The Dangers of Ocean Acidification

Key Points: Scientists have measured air bubbles trapped in ice cores to gather up that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere stayed roughly constant up to the beginning of industrialization. Carbon dioxide has increased in the atmosphere by 30 percent in the past couple hundred years and is expected to double or more by the end of the century.

Carbon dioxide released by pollution rather than by natural sources is the major cause of the CO2 surplus because it has a signature combustion that completely differs from those of natural on-goings. Approximately 1/3 of CO2 released from pollution winds up in our oceans. The increase in ocean acidity threatens species of animals that use calcium carbonate to make hard parts, thus, meaning that coral reefs will suffer tremendously while currently being the most diversely rich habitat on the planet. Since cold waters are naturally less supersaturated than warmer waters, the effects of ocean acidification will likely effect ocean ecosystems closer to the poles. As the level of PH decreases, the shell-friendly waters get reduced. Ocean acidification is one of the many environmental stressors of coral reefs. Some of the other ones include pollution, over-fishing, greenhouse warming and destruction of habitat. Coral reefs are on the verge of extinction.

The beginning of industrialization set the current ongoing progress of ocean acidification. Carbon dioxide levels have been proven to have stayed constant for thousands and thousands of years up until humans went through their industrial phase and began polluting, not only the atmosphere, but earths oceans as well. This steady increase of fossil fuel by-products in our atmosphere has accumulated and has shown to have grown thirty percent more than its original concentration of CO2. Out of all that carbon in our atmosphere, about 1/3 of it ends up in the ocean which then changes the chemical structure of the ocean water, thus, is the process known

as ocean acidification. Phytoplankton and coral reefs that depend on calcium carbonate are in the most danger due to the acidification of the oceans. Cold waters are naturally less supersaturated; therefore, deep waters and oceans close to the poles will be affected by the rising acidity levels to a higher degree than warmer water. As the PH decreases in these areas, the portions of shell friendly waters will decrease. Creatures that need calcium carbonate to sustain themselves will be at a loss because of the acidity. Coral reefs currently being affected by this issue also have many over environmental stressors such as over-fishing and the destruction of habitat. Coral reefs are the most diverse habitat on the planet and we have already lost so much of them throughout our planet. The world grows weaker and more depended on the only resources it has left. The oceans are 70 percent of our planet and we depend on them far more than what we realizes. Ocean acidification is bleaching our coral reefs and weakening our phytoplankton that is the base of the food pyramid for all the species in the ocean with the exception of us humans as well. I believe that the coral reefs and all the other species can be saved from complete disappearance if we all work together and get informed. More efforts for iron infusion sessions and significant decreases in fossil fuel usage can really add up and make a difference.

So what?
All species will eventually die out when the phytoplankton and the coral reefs die out and that includes us humans. Efforts must be made unless we want the next generation to suffer and die because of our mistakes. What if..? The only way to solve any problem isnt to fix its side effects; its to get rid of the source of the issue. If the world makes honest efforts to use less fossil fuels and have infusions of the iron around all the immediate places its needed and if we start growing the plants of the sea in our labs, then we can slowly encourage the earth back to recovery.

Says who? There are many experts that are concerned with the effects of ocean acidification such as Rik Wanninkhof from the national oceanic and atmospherical administrations Atlantic oceanographic and meteorological laboratory. What does this remind me of? This reminds me of times where you eat a lot of junk food for the whole weekend after a week of eating normally, then when you try to do your normal routine you dont function as quickly, efficiently and at your best self because of the poor way you fueled your body. Put bad in, get bad out. We are abusing our planet and it may be fun to eat junk food, it wont help us in the long run. We may like the way we are living now, however, we are bound to pay.