September 29, 2023 — The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS) said a pair of recent studies indicate that climate change has changed the life cycle of ocean quahogs, one of the longest-living species under the sea.
The pair of studies, funded by SCEMFIS, found that the species is growing “much faster and maturing much earlier” with global temperatures rising over the past 200 years, which SCEMFIS said is “one of the clearest examples yet on how climate change is affecting marine life.”
Due to their longevity, SCEMFIS said ocean quahogs are a great indicator of the impact of climate change over centuries. The studies examine the age and length data of a large, diverse sample of the species and finds a clear pattern of biological change over time in response to a changing climate.