Small increases in many of the world's oceans' acidity are occurring because of the enormous amounts of carbon dioxide released by the environment; basically, this may be evidence for the theory of global warming. While this may seem like only a small change in pH, it has a disastrous effect on the development and survival of shellfish like hard clams, bay scallops, and Eastern oysters. Researchers at Stony Brook University performed experiments proving that the larval stages of the above shellfish are very sensitive towards larger levels of carbon dioxide in seawater, explaining their developmental decline.
Two instructors from the university performed lab experiments where larvae from three species of ecologically valuable shellfish were raised in containers with different amounts of carbon dioxide (this followed a pattern of what is projected for the future). In the containers with the amount of carbon dioxide expected to equal that of the ocean within the century, the clam and scallop larvae displayed a more than fifty percent decline in survival. The larvae that survived the conditions were smaller than normal and took much longer to develop into their juvenile stages. The survival ratings of oysters did not diminish under these conditions, but they did develop considerably slower; they are expected to experience a decline in survival during the next century's carbon dioxide levels. The university hopes to promote awareness and shellfish restoration projects through these experiments.
Source: Science Daily Magazine
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