Paper about the historical baseline for flat oyster reefs in Europe

A new article on the evolution of oyster reefs in Europe has been published with the collaboration of the LIFE AdaptaBlues project.

Based on documents from the 18^th and 19^th 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, and the research team was made up of more than 30 European researchers from NORA and other institutions.

The study was partly funded by the European Research Council.

Download the paper HERE –> Thurstan_Hystorical extent Oyster_2024