Impact of Elevated CO₂ on Shellfish Calcification

Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 34 L07603, doi:10.1029/2006GL028554, 2007

Many marine organisms produce shells made of calcium carbonate, or CaCO₃. Two calcifying oyster species, namely Mytilus edulis (mussel) and Crassostrea giga (Pacific), were subjected to both CO₂ free air and normal air. A simple formula was used to calculate the calcification rates. The overall conclusion was that the calcification rates of both species went down sharply as both pH decreased, CO₂ increased, and CO₃^2- increased. It is noted that global shellfish production rose last year to 11.7 million tons and that Crassostrea gigas was the most cultivated species of them all. This study is therefore relevant to the economics of the shellfish industry because it shows significant danger to one of the most prominent species in the industry. This study by F. Gazeaus and his associates took place in the Easter Schelt estuary in Zeeland, Netherlands. Other sources are cited to juxtapose this research with previous research on similar species.