The reason for the decrease in the number of crabs metacarcinus judge There may be a loss of smell. Reported by the University of Toronto.
metacarcinus judge They live on the west coast of North America and are a valuable commercial species for their delicious meat. Like most crabs, they have poor eyesight, so their sense of smell is crucial for finding food, mates, suitable habitats, and avoiding predators. Crabs smell with the help of antennae, while they must actively move these “antennae”. Inside them are neurons responsible for smell, which send signals to the brain.
The researchers found that when the ocean becomes acidic, when exposed to carbon dioxide, the crabs make less “flapping” on their antennae and their sensory neurons become 50% less sensitive to odors.
“Crabs will whine more frequently when they detect an intriguing odor, but in crabs exposed to ocean acidification, the scent must be 10 times more concentrated before they see an increase in movement,” the scientists wrote.
According to the authors, acidification can destroy the molecules of the substance and prevent them from binding to olfactory receptors. Because of this, crabs’ olfactory organs deteriorate and their sensory neurons physically shrink by 25 percent when living in acidic water. Ocean acidification due to the increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in it is considered one of the most serious problems associated with global warming and the accumulation of greenhouse gases.
Scientists believe this could explain the observed decline in crabs.
Formerly paleontologists saidwhere live “bagels” live obama 550 million years old.