Oxygen flux measurements between oyster reefs and the overlying water column approximate total ecosystem metabolism, representing a potentially valuable reef monitoring tool. In this study, seasonal oxygen flux measurements were made over an intertidal Crassostrea virginica oyster reef on the Virginia (USA) coast using the non-invasive aquatic eddy covariance (AEC) technique. Reef respiration (R) ranged from − 276 mmol m⁻² day⁻¹ in the summer to − 55 mmol m⁻² day⁻¹ in the winter, likely due to temperature effects on oyster filtering and sediment microbial activity. Reef gross primary production (GPP) varied less seasonally, resulting in net ecosystem metabolism (NEM) that was highly heterotrophic in the summer (− 141 mmol m⁻² day⁻¹) and nearly balanced in the winter (− 11 mmol m⁻² day⁻¹). Measurements of reef sediment chl a indicated higher concentrations of benthic microalgae than surrounding bare mudflat, while photosynthesis-irradiance curves utilizing 15-min flux averages confirmed light as a dominant short-term driver of microalgal production. Metabolic values were compared with past AEC results from this reef, creating a 4-year record that included a significant oyster die-off. Over this time span, R was closely coupled to GPP, indicating rapid internal cycling of carbon, while reef primary production was primarily attributed to sediment, rather than epiphytic, microalgae. Both R and GPP substantially decreased following the oyster die-off. These results illustrate that oyster reefs are highly dynamic environments, with complex processes that act on numerous time scales ranging from minutes to years. Consequently, AEC metabolism measurements can aid in oyster reef monitoring.

牡蛎礁和上层水柱之间的氧气通量测量值近似于整个生态系统的新陈代谢，代表了潜在的有价值的礁石监测工具。在这项研究中，使用无创水生涡度协方差（AEC）技术在弗吉尼亚州（美国）海岸的潮间带Crassostrea virginica牡蛎礁上进行了季节性氧气通量测量。礁石呼吸（R）范围从夏季的-276 mmol m ^-2 天^-1到-55 mmol m ^-2 天^-1在冬季，可能是由于温度对牡蛎过滤和沉积物微生物活性的影响。珊瑚礁的初级总产值（GPP）季节性变化较小，导致净生态系统代谢（NEM）在夏季（-141 mmol m ^-2 天^-1）高度异养，而在冬季（-11 mmol m ^-2）基本平衡 第^-1天）。测量礁沙叶绿素一表明底栖微藻的浓度高于周围裸露的滩涂，而利用15分钟通量平均值的光合作用-辐照度曲线证实，光是微藻生产的主要短期驱动力。将代谢值与该珊瑚礁过去的AEC结果进行了比较，创造了4年记录，其中包括大量牡蛎死亡。在这段时间内，R与GPP密切相关，表明碳的内部快速循环，而珊瑚礁的初级生产主要归因于沉积物，而不是附生微藻。随着牡蛎死亡，R和GPP均显着下降。这些结果表明，牡蛎礁是高度动态的环境，其复杂的过程在数分钟至数年的众多时间尺度上起作用。所以，