Adding shell fragments to clam beds could release carbonate into the water, potentially neutralizing acidity caused by the greenhouse gas. (via hakaimagazine)
It’s low tide in Bodega Bay, north of San Francisco, California, and Hannah Hensel is squishing through thick mud, on the hunt for clams. The hinged mollusks are everywhere, burrowed into the sediment, filtering seawater to feed on plankton. But Hensel isn’t looking for living bivalves—she’s searching the mudflat for the shells of dead clams.
This millennia-old practice may hold the key to addressing a new crisis. As humans burn fossil fuels, oceans are absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making seawater more acidic. At lower pH levels, clams and other shellfish struggle to build shells. As their protective structures weaken and dissolve, the animals become vulnerable to damage and predation.
After 90 days, Hensel dug up all the clams. Comparing the buckets containing more acidic seawater, she observed that the bivalves burrowed in shell hash had grown bigger than the clams in sand alone. Strangely, though, the larger clams were not heavier, and Hensel plans to cross-section the shells to assess whether the new growth was thinner or less dense.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
First Mover Americas: Cathie Wood’s Ark Buys More COIN; Do Kwon is in SerbiaArk Investment Management buys more of Coinbase's COIN and Do Kwon has moved to Serbia. LedesmaLyllah reports in today's First Mover Americas by CoinDesk Markets.
Read more »
Watch live: Artemis I moon rocket to splashdown in Pacific Ocean following historic mission SundayThe Artemis 1 test flight ends Sunday when Orion splashes down in the Pacific Ocean. NASA's spacecraft designed to carry humans back to the moon is in the final stages of a 25.5 moon-orbiting mission.
Read more »
Tenacious whale swims across Pacific with broken spine: B.C. researchersA humpback whale with a severe spinal injury used nothing but its pectoral fins to swim 4,800 kilometres between British Columbia and Hawaii, in what a researcher says is a heartbreaking example of a ship strike.
Read more »
Artemis I: NASA's Orion spacecraft to complete historic moon mission with Pacific splashdown | Watch liveThe Artemis 1 test flight ends Sunday when Orion splashes down in the Pacific Ocean. NASA's spacecraft designed to carry humans back to the moon is in the final stages of a 25.5 moon-orbiting mission.
Read more »
Watch Live: Artemis moonship returns to Earth with picture-perfect Pacific Ocean splashdownThe successful return to Earth marks a major milestone in NASA's plans to return astronauts to the surface of the moon.
Read more »
Artemis I mission ends, spacecraft lands in Pacific OceanNASA's Artemis I mission ended Sunday. The 25-day voyage tested the Space Launch System...
Read more »