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According to a recent study, climate change is a threat to the most tolerant oysters.
Weather events badociated with climate change can cause floods threatening the survival of the Olympia oyster. The world's oceans generally have a salt content (salinity) of about 3.5%, but this percentage varies more in shallow coastal waters affected by precipitation.
Researchers studied three groups of Olympia oysters from different areas of the California coast, where the influence of rainfall on seawater salinity varies. The results of the study were presented at the conference organized by the American Physiological Society (APS) on Comparative Physiology: Complexity and Integration in New Orleans.
A group was originally from a large estuary – a seawater plan located near the mouth of a river – which was regularly exposed to floods. freshwater caused by extreme precipitation, which reduced the salinity of the oyster
A second group lived in a small estuary less exposed to freshwater and a third group lived far from the vast estuary where salinity was also higher and more stable.
Researchers study the Olympia oyster because it is a "fundamental species", which means that the presence of oysters provides habitat for many more species more small and creates a much healthier ecosystem. 19659002] If oysters die, all badociated species will die too. Because of oysters' vital role in coastal ecosystems, researchers want to know if oysters living in certain areas are more salinity tolerant and therefore better equipped to withstand climate change.
The research team exposed the three groups of oysters. and their offspring in low salt seawater (approximately 0.5% salt) and measured their gene expression patterns. They found that oysters living closest to the greater estuary were more tolerant of a five-day exposure to low-salt seawater.
Tyler Evans, first author of the study, said: "More frequent exposure to freshwater in this region oysters to develop new ways to survive in low salinity." [19659002] According to the results of the studies, climate change is a concern for the very survival of the Olympia oyster group the most tolerant due to the expected increase in severity Extreme rainfall events that would expose oysters to even longer periods of low salinity.
"Even oysters having gained greater tolerance to low salinity through natural selection will be vulnerable to future freshwater flooding," wrote the research team. ] (This story was not changed by Business Standard staff and is generated automatically from a syndicated feed.)
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