Can large taonga bivalves speed up recovery in degraded estuaries?

Abstract

THE QUESTION: Will there introduction of adult, long-lived bivalves with differing functional traits speed up recovery of degraded soft sediment habitats in estuaries? RESULTS: Average bivalve survival after one year was 18% in + tuangi plot sand 59% in + hanikura plots. Sediment oxygen consumption (SOC) after one month was enhanced by 116% in treatments containing tuangi compared to control treatments. After one year those were similar to ambient levels, still showed higher SOC than control plots.