LowGreenhouse Gas Emissions from Oyster Aquaculture

Production of animal protein is associated with high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Globally, oyster aquaculture is increasing as a way to meet growing demands for protein, yet its associated GHG-emissions are largely unknown. We quantified oyster aquaculture GHG-emissions from the three main constituents of GHG-release associated with terrestrial livestock production: fermentation in the animal gut, manure management, and fodder production. We found that oysters release no methane (CH4) and only negligible amounts of nitrous oxide (0.00012 ± 0.00004 µmol N2O gDW-1 hr-1) and carbon dioxide (3.556 ± 0.471 µmol CO2 gDW-1 hr-1). Further, sediment fluxes of N2O and CH4 were unchanged in the presence of oyster aquaculture, regardless of the length of time it had been in place. Sediment CO2 release was slightly stimulated between 4-6 years of aquaculture presence, then returned to baseline levels, but was not significantly different between aquaculture and a control site when all ages of culture were pooled. T...