We’ve written about the dangers of ocean acidification before, but did you know that there’s an oyster with the natural ability to resist this alarming trend?
A new study released by Oregon State University shows that the Olypmia oyster has a natural resistance to acidic environments.
During a side-by-side study with the larger, non-native Pacific oyster, the Olympia demonstrated its genetic advantage through its longer calcification period (the time it takes to grow its shell).
The Pacific oyster has about a 6 hour window to form its shell or the young mollusk will deplete its energy reserves and die. By contrast, the Olympia oyster is much sturdier, having two to three days to create a shell.
Why is this so impressive? The ocean is becoming more acidic by the day, and an unshelled oyster is incredibly vulnerable to its corrosive effects. Even before the acidification began, the Olympia oyster was genetically pre-disposed to thrive under these harsh conditions.
George Waldbusser, a marine ecologist at Oregon State and lead researcher for the study, said:
“This is a unique trait that allows native oysters to survive surprisingly high levels of acidification, but they didn’t develop that trait in response to rising acidification. It has been there for some time.”
When breeding, the Olympia typically produces fewer eggs than other oysters, so repopulation seemed unlikely before this study. A sought-after oyster for culinary purposes, demand for the Olympia (often called the Olys is culinary circles) was higher than its reproduction rate. This led to a drastic decline in population.
Eventually, the Olympia was deemed “functionally extinct” due to over-harvesting, but this newly discovered resistance to acid provides hope that the species can bounce back to former population levels without the encumbrance of additional natural obstacles.
With so much news about species becoming endangered and dying out, it’s encouraging to see an endangered species making a comeback. The next time you’re craving oysters for dinner, check to make sure they’re sustainably sourced and help the Olympia and other endangered creatures thrive in their natural habitat!