Sharks, always considered the rulers of the oceans and among the most dangerous creatures on our planet, may begin to lose their main advantage and weapon - their teeth. German scientists conducted a large-scale study, during which they found that ocean acidification leads to shark teeth becoming significantly more brittle and weaker. This is reported by Phys.org, writes UNN.
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As is known, sharks regrow their teeth after losing them. This critically important function for their survival allows them to hunt prey and feed. But the ability to regenerate teeth may not be enough to ensure they can withstand the pressure of a warming world where oceans are becoming more acidic, as a new study has shown.
Shark teeth, despite being composed of highly mineralized phosphates, are still vulnerable to corrosion under future ocean acidification scenarios
Scientists collected over 600 discarded teeth from blacktip reef sharks from an aquarium where they lived. For the experiment, 52 teeth were selected and incubated for eight weeks in special tanks with different pH levels.
As a result, in a more acidic environment, the teeth lost density, and cracks, holes, and signs of corrosion appeared on their surface. In addition, the teeth became more brittle and thinner, although they looked sharper. In the real underwater world, all these indicators can significantly affect the lives of sharks, as the fish may lose their main weapon and means of survival.
Even a moderate decrease in pH can affect more sensitive species with slow tooth replication cycles or have a cumulative effect over time
The study only concerns non-living tooth tissue, so future experiments should cover live sharks and investigate their ability to compensate for damage.
However, the results obtained already indicate that even microscopic damage can jeopardize the feeding strategies of predators, on which the balance of the entire marine ecosystem depends.
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