Just as tree rings can tell us how old a tree is and the climate conditions it endured, bivalves like quahog clams and dog cockles can tell a story about the history of the ocean.

And they’re telling us we may be headed for a “tipping point,” according to a study led by the University of Exeter and published Oct. 3 in Science Advances.

Quahog clams can live for more than 500 years, and the layers of their shells can give an unbroken “annual record of ocean conditions,” according to a news release from the University of Exeter.

Variations in the layers, which represent growth rates, give a broad picture of ocean conditions from year to year rather than specific details about any given year’s climate, researchers said.

Analysis of the shells, specifically layer widths and isotopic compos

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