
Photo: David Baron
The lowly California mussel may be this state’s bellwether for climate change. A UC Davis study shows that the shiny bivalve is suffering from weakened shells because of rising acid levels in the ocean. That makes the mussels more vulnerable to predators and illness. A lead author of the study says they are an important “foundation species” that provide critical habitat and food for hundreds of other animals. [Read more- California Watch].