The Problem Of Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidification is a term that describes significant changes to the chemistry of the ocean. It happens when carbon dioxide gas is absorbed by the ocean and reacts with seawater to produce acid. This mechanism is happening in the ocean that over time will affect the coral species.

Presented in an informal style of writing, “What Is Ocean Exploration and Why Is It Important?” inform its readers about the importance of researching and discovering the unknown ocean. It explains how much work is needed for the documentation of the ocean in varies areas, at the same time it addresses that scientist will be able to better understand the unknown oceans. For example, the time needed to obtain and study the result, as well as answer how the change in atmosphere will cause the ocean to react and affect life. The information obtain will also provide the baseline for scientist, researcher and government agencies to make important and dangerous decisions for the future. Sometime during research amazing things happen and new resources may be revealed. Besides informing about the ocean researching, the article also has a background idea as it is trying to encourage and get its readers interested into joining the field of ocean researching by emphasizing the role the ocean plays and how it will help ensure that ocean resources are well managed for future generations to enjoy.

When I was young I thought I knew what I wanted to do, I wanted to be a princess and live in a castle overlooking the ocean. As I matured my love of the ocean did not diminish, but instead intensified as I sat in my AP Environmental classroom sophomore year learning about ocean acidification. The following year in my Marine Biology class, I realized that this what I wanted to do with my life, make a difference in the world. The road to helping isn’t going to be an easy one. To begin my work I hope to achieve my doctorate in Marine Biology, and with many years of schooling to reach this point, comes many years of financial debt.

I am a water loving science geek teenager, who has dreamed of being a marine biologist since I was a child. My love of water started when I was four years old participating in my first swim lesson at my local YMCA, which I now work at as a lifeguard and swim instructor. My water passion has continued throughout my life advancing through swim lesson to club and high school swimming. One of my proudest moments was swimming with kids twice my age and keeping up the whole swim lesson, which for me was more of a practice. After that, swim lesson extremely tired, but could not wait to go back.

The Earth is a very miniscule piece in a much grander puzzle called the universe. Within that tiny rock in space are complicated systems that help to sustain life. The atmosphere surrounding us is a mixture of many different components. It is composed of roughly 78% nitrogen, about 21% oxygen, and about 1% other, which includes carbon, the most fundamental element on Earth (Hopkins 2010). Carbon is present in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (Hopkins 2010). Carbon dioxide may have a small presence in the earth 's atmosphere but it plays an important role in the processes within the ocean, having a huge influence over the chemistry of seawater carbonate and its equilibrium process (Hopkins 2010). One way it impacts the ocean is via a process called ocean acidification. Carbon dioxide is a compound that can be found in nature, but the elevated carbon dioxide levels caused by humans can have a lot of unintended consequences, particularly to the seawater carbonate chemistry (Hopkins 2010).

obal Warming is caused by the built up of carbon dioxide and other air pollutions. These absorb sunlight and solar radiation, trapping the heat which causes global temperatures to rise. Ocean Acidification is caused when the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the air causing it to be acidic. Scientist believe that the ocean has absorbed about half of the excess carbon dioxide in the past 200 years. This has caused a drop of 0.1 in ph. Since the pH scale is logarithmic, this change represents a thirty percent increase in acidity.

As Dr. Stamper discussed, ocean acidification is a major factor that affects the environment. Both of these have had huge effects on the health and vitality of coral reefs. Since the Industrial Revolution, the pH of the ocean has decreased by 30% and this will have ramifications on the health of humans, food supplies and others. Dr. Stamper mentions himself that we are only focusing on calcium molecules in the acidification reactions instead of all the molecules and how they affect the organisms around them. He said changes in the normal calcification can lead to decrease muscle mass and decreased feeding which can harm the vitality of species in the ocean. He suggests gaining more control of our water usage since it generates 3% of our energy produced. In conjunction, he recommends people take personal steps in water conservation and energy conservation by buying energy efficient lights, low-flow toilets or dual-flush toilets, and gaining control of your heating costs by installing a low-energy system.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that we exhale in our daily lives. Plants use carbon dioxide to create oxygen that all mammals use. However, carbon dioxide can also change the chemistry of the ocean, this is often referred to as ocean acidification. The excess carbon dissolves into oxygen in the water, producing a chemical called carbonic acid. This acid causes the ocean to become more acidic. In the eighteenth century, the pH was 8.07 which was slightly basic. Currently, the pH is around 8.01 this is about a twenty-five percent increase in acidity. (National geographic) While this slight change may not seem outrageous, it is causing multiple marine life struggles. The acid melts the shells of pteropods causing a low supply of food that would support larger fish.

This threatens coral ecosystems, mussels, clams, and dozens of other species just on the ocean acidification side by weakening their protective barriers and altering the pH of the water. Polar bears, sea turtles, right whales, African elephants, and frogs are just some of the few animals being driven to extinction right now because of climate change. Obviously, these species are not dying off for no reason: the big bad guy is the results of rising levels of c02 due to human’s mass consumption of it for transportation, electricity, and industry. And scientists agree – “99 percent of currently threatened species are at risk from human activities,” says the Center for Biological Diversity, adding that global warming is one of the three main abusers. Ocean acidification is global warming’s “equally evil twin”, as Elizabeth Kolbert writes in her novel The Sixth Extinction. Clearly, human’s c02 waste is causing environmental issues that threaten and eventually extinguish plant and animal

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.

According to PMEL, the process of ocean acidification is when “the CO2 absorbed by the ocean is changing the chemistry of the seawater”. Ocean Portal states that “Ocean acidification is sometimes called “climate change’s equally evil twin”. People don’t realize that this is a significant problem because we don’t see or feel the effects due to the process happening underwater. Sadly, this issue is far more problematic than scientists thought years ago.

There are many types of sources that affect the climate change and ozone such as nitrogen oxide emissions and deforestation. Along with those two sources, is the burning of fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels is leading to higher acidity in the oceans, which is a topic I do not take lightly. Many people love the ocean for various reasons, but for me, it has always been one of my favorite places due to the sense of feeling free when I am on or near the water. The oceans give oxygen to the world, regulates the climate, is a source of food, all while creating and maintaining oceanic life. Ocean acidification is the change of the potential of hydrogen or pH levels of the ocean becoming more and more acid due to the carbon dioxide that is being emitted into the atmosphere. A vast amount of the ocean comes in contact with the atmosphere, causing the carbon dioxide and water to mix making for the increase in acidity.

14.1 by 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, particularly from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

“When carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed by seawater, chemical reactions occur that reduce seawater pH, carbonate ion concentration, and saturation states of biologically important calcium carbonate minerals.” These chemical reactions are termed "ocean acidification” by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association. It has been shown by various studies that the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have increased by almost 40% from days before the industrial revolution until present day. According to a study done by a European Research group, the parts per million volume (ppmv) was approximately 280 and has reached a ppmv of over 380(Turley). This exponential increase in carbon dioxide is pushed by our human tendencies. Two of the main factors that lead to ocean acidification are fossil fuel combustion and deforestation, both of which have been happening at a faster pace than ever before in the Earth’s history(Orr). The ascending level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is heavily dependent on the ocean’s ability to absorb it. With the absence of a carbon dioxide absorption by the ocean according to a study done by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA) would be close to 500 ppmv, which would have led to an even greater increase in temperature around the world. To date the ocean has taken in close to 450 billion tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide, also known as 33% of carbon emissions. With all of this uptake the ocean faces problems as