Credit: Provided by Ocean180
Summary:
Giant clams are ecologically important because they clean seawater, and their huge shells are home to other marine creatures.
Full Text:
Giant clams are ecologically important because they clean seawater, and their huge shells are home to other marine creatures. They are also a key source of food and income; their vibrant colors make them prize aquarium pets!
Due to over-harvesting, many giant clam populations are at the brink of extinction. Giant clams can be raised in hatcheries, but relocating them to coral reefs is challenging. Researchers placed 50 clams in simple, easy-to-build cages for about three weeks. Here the clams got protection from predators and water turbulence. Survival for clams inside the cages was much higher than it was for unprotected clams.