Global warming will diminish habitat for clams and oysters

Half of the marine mollusc species are predicted to lose a large portion of their habitat this century according to research from the University of Kansas.

Increasing water temperatures will see many species, including clams, oysters and snails, abandon their North Atlantic habitats.

This will have drastic implications for marine ecosystems because mollusks are an important food source in the chain and play a vital role in cleaning water.

The multimillion dollar seafood industry will be affected, along with the biomedical sector which relies on the venom of certain species of cone shell to cure chronic pain.