Hydrodynamics of oyster reefs: A systematic review

In recent decades, exogenous pressures have contributed to habitat loss and fragmentation of oysters, resulting in a growing interest in restoring oyster reefs. Hydrodynamics of oyster reefs control processes such as oyster growth and survival, nutrient cycling, and sediment transport, which are key considerations in evaluating and optimizing oyster reef restoration interventions. A systematic literature review was conducted to summarize and analyze the present research and trends in oyster-reef hydrodynamics. The finding reveals that 67.5% of the reviewed studies focused on field tests and laboratory experiments, while 30% explored numerical modeling and machine learning methods. The meta-analysis results show that the mean wave transmission coefficients of submerged oyster reefs are greater than those of emergent ones. Shell-based reefs and the assemblage of constructed oyster reefs and vegetation offer wave attenuation benefits second only to those of natural oyster reefs. The local hydrodynamics of oyster reefs are influenced by hydrological regime, reef design, placement, and biological change. In particular, a synopsis of common measuring methods and reef roughness metrics is included, along with major challenges and suggestions for future studies.