Aquaculture and Acidification Project Photo Essay
Woods Hole Sea Grant and Cape Cod Cooperative Extension are responding to a question asked by members of the Massachusetts shellfish aquaculture industry - and that work is featured in an a photo essay on our website.
The quahogs were placed into boxes dug into the sediment and a net placed over them to protect them from predators. Each site got 3 boxes with 200 quahogs in each.
The question? Lab studies show that shellfish exposed to acidic conditions will have poor growth and survival. Is this happening now in the waters of Cape Cod? Will oysters and quahogs exposed to varying acidic conditions in their natural environment also have differences in growth or survival? Or will other conditions in the environment like the amount of food available, balance out the effects of acidic water.
Be sure to visit the website for the rest of the story!