Rivest and McDowell's research team will provide hatcheries with answers about the oysters' growth in response to stressful conditions, and also, how carryover effects may affect an oyster population's response to changes in water quality.

Once they identify the mechanism responsible for the carryover effects—either stunted growth from stress, decreased genetic diversity, or a combination of the two—oyster hatcheries will be able to know what to look for in water conditions to maximize oyster growth and health.

Rivest anticipates that her research may even help hatcheries develop as boutique businesses, in which hatcheries might grow different groups of oysters under particular water conditions to minimize harm from carryover effects.