The result was not good news for the oysters in the warmer environment. Three weeks after the cadmium exposure began, half of the oysters in the warmer environment were dead, and those exposed to 24°C lost 6% of their population (Raloff, 2005). The good news is that all of the oysters with the cooler temperatures survived. This could mean that the oysters are prepared for fluctuations in water temperature. However, if the water temperature suddenly increased too much, the animals would not have time to adapt and the environment would therefore be harmful to their health..