Gino Macchio Foundation and Molloy University team up to study oyster population
The Gino Macchio Foundation has teamed up with Molloy University to conduct a field sampling campaign to assess the ecosystem and health of the oyster population in the Great South Bay.
The research team led by Dr. Elizabeth Suter, head of the Microbial Ecology Lab at Molloy University, is conducting two scientific studies through the end of August 2023. One aspect of the project involves assessing the ecosystem biodiversity using eDNA, comparing oyster farms, oyster reefs, and other site types. The second involves an analysis of oyster pathogen incidence among oyster populations at a particular site.
The Gino Macchio Foundation’s ongoing Oyster Project focuses their commitment to increase the oyster population to improve the health of our local waterways.
Oysters are one of nature’s most efficient filters of sediment and nitrogen, the excess of which is plaguing our waterways by causing algal blooms that kill off aquatic creatures and their habitats. One adult oyster is capable of filtering 50 gallons of water a day, so the idea is to make sure they have a lot of company!
About The Gino Macchio Foundation: Established in 2019 as a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization, the Foundation’s mission statement “Through the power of giving, ingenuity and education we are creating sustainability while transforming lives and the environment in which we all live” encompasses helping individuals in recovery maintain gainful employment, helping to clean up local waterways, and providing scholarships to graduating High School Seniors. For updates on the project visitwww.ginomacchiofoundation.com.
