art%3A10.1007%2Fs00267-015-0511-3

art%3A10.1007%2Fs00267-015-0511-3AMulti-moduleApproachtoCalculationofOyster(Crassostreavirginica)EnvironmentalBenefitsCarlF.Cerco1Received:30December2014/Accepted:15April2015/Publishedonline:30April2015�SpringerScience+BusinessMediaNewYork(outsidetheUSA)2015AbstractEnvironmentalbenefitsareoneofthemotiva-tionsformanagementrestorationofdepletedbivalvepopulations.Wedescribeaseriesoflinkedmodulesforbenefitscalculation.Themodulesinclude:oyster(Cras-sostreavirginica)bioenergetics,materialstransportviathetidalprism,andbenefitsquantification.Quantifiedbenefitsincludecarbon,nitrogen,andphosphorusremovalandshellproduction.Themodulesaredemonstratedthroughappli-cationtotheGreatWicomicoRiver,atributaryofChesa-peakeBay,USA.Oystersonsevenreefs(totalarea2.89105m2)arecalculatedtoremove15.2,6.2,and0.2tonsperannumofcarbon,nitrogen,andphosphorus,re-spectively,fromtheGreatWicomico.Oystermortalitycontributes108tonsperannumdryweightshelltothereefs.KeywordsOysterbenefits�Bivalvebioenergetics�Environmentalmode