Crabs, shellfish, clams,...
New research by Lindsey Dougherty of the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that scaring off predators or luring prey may be the primary motivations for the disco clam’s flashy behavior.
Dougherty first became fascinated with disco clams when she was shocked by their display during a dive in Indonesia. “It was on that trip I first saw the disco clam, and immediately fell in love,” reminisced Dougherty.
Peter Todd, a marine ecologist at the National University of Singapore, and his colleagues have examined the clams' roles, and hope the findings will reinforce the case for conserving the molluscs. Giant clams are under great pressure from threats such as overfishing and global warming.
A project conducted by researchers from Denmark's Technical University showed that 18 hectares of blue mussels in Skive Fjord reduced the levels of algae low enough to prevent oxygen depletion.
The main issue with fertilization of coastal waters causing algae bloom stems from the massive amounts of dead algae sinking to the bottom in thick layers. As they rot, they consume and deplete oxygen, choking huge swathes of the seabed, leading to widespread bottom death. This is a big issue along coasts of agricultural areas.
