Abstract
Eutrophic estuaries require innovative strategies to reduce excess nitrogen (N) inputs. Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) aquaculture provides a non-traditional in situ mitigation strategy that facilitates N removal through various studied pathways. This study adds an additional pathway that describes the potential nitrogen removal capacity of an individual oysters and their components (tissue and shell) via the associated denitrification, an under quantified process topic in current scientific literature. This study collected oysters from different estuaries in Southeastern Massachusetts and incubated them to measure N2-N production in the water headspace of the vessels. These findings provide new insights into oyster-mediated nitrogen cycling and support future efforts to incorporate this pathway into nutrient crediting frameworks.