The Eastern Oyster: Crassostrea Virginica

The Eastern Oyster is the most comprehensive synthesis about the biology of Crassotrea virginica since Paul Galtsoff published his landmark work, The American Oyster, in 1964. The Eastern Oyster extends Galtsoff's findings and adds considerably to details on such topics as anatomy, shell structure, and predators and pests. Its major thrust, however, is holistic, reflecting current approaches to biological processes and covering topics that could not have been studied in such detail thirty years ago. Thus, there are intensive treatments of recent work in the physiology of feeding, population genetics, reproduction and larval biology, pollution and environmental effects, and diseases and mechanisms of defense. Concluding with discussions of the eastern oyster as a valuable ecological and commercial resource, several chapters address public management issues, aquaculture, and the effects of transferring oysters among ecosystems.