The world’s longest-living animal has revealed 1,000 years’ worth of ocean data and interactions with global climate, new research has found.
The quahog clam, an edible mollusc native to North America and Central America, lives for up to 500 years. Its age is depicted by the rings on its hard shell, much like the inside of a tree trunk.
As well as reflecting shell growth, the chemical makeup of these rings can hold clues to the state of the ocean over centuries – or in this case, a full millennium, thanks to the analysis of almost 1,500 shell samples by an international research team.
Their results were published in Nature Communications.
{%recommended 4022%}
The quahog clams were collected on the North Icelandic shelf – a spot ideal for examining ocean dynamics because it reflects the interplay between two very distinct water masses: the warm and salty subpolar mode water, and the cool and fresh Arctic intermediate water.
The researchers analysed the ratio of different oxygen isotopes – which differ slightly in weight – in the shells and compared them to records from oceanographic instruments to shine some light on what drove significant climate shifts.
“Our results show that solar variability and volcanic eruptions play a significant role in driving variability in the oceans over the past 1,000 years,” says lead researcher David Reynolds at Cardiff University, UK.
“Results also showed that marine variability has played an active role in driving changes to northern hemisphere air temperatures in the pre-industrial era.”
But the researchers found this trend stopped during the industrial era, where temperature changes in the northern hemisphere were instead induced by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.
Co-author of the study Ian Hall says for accurate climate modelling, climate scientists need to incorporate ocean activity before human-induced greenhouse gas began making an impact.
“Our results highlight the challenge of basing our understanding of the climate system on generally short observational records.
“Whilst they likely capture an element of natural variability, the strong anthropogenic trends observed over recent decades likely masks the true natural rhythms of the climate system.”
Originally published by Cosmos as Old clams give up ocean climate secrets
Amy Middleton
Amy Middleton is a Melbourne-based journalist.
Read science facts, not fiction...
There’s never been a more important time to explain the facts, cherish evidence-based knowledge and to showcase the latest scientific, technological and engineering breakthroughs. Cosmos is published by The Royal Institution of Australia, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. Financial contributions, however big or small, help us provide access to trusted science information at a time when the world needs it most. Please support us by making a donation or purchasing a subscription today.