reaching a large enough size.
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HBV broodstock oysters spawning under highly controlled lab conditions at AUSL. April 2024.
The results of the validation testing will not only provide us with insight into the improved survival of these oysters, but will also be used to quantify the impact of LO-SPAT oysters on Louisiana’s estuaries and economy.
As of August 2024, Spat-Tech is gearing up for their selected spawn of tolerant oysters for future reef deployments. The project team has just completed an additional round of non-lethal sampling, so another ~1,600 candidate oysters are ready to be selected for spawning in the months following GEBV analysis. 
PI Stauffer proudly poses with baskets filled with our baby (6mm!) selectively-bred oysters. July 2024.
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Tolerant Oyster Field Deployment & Survey
A subset of survivors from our 2022 salinity challenge experiment were spawned by Spat-Tech and the seed were grown in their field nursery grounds during 2023. By virtue of having survived 44 days at low salinity, the parent oysters were known to be low salinity tolerant by phenotype. In Fall 2023, 119yd3 of tolerant spat-on-cultch were deployed on a protected LDWF brood reef, covering 3.37 acres. In February 2024, after nearly 6 months of living on the reef, a dive survey showed an average population density of 69 oysters/m2 within the planted acreage, as well as doubled growth of oysters! The team is gearing up for another reef deployment of genomically-selectively-bred oysters in Fall 2024.
Subsample of survivor-bred spat-on-cultch just before deployment in September 2023.
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Subsample of survivor-bred oysters following 6 months of field deployment, February 2024.
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Oyster Reef Habitat Monitoring
The project is currently collecting continuous water quality data along with discrete profile and laboratory samples at four oyster habitat sites across the Louisiana coast: West Cove in Calcasieu Lake (since Oct. 2022), Mosquito Bight in Eloi Bay (since Sept. 2022), Little Bayou Pierre near Oyster Bay (since Oct. 2022) and Southwest Pass in Vermilion Bay (since May 2023). Real-time data is available for these sites on our Resources page (Mosquito Bight site to come online soon).
Additionally, PI Stauffer and CoPI La Peyre teams recently wrapped up 2-year monitoring of Grand Isle (Michael C. Voisin Oyster Hatchery) and Terrebonne Bay (LUMCON), directly linking oyster condition and water quality at these two sites. Data from these studies, alongside laboratory experiments, are being used to examine impacts of multiple environmental stressors on oysters.
Additionally, PI Stauffer and CoPI La Peyre teams recently wrapped up 2-year monitoring of Grand Isle (Michael C. Voisin Oyster Hatchery) and Terrebonne Bay (LUMCON), directly linking oyster condition and water quality at these two sites. Data from these studies, alongside laboratory experiments, are being used to examine impacts of multiple environmental stressors on oysters.
LO-SPAT staff members Emily Piwowarski and Shelby Perry collecting water samples at Southwest Pass (Vermilion Bay). July 2024.
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Graduate student Tessa Rock collecting water samples off the dock at LUMCON. June 2024.
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June 2023
Application of the Genomic Selection Model to Spawning
Application of the Genomic Selection Model to Spawning
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Following the 2022 low salinity challenge, genotype and phenotype data was used to build the genomic selection (GS) model for Louisiana oysters. Earlier this year, nearly 1,000 LA oysters were non-lethally sampled using a swab technique to collect genotype data. Information from these oysters were run through the GS model and each oyster has been given a breeding value related to their innate low-salinity tolerance. The first group of 'high value' oysters have been chosen by our team and are now conditioning to be spawned, which will be our first fully selected spawn for tolerant oysters! This is an exciting step towards our overall project goal: to apply modern techniques to oyster production in Louisiana to support coastal restoration. Once the spawned oysters reach the appropriate size, they will be deployed into protected Louisiana reefs and further monitored for their success.
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Non-lethal sampling of oysters that were relaxed in a pure epsom salt solution.
The spawning table at the hatchery.
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November 2022
Estuarine Monitoring Stations
Estuarine Monitoring Stations
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Continuous monitoring of oyster-growing field sites began in September 2022, with the first LO-SPAT water quality monitoring stations deployed in Eloi Bay, Calcasieu Lake, and Oyster Bay. At each station, continuous YSI sensors (EXO 3) are recording salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and total algae at 15-minute intervals. In Eloi Bay, passive acoustic monitors are recording the sounds of the oyster habitat to help build models for what a healthy habitat sounds like. Alongside the stations, the team is taking monthly water samples to analyze for algal community composition, including potentially harmful algae, and other factors that influence how much food is available to oysters. LO-SPAT monitoring efforts will increase our understanding of estuarine conditions, as well as how often these oyster-growing sites are faced with water quality conditions that stress the oysters. Real-time data for public access from sites will be available soon on the Resources page. Check back soon, or email [email protected] if you’d like access to the data.
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Monitoring station attached to moorings in Oyster Bay, LA.
Discrete water sampling and unit deployment in Eloi Bay, LA.
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July 2022
Salinity Challenge Experiments Underway
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A little over 2,000 from Louisiana estuaries are currently undergoing a salinity "stress test" with our partners in the La Peyre lab at LSU AgCenter. This experiment is testing the survival of oysters at low salinity and elevated temperature. Results from it form the foundation for reaching the project goals of breeding low salinity tolerant oysters.
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May 2022
Broodstock Facility Progress
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The LO-SPAT Broodstock Facility, located at the UL Lafayette Ecology Center, is nearly complete in buildout! Team members Emma Weiser, Andre Daugereaux, and Schalk de Waal have been working hard to design, troubleshoot, and successfully run the recirculating tank systems. In its completion (est. June 2022), the Broodstock Facility will be able to run 1800 gallons of recirculating artificial seawater and hold up to 1600 adult oysters at maximum capacity. Ultimately, the Broodstock Facility will be used to build and hold a low salinity tolerant broodstock population - selected using cutting edge genomic approaches - for use in large scale production.
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Emma feeding initial system oysters by hand (February 2022).
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"Then" - Summer 2021 |
Progress - February 2022
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"Now" - April 2022
