The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has a longstanding project constructing artificial oyster reefs in the Lafayette River. The foundation began pursuing an interest in modeling where oysters spawned in the river would most likely settle in 2012 and a study was performed using mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite markers. Now, Jan McDowell and Kim Reece of Virginia Institute of Marine Science, working will Master’s student Brendan Turley, will investigate a new method using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The SNP markers represent an improvement over those previously used because they are more reproducible than microsatellites and provide higher statistical power in population studies. The foundation oyster reef managers can use results of the study to sculpt their future strategies.
Project details: Jan McDowell, Kimberly Reece (VIMS). Genetic tracking of an oyster restoration project in the Lafayette River, Virginia.
