An understanding of biomineralisation pathways is key to predict climate change impact on aquaculture.

随着越来越多的二氧化碳从化石燃料燃烧中释放到大气中，环境正在发生变化。大气正在变暖，海洋正在吸收更多的二氧化碳，并变得更加酸性。这种海洋pH值的下降被称为海洋酸化。碳酸钙在海洋中含量丰富，因为贝类等生物会产生保护性的贝壳结构。在海洋酸化的情况下，海洋中可利用的碳酸盐的数量将会减少，从而限制生物产生保护壳的能力。该项目将调查海洋酸化和变暖对三种贝类产生保护壳能力的影响。商业上可获得的贝类将在未来的海洋酸化和变暖的条件下在实验室进行养殖。将对贝壳进行物理和材料性能测试，以了解贝壳在变化的环境和捕食下的脆弱性。该项目将确定软体动物如何生产碳酸钙壳，确定在不断变化的气候下生产壳的碳源和途径。这一知识将能够准确预测水产养殖对海洋酸化和变暖的脆弱性。将制定投喂实验和捕捞方案，以减少水产养殖期间对贝壳的潜在损害，以实现更具弹性、更可持续和更经济的贝类养殖。

The environment is changing as increasing carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels. The atmosphere is warming and the oceans are absorbing more carbon dioxide and becoming more acidic. This reduction in ocean pH is known as ocean acidification. Calcium carbonate is abundant in the oceans as organisms such as shellfish produce protective shell structures. The amount of carbonate available in the oceans under ocean acidification will be reduced, limiting the ability of organisms to produce protective shells. This project will investigate the influence of ocean acidification and warming on the ability of three shellfish species to produce protective shells. Commercially available shellfish will be cultured under future ocean acidification and warming conditions in a laboratory. Shells will be tested for physical and material properties to understand the vulnerability of shells to fracture under changing environments and predation. This project will determine how molluscs produce their calcium carbonate shells, identifying the carbon source and route for shell production under changing climates. This knowledge will enable accurate predictions of the vulnerability of aquaculture to ocean acidification and warming. Feeding experiments and harvesting protocols will be developed to alleviate potential damage to shells during aquaculture for a more resilient, sustainable and more economical shellfish culture.