July 10, 2014 — Sydney rock oysters can adapt to ocean acidification, a key effect of increased carbon levels, within two generations, researchers have found.
Scientist Dr Laura Parker from the University of Western Sydney says while the first oysters they tested suffered, their offspring thrived in more acidic water.
"They're actually starting to adapt so that they're growing quite well, their ability to develop at a normal rate is improved and they're not showing abnormalities anymore."
Dr Parker's findings were presented at the Australian Marine Sciences Association conference in Canberra on Wednesday.
"That could be implemented in aquaculture, we can maybe breed for adaptation to ocean acidification," she said.
Oyster growers say ensuring a steady supply of disease resistant juvenile oysters will be critical to their industry's ability to cope with climate change.
David Maidment, who farms Sydney rock oysters at Narooma on the New South Wales south coast, says similar problems encountered overseas mean the work is timely.
"I see the supply of young oysters as the most critical thing, they've had difficulty in the hatcheries in north west America now with ocean acidification."
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