Ocean Acidification And Its Effect On The Ocean

Some of the carbon dioxide is being combined with our oceans to make up carbonic acid. Thus decreasing the PH of the oceans, and with this acidification it is known to be dangerous for many reason. Many of the large animals are losing key nutrition, it is hindering photosynthesis and is even wiping out existing ecosystems. The one key group that is harmed the most is creatures that are classified as Calcifiers. They are one of the most common animals in the sea, which means that, if the acidity of the oceans continue to rise, a significant chunk will die out or have to adapt rapidly to the environmental change. The reason they are in the most danger is because with the ocean becoming more acidic it is eroding the shells off of the sea

“Since the beginning of the industrial era, the ocean has absorbed some 525 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere, presently around 22 million tons per day” (Ocean Portal, n.d). This number is expected to increase forevermore as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase and the effects of Climate Change worsen. At first, the idea of our oceans absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere may sound great, however, scientists have been quick to learn otherwise. High concentrations of carbon dioxide in oceans can have detrimental effects on the ocean chemistry and marine ecosystems (Hardt; Safina, 2008). Marine ecosystems are greatly complex and depend on every marine organism to function properly, any change can put the whole ecosystem at risk. For example, the increase of carbon dioxide in our oceans is responsible for the dissolving of “brittle star” skeletal parts, which has in effect caused food scarcity for many fish, crabs, shrimp, and other starfish (Leu, 2013). Furthermore, these marine ecosystems are very important to humans- being the primary food source for millions around the world and having an economic market worth trillions of dollars (Hardt; Safina, 2008). Part of keeping these ecosystems safe is to understand how they work and how projected changes can harm marine organisms.

This increase in oceanic inorganic carbon has offset the seawater carbonate chemistry by causing increasing concentrations of CO2 and bicarbonate, while causing decreasing concentrations of carbonate and pH levels (Dedmer 2013). Rost and colleagues (2008) express that emissions of fossil fuel have caused an immense increase in the levels of atmospheric CO2, which are then deposited into the surface water of oceans. This increase in carbonic acid is in turn decreasing the pH balance, which poses a threat to marine organisms.

Humans are changing the climate right now through deforestation and burning fossil fuels which is also creating ocean acidification. Kolbert writes in The Sixth Extinction that, humans are burning an excessive amount of fossil fuels through coal and natural gas into the air which added tons of carbon into the atmosphere. “SINCE the start of the industrial revolution, humans have burned through enough fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—to add some 365 billion metric tons of carbon to the atmosphere” (Kolbert, p. 113). It is possible to say that through these burning fossil fuels, ocean acidification are occurring, too, because too much carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere and the ocean is absorbing the air into the ocean. Kolbert writes, “Thanks to all this extra CO2, the pH of the ocean’s surface waters has already dropped. Assuming that humans continue to burn fossil fuels, the oceans will continue to absorb carbon dioxide and will become increasingly acidified” (Kolbert, p. 113-114). In addition, our emissions of CO2 modify our atmosphere. Whereas, the gases from the atmosphere get absorbed by the ocean and gases dissolved in the ocean are released into the atmosphere killing most of our species. For example, many mollusks, corals, and single-celled creatures called foraminifera use ingredients in seawater to build their shells and other hard parts and these

Ocean Acidification is a process that occurs everyday and majorly affects our planet, but most people don’t even realize it exists. Though it can technically be argued that Ocean Acidification has some benefits for the planet, most of the time the effects of this process are very poor and negatively affect the entire world around us. Human evolution has played a major role in contributing to Ocean Acidification. Whenever humans use energy we release Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere or also known as CO2. This can be in the form of burning fossil fuels from the ground or the removal of national forest by burning. CO2 is a greenhouse gas, which means whenever we can emit it in large quantities or unnatural amounts it can have negative effects on the atmosphere. These high levels of CO2 in the atmosphere result in climate change and more specifically Ocean Acidification. Ocean Acidification occurs when excess Carbon Dioxide is absorbed into the ocean. When this process takes place it can completely disturb the chemical balances of the water. For example, it can reduce pH levels, Biodiversity, and the abundance of calcifying species.

Hardt, M.J. and C. Safina. 2009. How acidification threatens ocean from the inside out: Carbon dioxide emissions are making the oceans more acidic, imperiling the growth and reproduction of species from plankton to squid. Scientific American 301:66-73.

