Local populations of eastern oyster from Louisiana differ in low salinity tolerance

Eastern oysters Crassostrea virginica support a critical commercial industry and provide many ecosystem services to coastal estuaries yet are currently threatened by changing estuarine conditions. A changing climate and the effects of river and coastal management are altering freshwater inflows into productive oyster areas, causing more frequent and extreme salinity exposure. Although eastern oysters are tolerant to a wide range of salinity means and variations, more frequent and extreme exposure to low salinity (