Edinburgh Napier University

  European flat oyster reefs (EFORs) are ecologically and economically important as they improve water quality, increase overall biodiversity, store carbon and are a much valued food source. Over fishing in the early 1900’s vastly reduced number and extent of UK EFORs, and
today only trace populations remain. Similar trends have been observed all over Europe and to save/restore these precious ecosystems it is important that European countries collaborate.
This project takes a novel approach investigating soundscapes associated with EFORs to evaluate if acoustics can be used as a rapid tool to assess ecosystem complexity and health, and inform restoration efforts. By deploying passive acoustic monitoring units, the first ever EFOR soundscapes are being recorded in Scottish remnant habitats where the oysters have experienced different levels of degradation. To complement the data set and fully understand
the acoustic complexity related to EFOR, it is crucial to record soundscapes of old undisturbed reefs, such as of the rare ones along the Swedish west coast.