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Oysters are one of the commercially exploited shellfishes around the world for seafood.Due to rising CO2 and subsequent decrease in seawater pH,their survival and shell forming processes are threatened globally.Among various life stages,the survival of the early-larval stages of oysters,amidst changes in fluctuating estuary conditions along with ocean acidification effects,gains more attention to its sustainability in aquaculture.In this study,the effects of chronic exposure levels to CO2 concentrations of current atmospheric levels,pH8.2 and predicted future levels from pH 7.9 to pH 7.6 was examined to predict the potential impact of climate change on oyster aquaculture in South China.Larval responses such as survival,and larval shell growth,were monitored in response to the exposure conditions.Our results suggest that oyster larvae succumb to chronic exposure level by showing delayed growth.This slow growth or prolonged pelagic phase would expose them to predation in the open ocean waters and reduced settlement,yielding less spats will have a huge impact on oyster population and their aquaculture.Our future studies will look at mechanisms responsible for such slow growth response associated with ocean acidification stress with the use of proteomics.