Science Lesson: Keystone Oysters of NY Harbor

Students investigate how oysters function as a keystone species in New York Harbor, rotating through stations on filtration, habitat, storm protection, and reef building under ocean acidification. Students then act as restoration ecologists, using monitoring data from three sites to recommend where the city should focus restoration efforts.

Inquire: Students compare their neighborhood’s historical and present-day landscapes and learn about the oyster reef ecosystem the harbor once supported.

Investigate: Students circulate among four stations to learn about oysters’ roles as filters, habitats, barriers, and builders in New York Harbor.

Inspire: Students evaluate data from three oyster restoration sites, diagnose why new oysters are failing to survive, weigh ecological and community trade-offs, and recommend one site for next season’s restoration effort.