Scientists anticipate that the oyster reefs in San Diego Bay may produce an even more valuable treasure than pearls: protection against coastal erosion brought on by rising sea levels.
The artificial reefs that were placed in the water as part of a strategy to lessen damage in southern California are now home to thousands of the tiny mollusks.
“We look at numerous different ways to help combat sea-level rise, and these reef balls are one of the tools in our toolbox to do that,” Eileen Maher, director of environmental conservation at the Port of San Diego, told AFP.
Last December, the port built 360 structures along a peninsula tucked between Southern California’s salt marshes and the Coronado peninsula, which is home to the naval aviation facility that served as the inspiration for “Top Gun.”
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These hemispheres resemble enormous thimbles and weigh 300 pounds (135 kilogrammes).
They are built of cement, sand, and crushed oyster shells, which is a key component that entices living oysters to establish a home there.
According to Maher, thousands of still-microscopic oysters are hidden by a greenish silt that has accumulated on the reefs after ten months in the ocean.
The dozen scientists engaged in this pilot experiment eventually want to see the development of actual oyster reefs, which they think will have a real effect on their local ecosystem.
The bivalve inhabitants of the reefs are all tiny filtration plants that are vital to the marine ecology, making the reefs much more than just a natural defence against tidal erosion.
According to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report published earlier this year, sea levels around California are predicted to rise by 20 centimetres (eight inches) by 2050.
The West Coast will experience a sharp increase in the frequency of floods as a result, which will also happen more frequently as a result of storms and heavy rainfall events that are made worse by human-caused climate change.
(With inputs from agencies)
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