Who Gets to Swim in the Hudson?: Exploring Human Impact on the Hudson River Over Time and Space

The Hudson River system is a complex system composed of biotic and abiotic components that interact and change over time. However, in the last 500 years, human decisions and actions have influenced the health of the river system and all those who engage with it. One key example of this damage is the decimation of the oysters in the Hudson River and Estuary. Oysters were once a key part of the economy and food supply in New York, but their numbers have been declining rapidly since the early 1900s. Understanding what led to the decimation of the oysters in the Hudson Ecosystem requires examining the socio-political history alongside the scientific phenomena of river ecology.