Ocean Acidification is an ongoing decrease in the pH level due to greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere which is then shifted into the ocean. At first it was working just fine. it was storing it well with the coral reefs. But now that it is exceeding the total capacity the reefs can hold, the CO2 is releasing into the ocean causing it to be more acidic. Causing the pH level in the ocean to drop from 8.2-8.1 meaning it is becoming more acidic, and humans are the ones to blame. (my own synopsis of it)
What are the issues/effects of it?
There are many issues with ocean acidification. “Many organisms that form the basis for the marine food chain are going to be affected by ocean acidification. It turns out that changing the pH of the ocean is not the only impact from this phenomenon. There is another, equally impactful side effect. Once carbon dioxide (CO2) has mixed with water molecules (H2O) to form hydrogen ions (H+) and carbonic acid (HCO3), those available hydrogen ions bond with other carbonate ions to form more carbonic acid. The problem here is that marine organisms possessing shells (many mollusks, crustaceans, corals, coralline algae, foramaniferans) need available carbonate ions to form the calcium carbonate (CaCo3) that comprises their shells. In essence, ocean acidification is robbing these organisms of their necessary building blocks.” (Dien, Kevin Van. "The Effects of Ocean Acidification on the Marine Food Chain. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 June 2015.)
Rekeasing toxins into the atmosphere can travel into the oceans. Now this takes away our aesthetic beauty in coral reefs. But it also effects out food chain, it hurts shell fish because it degrades their shells. It kills fish that can't breathe in the toxins. Humans like to eat shrimp and grouper, soon we won't be able to.
Coral reefs hold 25-30% of human released CO2 ( "Ocean Acidification." - What You Can Do. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.”) and we are taking this for granted because soon they won't be able to hold it any longer. Plus we are cutting down our other storage unit in trees, but that is another topic for another day.
Ocean Acidification can hurt aquatic organisms, but it can also cause physical damage to humans. Causing the ocean to become more acidic makes it warmer, having the ocean warmer causes the molecules to expand and the sea level to rise. This can cause serious flooding and overflowing on peoples houses that are on beaches or on the coast. Watch out if you live on the coast! ("Ocean Acidification -- National Geographic." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.")
Ocean Acidification effects us, the ocean, and the biodiversity in the oceans. Emitting CO2 into the airis travelling into the ocean and causing it to be more acididc which is killing all the fish and shell fish. STOP RELEASING CO2!
Shocking fact of the page: Humans have disposed of 530 billion tons of gas by releasing CO2.
"The effects of agriculture and industry could be as devastating in geological time as the massive volcanic eruptions of the Triassic, or the asteroid impact of the Cretaceous."-Oceanic Acidification Reasearch program
The effects of agriculture and industry could be as devastating in geological time as the massive volcanic eruptions of the Triassic, or the asteroid impact of the Cretaceous.
What is Ocean Acidification?
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