Reproduction, Environmental Tolerances and Recruitment Related to Tunicate Population Abundance

Description

Since the establishment of invasive tunicate species in Prince Edward Island (PEI) waters, Styela clava and Ciona intestinalis have had devastating effects on mussel culture. Mussel productivity has been adversely affected by these infestations and is posing challenges for farm husbandry. This project will explore some aspects of tunicate biology which could be exploited to minimize tunicate abundance in aquaculture sites through passive approaches. The first objective is to investigate the reproductive biology of C. intestinalis in PEI waters with the aim of determining the optimal time and effort of active treatment. The second objective is to evaluate environmental tolerances of tunicate early life stages in order to determine their level of vulnerability to natural and/or treatment conditions. The third objective is to document the effects of water flow on the recruitment ability of C. intestinalis.

Program Name

Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP)

Year(s)

2008 - 2011

Ecoregion(s)

Atlantic: Gulf of St. Lawrence, St. Lawrence Estuary

Principal Investigator(s)

Daniel Bourque
Email: Daniel.Bourque@dfo-mpo.gc.ca