Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




ICE WORLD
Age matters to Antarctic clams
by Staff Writers
London, UK (SPX) Apr 22, 2013


BAS scientist working with Antarctic clams.

A new study of Antarctic clams reveals that age matters when it comes to adapting to the effects of climate change. The research provides new insight and understanding of the likely impact of predicted environmental change on future ocean biodiversity.

Reporting this week in the journal Global Change Biology scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and from Germany's University of Kiel and the Alfred Wegener Institute reveal that when it comes to environmental change the reaction of Antarctic clams (laternula elliptica) - a long-lived and abundant species that lives in cold, oxygen-rich Antarctic waters - is different depending on how old the animal is.

The study showed that whilst young clams (average of three years old) try to move to a better area in the sea-bed sediments when they sense warmer temperature or reduced oxygen levels, the older (18 years old) more sedentary clams stay put.

This has implications for future clam populations because it is the older animals that reproduce. Scientists anticipate that future oceans will be slightly warmer and contains less oxygen (a condition known as hypoxia).

Lead Author Dr Melody Clark of British Antarctic Survey said, "Antarctic clams play a vital role in the ocean ecosystem. They draw down carbon into sea-bed sediments and circulate ocean nutrients. We know that they are extremely sensitive to their environment. Our study suggests that the numbers of clams that will survive a changing climate will reduce.

"The Polar Regions are the Earth's early warning system and Antarctica is a great natural laboratory to study to future global change. These small and rather uncharismatic animals can tell us a lot about age and survival in a changing world - they are one of the 'engines of the ocean'."

Co-author, Eva Phillip, from the University of Kiel, says: "The study shows that it is important to investigate different ages of a population to understand population wide changes and responses.

"In respect to Antarctic clams it has been indicated in previous studies that older individuals may suffer more severely in a changing environment and the new study corroborates this assumption. Only the investigation of population-wide effects makes it possible to draw conclusions for coastal ecosystems."

Like humans, clams' muscle mass decreases as they get older. This means they get more sedentary. So when changes are introduced into their habitat, the older clams tend to just sit it out until conditions revert back to normal.

Doris Abele of the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany says: "Our study shows that the physiological flexibility of young clams diminishes as they get older. However, the species has evolved in such a way that the fittest animals, that can tolerate life in an extreme environment, survive to reproduce into old age.

"Climatic change, affecting primarily the older clams, may interfere with this evolutionary strategy, with unpredictable consequences for ecosystems all around Antarctica."

The paper Hypoxia impacts large adults first: consequences in a warming world, is published by Global Change Biology on 18 April 2013.

.


Related Links
British Antarctic Survey
Beyond the Ice Age






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








ICE WORLD
Fossils provide insight into origin of unique Antarctic ecosystem
Frankfurt, Germany (SPX) Apr 19, 2013
The circum-Antarctic Southern Ocean is an important region for global marine food webs and carbon cycling because of sea-ice formation and its unique plankton ecosystem. The origin of its ecosystems can be traced back to the emergence of the Antarctic ice sheets approximately 33.6 million years ago. This discovery was made by an international team including scientists from the Goethe Unive ... read more


ICE WORLD
Characterizing The Lunar Radiation Environment

Russia rekindles Moon exploration program, intends setting up first human outposts there

Pre-existing mineralogy may survive lunar impacts

Lunar cycle determines hunting behaviour of nocturnal gulls

ICE WORLD
Accurate pointing by Curiosity

NASA Mars Orbiter Images May Show 1971 Soviet Lander

Opportunity is in position for solar conjunction at 'Cape York' on the rim of Endeavour Crater

NASA spacecraft may have spotted pieces of Soviet spacecraft on Mars

ICE WORLD
What makes a good astronaut?

NASA urged to preserve funding for planetary science missions

Testing Spacesuits in Antarctica, part 1

Obama's budget would boost science, health

ICE WORLD
Yuanwang III, VI depart for space-tracking missions

Shenzhou's Shadow Crew

Shenzhou 10 sent to launch site

China's Next Women Astronauts

ICE WORLD
Full tank, please For ATV Einstein

Russia puts mice, newts in space for a month

Cosmonaut becomes oldest person to walk in space, Russia ministry says

Mice "crew" of the Russian space satellite having troubles

ICE WORLD
NASA Seeks Innovative Suborbital Flight Technology Proposals

Stephane Israel named Chairman and CEO of Arianespace

Launch pad problem scrubs launch of Antares rocket for NASA

ILS Proton Launches Anik G1 for Telesat

ICE WORLD
Notre Dame astrophysicist discovers 5-planet system like Earth

Five-Planet System With Most Earth-Like Exoplanet Yet Found

New Techniques Allow Discovery Of Smallest Super-Earth Exoplanets

Kepler Finds Two Water Worlds 1200 Lights Years Away

ICE WORLD
Softening steel problem expands computer model applications

New material gets itself into shape

For the very first time, two spacecraft will fly in formation with millimeter precision

High pressure gold nanocrystal structure revealed




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement