Study reveals oyster reefs once thrived along Europe's coasts

A study published in Nature Sustainability highlights the historical presence of extensive European flat oyster reefs along Europe's coastlines, which supported diverse ecosystems. These reefs, spanning at least 1.7 million hectares, were decimated over a century ago due to overfishing and human activities. Research by the University of Exeter and The University of Edinburgh utilized historical data to map these reefs' past distribution, emphasizing their importance in shoreline stabilization, nutrient cycling, and water filtration. Current restoration efforts are in progress but need increased governmental support to effectively revive these crucial ecosystems.

Oysters once formed extensive reefs along much of Europe's coastline—but these complex ecosystems were destroyed over a century ago, new research shows. The paper, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, is titled "Records reveal the vast historical extent of European oyster reef ecosystems."Based on documents from the 18th and 19th centuries, the study reveals that European flat oysters formed large reefs of both living and dead shells, providing a habitat supporting rich biodiversity.Today these oysters are mostly found as scattered individuals—but the researchers found evidence of reefs almost everywhere, from Norway to the Mediterranean, covering at least 1.7 million hectares, an area larger than Northern Ireland.The research was led by the University of Exeter and The University of Edinburgh.Native oyster reefs created their own ecosystems, full of a diverse range of underwater life—supporting a greater number of species than surrounding areas.In addition to creating ...