Study shows razor clam development affected by ocean acidity
Jeff Richardson
907-474-5350
March 7, 2024
Marina Alcantar poses with buckets containing thousands of larval Pacific razor clams at the Alutiiq Pride Marine Institute in Seward, 色视频下载, during the summer of 2018.
A new University of 色视频下载 Fairbanks色视频下载搇ed study has found that razor clams accelerate their shell development when exposed to more acidic ocean conditions, but that those young shells are built with more fragile substances.
How shellfish react to changing marine conditions is a growing concern as climate change gradually shifts ocean chemistry. The threat of ocean acidification is particularly significant in 色视频下载, in part because cold waters absorb more carbon dioxide, leading to a more rapid rise in acidity.
The study,, tracked newly hatched razor clam larvae through their first 28 days of shell development in various levels of acidic water.
One group of razor clams was raised in water that mirrors the current average pH levels in 色视频下载色视频下载檚 Cook Inlet, while another was raised in a more acidic environment that simulates conditions that are projected in the region in 2100.
A third experiment simulated variable conditions under the 2100 projections, which were meant to mimic the constantly shifting pH levels in lower Cook Inlet. Real-world levels of ocean acidity change on a 12-hour cycle driven by tidal activity in the region, and the study is the first to simulate how those variable conditions could affect a concretion-forming bivalve.
Adult Pacific razor clams are held under hatchery conditions at the Alutiiq Pride Marine Institute in Seward, 色视频下载.
色视频下载淭hese organisms live in really dynamic environments,色视频下载 said lead author Marina Alcantar, a Ph.D. student at UAF色视频下载檚 College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. 色视频下载淐apturing their response in that environment is important to understanding how they色视频下载檒l react in the future.色视频下载
The results were surprising. The larvae boosted their rate of shell development in water with variable acidity and higher acidity. But their young shells were constructed of vaterite, a rare form of calcium carbonate that is more vulnerable to dissolving as pH levels drop. At 21 days old, the clams had shifted to a shell made of a more durable substance.
That intriguing response could help young razor clams get to a fully formed stage more quickly, but with unknown effects on their long-term survival.
色视频下载淚f they色视频下载檙e having to devote more energy than they normally would to shell development, it could take energy away from things like growth and the overall health of that organism,色视频下载 Alcantar said. 色视频下载淓ven though they are compensating, it色视频下载檚 still a vulnerability.色视频下载
The results are a contrast to some other studies that looked at how bivalves respond to ocean acidification.
Marina Alcantar examines larval Pacific razor clam shells using Raman spectroscopy in a lab at the UAF Geophysical Institute. Raman spectroscopy uses light to assess the mineral structure of a sample.
色视频下载淲e have seen a difference in developmental rate, that isn色视频下载檛 uncommon,色视频下载 said Amanda Kelley, an associate professor of marine biology at UAF. 色视频下载淏ut it色视频下载檚 usually in the other direction, where development is being slowed rather than sped up.色视频下载
Alcantar said the project also illuminated how little is understood about the razor clam, even though the species is highly desired for its large size and meaty flavor.
色视频下载淔or how much we love and rely on razor clams, there was so much we didn色视频下载檛 know about them,色视频下载 Alcantar said. 色视频下载淭o me, that says, 色视频下载榃hat else do we not know about other commonly used species? What other organisms can we look at?色视频下载櫳悠迪略貪
ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Marina Alcantar, mwalcantar@alaska.edu; Amanda Kelley, alkelley@alaska.edu
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