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IMAGE: UC San Diego researchers have found that the shells of California mussels, a critical species found along the Pacific Coast, are weakening as a result of ocean acidification.
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Credit: Roy Lab, UC San Diego
The large mollusk known as the California mussel makes its home in the rocky shoreline along the Pacific Coast from Mexico to Alaska. Considered a "foundational" animal, Mytilus californianus provides homes for hundreds of other species and offers a rich food source for species ranging from spiny lobsters to humans.
As the waters off our coasts change due to human influences, scientists at the University of California San Diego are finding that the composition of California mussel shells is weakening as it becomes more tolerant of acidic conditions.