Trace elemental alterations of bivalve shells following transgenerational exposure to ocean acidification: Implications for geographical traceability and environmental reconstruction.

Trace elements of bivalve shells can potentially record the physical and chemical properties of the ambient seawater during shell formation, thereby providing valuable information on environmental conditions and provenance of the bivalves. In an acidifying ocean, whether and how seawater acidification affects the trace elemental composition of bivalve shells is largely unknown. Here, we investigated the transgenerational effects of OA projected for the end of the 21st century on the incorporation of trace elements into shells of the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum. Neither seawater pH nor transgenerational exposure affected the Mg and Sr composition of the shells. Compared with clams g…