Can Clams and Oysters Help Clean Up Waterways?

摘要

Towns in Cape Cod are looking to shellfish not only as culinary treats, but as a way to help clean up waters suffering from excess nitrogen. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plants and animals, but too much nitrogen-often from fertilizer runoff and septic tanks-boosts the growth of algae, which overwhelm water bodies and ultimately reduce oxygen levels in them. Oysters, clams, and other shellfish are efficient filter feeders that help remove excess nitrogen from waters by incorporating it into their shells and tissue as they grow.