A groundbreaking international study shows how chemical fingerprints left by “underappreciated” aquatic organisms could help scientists monitor global environmental change.
A groundbreaking international study shows how chemical fingerprints left by “underappreciated” aquatic organisms could help scientists monitor global environmental change.
The study, led by the University of South Australia (UniSA), reveals how various understudied aquatic species act as “natural data loggers,” providing a historical record of the environment.
Lead scientist Dr Zoe Doubleday, from UniSA’s Future Industries Institute, collaborated with researchers from Canada, Croatia and the UK to synthesise hundreds of studies that analyse chemical variations in the shells, teeth, and bones of weird and wonderful organisms.
“Many aquatic organisms – like whales, seals, octopus and even algae – harbour chemical fingerprints that can give us a record of the environment over time, from historical water temperatures, pollution levels, and ecosystem health,” Dr Doubleday says. “They can also be used to predict the future.”
Read more at University of South Australia
Photo Credit: A_Different_Perspective via Pixabay
