Answer: Oysters are mollusks that build their shells using materials such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and silicon dioxide that they extract from the water where they live. If oysters can’t find the materials they need to build their shells, they may have difficulty forming and maintaining their shells. This can leave them vulnerable to predators and environmental stressors. Changes in water chemistry, such as ocean acidification, can make it more difficult for oysters and other shell-building organisms to extract the materials they need to build their shells.
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