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HABITAT ASSESSMENT MODELS FOR BAY SCALLOP, ARGOPECTEN IRRADIANS
Citation:
Hinchey, E K., M Chintala, T R. Gleason, AND S BrandtWilliams. HABITAT ASSESSMENT MODELS FOR BAY SCALLOP, ARGOPECTEN IRRADIANS. Presented at Southern New England Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Summer Meeting, Kingston, RI, June 9, 2004.
Description:
Bay scallops (Argopecten irradians) inhabit shallow subtidal habitats along the Atlantic coast of the United States and require settlement substrates, such as submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), for their early juvenile stages. The short lifespan of bay scallops (1-2 yr) coupled with a dependency on an essential habitat (SAV) renders this species particularly vulnerable to coastal habitat alteration.
We are investigating the effects of habitat alteration on bay scallop populations using a three-tiered modeling approach, which includes a Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) for bay scallops, a matrix population model for bay scallops and eelgrass, and a systems model for bay scallops. Through collaborations with other scallop researchers (in State and Federal governments and academic institutions) we hope to adapt these models for other biogeographic provinces along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Ultimately, the models will be used to provide a framework for evaluating the risk that habitat alteration (in the form of decline in SAV habitat quality and quantity) poses to bay scallop populations, to evaluate management strategies for population enhancement, and to identify data gaps most critical to understanding the population dynamics of this economically valuable and dwindling species.