Discusses the work of climate scientists Ken Caldeira and Michael Wickett , who coined the term “ocean acidification.” Caldeira is a climate modeller.
Who studied ocean acidification?
Bronte Tilbrook , a Senior Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO who leads IMOS’ observational projects for CO 2 and ocean acidification. Ocean acidification results from seawater absorbing excess CO 2 that has been emitted into the atmosphere. The CO 2 dissolves in the seawater where it changes the chemistry.
When and who first recognized ocean acidification?
Although scientists have been tracking ocean pH for more than 30 years, biological studies really only started in 2003 , when the rapid shift caught their attention and the term “ocean acidification” was first coined .
What is the history of ocean acidification?
When did ocean acidification start? It can be difficult to study ocean acidity from a long time ago. However, scientists know that the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s triggered an escalation of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere , which has continued to climb ever since.
Who was affected the most by ocean acidification?
More than one-third of the world’s population lives in one of the 25 nations that will be most affected by ocean acidification. Moreover, among the most vulnerable are those with the highest GDP, including the United States, China, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Korea .
How does ocean acidification affect human health?
Ocean acidification can modify the abundance and chemical composition of harmful algal blooms in such a way that shellfish toxicity increases and, therefore, human health is negatively affected.
How is ocean acidification caused?
Ocean acidification is mainly caused by carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere dissolving into the ocean . This leads to a lowering of the water’s pH, making the ocean more acidic. ... Currently, the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas for human industry is one of the major causes.
Why is the pH of seawater 8?
pH is sea water is 8-1 to 8.2. It is because of ionic strength .
Why is ocean acidification a bad thing?
Ocean acidification reduces the amount of carbonate, a key building block in seawater . This makes it more difficult for marine organisms, such as coral and some plankton, to form their shells and skeletons, and existing shells may begin to dissolve.
What animals are affected by ocean acidification?
Shell-forming animals like corals, crabs, oysters and urchins are getting hit first because ocean acidification robs seawater of the compounds these creatures need to build shells and skeletons, impairing their development and, ultimately, their survival.
How can we prevent ocean acidification?
The most effective way to limit ocean acidification is to act on climate change , implementing solutions to dramatically reduce the use of fossil fuels. If we dramatically cut our global warming emissions, and we limit future warming, we can significantly reduce the harm to marine ecosystems.
Where does ocean acidification occur the most?
The polar oceans in the Arctic and Antarctic are particularly sensitive to ocean acidification. The Bay of Bengal is another major focus of research, partly because of unique sea water water characteristics and partly because of poor data coverage using traditional methods.
What is the pH of the ocean?
Today, average ocean pH is about 8.1 . This might not seem like much of a difference, but the relationship between pH and acidity is not direct. Each decrease of one pH unit is a ten-fold increase in acidity.
What are the long term effects of ocean acidification?
Ocean acidification will also affect the physiology of water breathing animals (fishes) by increasing acidity in the tissues and body fluids. This can cause long-term effects on metabolic functions, growth and reproduction .
Ocean acidification is often called global warming’s evil twin . ... But climate change isn’t the only consequence of carbon pollution — so is ocean acidification. With more and more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, oceans absorb more and more of it, becoming – you guessed it – more and more acidic.
What will happen if ocean acidification continues?
The Global Impact. The impacts of ocean acidification could be enormous. The change in ocean chemistry leads to collapsing food webs, corrosive polar seas, dying coral reefs and mass extinctions – which could alter our food, water and air forever.
