Conservation groups are addressing declines in oyster populations and restoring oyster reefs in Harris Creek, on Maryland's Eastern Shore. 

This work is crucial because oysters naturally remove pollutants from water and have significant economic and ecological value. 

As One Earth reported, oysters act as natural water purifiers, as each oyster can filter 50 gallons of water per day. Oysters remove excess nitrogen that comes from agricultural runoff and septic tanks, helping control algae growth. 

In the Chesapeake Bay, oyster populations are declining, with many of their reefs destroyed by overfishing and the steady rise in temperature. Approximately 85% of reefs in the Chesapeake Bay have been destroyed.  

However, restoration efforts are underway to help oysters make a comeback and provide their essential filtration services. 

Joshua Reitsma, of the Woods Hole Sea Grant Program and the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, said that local towns are exploring the potential of seeding and growing shellfish to reduce nitrogen levels in the water, according to One Earth. This approach offers faster and more affordable results that are more sustainable than building wastewater treatment systems and sewers. 

Now, restored Harris Creek oyster reefs can filter the entire creek in less than 10 days. These reefs remove so much nitrogen that it is equivalent to 20,000 bags of fertilizer. Experts have valued the service the oysters provide at over $1.7 million. 

Matthew Gray, a scientist at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Horn Point Laboratory, explained that oysters require optimal temperatures to filter nitrogen effectively, per One Earth. They aren't able to feed and filter as well at very low or high temperatures. 

Meanwhile, the quality of the algae, as well as the water's salinity and turbidity, impacts how much oysters feed.  

These insights about oysters are fascinating because they demonstrate how ecosystems can naturally thrive and fight pollution. 

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Scientists have been making incredible discoveries about the vital role critically endangered and remarkably tiny sea creatures play on our planet. 

Our changing global climate and extreme weather patterns are significantly impacting marine ecosystems, with ripple effects that extend throughout the entire food chain. Sustainable solutions, such as those provided by oysters, are crucial in preserving marine species and cleaning polluted waterways that people and wildlife depend on. 

If you're concerned about threatened or endangered wildlife in your area, you can take local action by volunteering your time with or donating to conservation groups. 

Gray called oysters "powerful ecosystem engineers" because of how they provide habitats for other marine creatures, such as fish and crabs.  

He also said that when conditions are optimal, "they can really have transformative effects on water quality and clarity."

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