When carbon dioxide enters the ocean, reacts with seawater, producing carbonic acid, which increases the acidity of water.  Increasing carbon dioxide emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels for energy, have made ocean acidification 30% increase compared to pre-industrial levels. This has caused the pH of surface waters of the oceans has fallen 0.1 units.  If carbon emissions continue to increase at the current

Ocean acidification is the decrease in the acidity levels of the Earth 's oceans, caused by the intake of carbon dioxide emitted in to the environment and atmosphere. Since the industrial revolution, fossil fuel-powered machines have increased human technology and advancement. However, this has caused the emissions, large amounts of carbon dioxide, deforestation, and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Ocean acidification, in turn, has created a benefit to us by slowing down climate change by absorbing the emissions in the water that have remained in the air. However, studies are now starting to show that the massive amounts of carbon dioxide in the water bodies are altering the water chemistry and affecting the biodiversity and life cycles of many marine organisms, especially those at the lower end of the food chain. Other organisms living off the food chain would be part of a symbiotic relationship involving nutrient cycling: where all other organisms are feeding off of the larger one, yet are providing some benefit to the overall host.

Ocean acidification is likely the most important environmental issue on the planet today, yet most of us don’t know about it. It’s time to change the conversation. Raise your voice and get this message heard! Everyone needs to know about ocean acidification and the threat to ocean life. Environmental organizations, governments, the media, and all of us need to make ocean acidification part of the environmental conversation. Up until now, we’ve been missing a huge part of the puzzle.

Ocean acidification will not only have a negative effect on the environment, but also the global economy. The issues found with ocean acidification in the previous section of the paper correlate with the effects of ocean acidification on the economy. Marine life forms, most of which will suffer from lower pH levels, are a large part of temperate and tropical costal regions’ economies. If ocean acidification is left as is, the world will start to see declines in various marine life’s population. This would spell disaster for costal economies that largely depend on fishing as a reliable commodity. Inland economies are also at risk since most likely import seafood to their local restaurants. Another aspect of the economy to factor into the equation is tourism. With potential decline in marine life populations, including coral reefs, the tourism sector would likely see a decline in tourist with the continual increase in ocean acidification. Dying reefs and less marine life would deteriorate from what makes visiting costal areas worth the trip. In addition, if no action is taken to combat ocean acidification, costal areas could potentially become political hotspots for environmental protestors, therefor making the area less desirable for a vacation spot.

For example, corals and even some plants and animals at the bottom of the food chain are having a difficult time producing their shells, which isn't only bad for those organisms but also for the ones that rely and depend on this shelled marine life. Numerous marine organisms rely on carbonate ions to form their shells or skeletons. The over abundance of carbon dioxide being pumped into our atmosphere and being soaked by our oceans, turning it into ocean acidification, is making a gigantic impact of the life under the oceans water and even the life here on land. Instead of staying in the air, the carbon dioxide released from gas, oil and burning coal dissolves into the ocean. Over the past 200 years the oceans have absorbed 525 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, that’s twenty-two million tons a day.

Ocean Acidification is, excess carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. All of ocean acidification happens underwater; that is why it is unseeable and unfeelable. When coal, oil, and gas release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, it dissolves into the ocean. The ocean has absorbed approximately, 525 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. Scientists once believed that, when the carbon dioxide (CO2) entered the atmosphere and dispersed into the ocean, it left less carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air to warm planet Earth. But, they quickly learned that the ocean's chemistry was changing.

The unique circumstances of planet earth are due to one special ecological feature: liquid H2O. Our planet is far enough away from the sun to keep all of the water on its surface from evaporation yet close enough to prevent it all from freezing. This water is the source and sustaining factor of life as we know it. In fact, the earth is seventy five percent water. Most of that water in contained in earth’s oceans. However, the last few centuries of global industrialization have brought major changes to our shores. Changes that need to be addressed.

Anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide have increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations by over 40% relative to pre-industrial levels (IPCC ch2). Measures of atmospheric CO2 do not account for all CO2 emissions because, in addition to the atmosphere, the ocean is a major sink. The ocean absorbs CO2 at a rate of approximately 7 GtCO2 yr-1. Since 1750, the ocean has absorbed 500 GtCO2 of the total 1300 GtCO2 from anthropogenic emissions (IPCC ch6).

Underwater marine animals are one of the world’s precious creations. Oceans are a vital connecting source for trading and leisure. But what some people do not know is that these beautiful creatures in the oceans are in great danger because of the fossil fuels that society uses today, causing ocean acidification and climate change. Economically, the U.S. is striving, but industries and manufacturers are more powerful than some people think.