Oysters transform coastal seas

Bio terraformation is the process of preparing extraterrestrial planets for life by creating habitats and a suitable atmosphere. Similar efforts can be carried out on Earth to restore lost habitats or enhance existing ones.

生物地球改造是通过创造栖息地和合适的大气层为生命准备地外行星的过程。我们可以在地球上用类似的方式来恢复失去的栖息地或增强现有的栖息地。

Pak Nai natural oyster reefs. Courtesy of The Nature Conservancy in Hong Kong

白泥自然牡蛎礁。

Oysters are particularly useful in this regard due to their collective behavior, which stabilizes sediments, filters water, and increases biodiversity in coastal marine ecosystems. A single oyster can filter 7 liters of water per hour, and the carbon sequestered in the shells of oysters harvested annually is roughly 10% of the total blue carbon stored in coastal wetlands per year. Restoring oyster reefs is crucial for reversing global ecosystem declines and preserving marine ecosystem functions, not to mention the economic benefits. However, uncertainties in the dollar value of oyster reefs and certain conditions required of restoration sites hinder the potential for global-scale restoration.

牡蛎非常适合用于此类目的，因为它们的集体行为可以固定沉积物、过滤水体并提高沿海海洋生态系统的生物多样性。一只牡蛎每小时可以过滤7升水，每年收获的牡蛎壳中固存的碳大约是沿海湿地每年储存的蓝碳总量的10%。修复牡蛎礁对于扭转全球生态系统的衰退和保护海洋生态系统的功能至关重要，更不用说经济效益了。然而，牡蛎礁的美元价值的不确定性和恢复地点所需的特定条件阻碍了全球范围内恢复的潜力。

Over the past 50 years, there has been a shift from natural reefs to rapid and massive aquaculture farming of oysters. As a result, many oyster reefs in areas such as Shenzhen and other parts of the Greater Bay Area have disappeared, leading to the loss of ecological value and the local supply chain, as well as the disruption of coastal diversity corridors. It is imperative to predict the potential distribution of oyster reefs, quantify their ecosystem benefits and economic value, and consider local hydro-climatic risks that oysters can mitigate.  

在过去的50年里，牡蛎的养殖方式已经从天然珊瑚礁转变为快速和大规模的水产养殖。因此，深圳和大湾区其他地区的许多牡蛎礁已经消失，导致了生态价值和当地供应链的损失，以及沿海多样性走廊的破坏。当务之急是预测牡蛎礁的潜在分布，量化其生态系统效益和经济价值，并考虑牡蛎可以缓解的当地水文气候风险。

A man prepares oyster in Shekou , Shenzhen. Most of the oysters come from elsewhere other than Shenzhen (typically from Hong Kong). Matteo Convertino

一位商贩在蛇口海鲜市场清理牡蛎。深圳的大部分牡蛎来自其他地区，特别是香港。

Light at the sea bottom and primary productivity are the dominant environmental variables governing the global distribution of oyster reefs. Only about 13.8% of high-suitability areas in eight hotspot countries are incorporated into marine protected areas, highlighting the need for protection. China is the 7th oyster restoration hotspot in the world in terms of total benefits, despite being the largest producer and consumer of globally farmed oysters.

海底光照和初级生产力是决定全球牡蛎礁分布的主要环境变量。在8个热点国家中，只有约13.8%的高适宜性区域被纳入海洋保护区，突出了保护的必要性。尽管中国是全球养殖牡蛎的最大生产国和消费国，但就总效益而言，中国是世界上第七个牡蛎修复热点。

Several hotspots in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, including Shenzhen Bay, Yantian port, Nan'ao, old Dapeng Town, and Hong Kong are deemed oyster habitats due to the presence of tidal flats, mangroves, and seagrass that facilitate oyster aggregation. However, questions remain about water quality, restoration of hydrological corridors, climate stress, and stakeholder desirability for restoring oyster reefs in these areas.

粤港澳大湾区的几个热点地区，包括深圳湾、盐田港、南澳和香港，由于存在有利于牡蛎聚集的潮滩、红树林和海草，被视为重要的牡蛎栖息地。然而，关于水质、水文走廊的恢复、气候压力以及利益相关者是否愿意在这些地区恢复牡蛎礁的问题仍然存在。

Restoring oyster reefs through habitat rewiring or rewilding is crucial for climate engineering and habitat improvement. Oysters can play a role in rewiring coastal ecological corridors, which has global and local positive effects on carbon sequestration in addition to other benefits. Oyster shells can be used for concrete by developers.

通过栖息地重构或野化来恢复牡蛎礁，对气候工程和生境改善至关重要。牡蛎可以在重建沿海生态走廊方面发挥作用，这对碳封存以及其他好处有全球和地方的积极影响。牡蛎壳甚至可以被开发商用来做混凝土。 

Many estuarine areas in the Greater Bay Area have the potential as oyster reef restoration sites, and effort is worthwhile for governments to consider this nature-based solution to improve the marine ecology.

大湾区的许多河口地区有潜力成为牡蛎礁的恢复地，政府可以考虑这种基于自然的解决方案来改善海洋生态环境。