The Results Of The Regression Test Comparing Dissolved Carbon Dioxide In Parts Per Million With Salinity?

Abstract: Photosynthesis, the conversion of inorganic carbon into organic glucose molecules using light energy, is one of the most biologically important processes on Earth. It is imperative to study how the rapidly increasing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution may affect photosynthesis of photoautotrophs. In this experiment, a look is taken at the question: does inorganic carbon availability affect photosynthetic activity. This experiment uses bicarbonate as the inorganic carbon source, and analyzes how varying concentrations of bicarbonate may affect the photosynthetic activity of the South American aquatic plant Egeria densa (also known as Elodea densa) by measuring its O2 production in distilled water and 0.1%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%, and 1.0% sodium bicarbonate solutions. T-tests between the control (distilled water) and each bicarbonate treatment are conducted using the online program GraphPad. All tests results in a p-value greater than 0.05 and a calculated t-value greater than the critical t-value, thus rejecting the null hypothesis, indicating that inorganic

- Having more dissolved oxygen increases the number of fish observed in the body of water.

“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.

How does Carbon Dioxide affect the pH levels of the ocean? Carbon Dioxide or CO2 for short is one of the most important gases in our atmosphere. Even though it is not abundant as Nitrogen and Oxygen which is a key part of life on earth; carbon dioxide also shares the same job as them. Carbon dioxide is vital to life on earth and plays an important role to plants during photosynthesis. Without photosynthesis plants couldn’t make oxygen and without oxygen humans wouldn’t be able to survive. CO2 also is important to the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is an important greenhouse gas that helps to trap heat in our atmosphere. Without it, our planet would be inhospitably cold. Carbon Dioxide might be important to us, but it can also be very deadly if there is too much In the atmosphere and in the ocean.

During the summers the oxygen content atop the water normally has a salinity level consistent with “more than 8 milligrams per liter”; but when oxygen content drops down to “less than 2 milligrams per liter” the water is then known to be in hypoxic state (CENR, 2000; USGS, 2006). Hypoxia is the result of oxygen levels decreasing to the point where aquatic organisms can no longer survive in the water column. Organisms such as fish, shrimps, and crabs are capable to evacuate the area but the fauna that cannot move either become stress and/or die. Due to this, many call the hypoxia zone the “dead zone” (Overview, 2008; USGS, 2006).

During the 1990s scientist were able to collect 5,000 different salinity profiles. From their findings they were able to estimate a 20 percent increase in freshwater. Due to this increase there was a rise of fresh water by 8,400 cubic kilometer, which can be compared to the volume of fresh water and ice that is released in lower latitudes from the Arctic each year.

Francisco P. Chavez used many trials to discover if the CO2 levels in the ocean are really getting higher. He went to Peru to run trials on the CO2 levels in the ocean there. He researched that when people drive their cars it releases CO2 into the air, and most of that does not stay in the atmosphere. Most of the CO2 actually goes into the ocean. Dr. Chavez said that about one million tons of CO2 will enter the ocean per hour daily. He learned that when the CO2 enters the ocean it combines with all of the sea water and the combination creates carbonic acid. Many of the living organisms in the ocean can and are deeply affected by the carbonic acid in a dramatic way. Francisco P.

ocean is made up of different layers of varying densities and chemical compositions. During the

How much does the ocean absorb over the past 250 years of carbon dioxide. Twenty five percent of carbon dioxide that humans have put into the air by burning fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide lowers the pH of oceans, turning water more acidic. How is the oyster farms dying in the Northwest. The carbon dioxide is lowering and its turning the water more acidic. By having the the water

Anthropogenic Carbon dioxide is taken up into the ocean in numerous ways, like non-anthropogenic carbon, and ACO2 is considered a component of the total global CO2 (Millero, 1995). The mechanism of uptake of CO2 is through the differences in partial pressure between the atmosphere and ocean interface. The flux of CO2 across the atmosphere-ocean boundary is largely controlled by the partial pressure of CO2 in the atmosphere compared to the CO2 in the ocean

Since the industrial revolution, anthropogenic inputs of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere have increased dramatically. Concentrations in the atmosphere have risen 40% from 1750 to 2011, reaching record highs of 390.5 ppm (Stocker, et al., 2013). Due to this, the amount of dissolved CO2 in the oceans has also increased causing acidification of the oceans which can have several effects, mainly on calcifying organisms. Climate change has also influenced the stratification of the oceans due to density changing affecting nutrient distribution. So far, although a number of methods have been explored, there have been no solutions that don’t have their own issues.

When carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed by seawater, chemical reactions occur that reduce seawater pH. This is called “ocean acidification.” Due to the Industrial revolution in the 1800s, the use of fossil-fuels have resulted in billions of tons of Carbon dioxide into Earth's atmosphere (Ocean Acidification). Over time, oceans have absorbed large amounts of the carbon dioxide emitted. On the pH scale, solutions with those with higher numbers are considered basic, while low numbers are considered acidic. On a scale one to 14, seven is neutral. Over the past 300 million years, ocean pH has been close to basic, averaging at about 8.2. Today, it is around 8.1, which indicates a drop of 0.1 pH units. Based on the last two centuries, this represents

The ‘leak’ in the biological pump in the Southern Ocean can be influenced by a variety of processes, changing the Southern Ocean’s influence on the concentration of atmospheric CO2, and global climate over glacial-interglacial timescales (Sigman et al. 2010). Reduced ventilation in the Antarctic, as a result of decreased Antarctic Bottom Water formation, decreases the amount of CO2 released to the atmosphere and increases the storage of CO2 in the deep ocean (Sigman et al. 2010, Hayes et al. 2014, Galaasen et al. 2014). Increased sea ice coverage would have also limited the release of CO2 to the atmosphere during glacial periods (Sigman et al. 2010). Greater nutrient utilization due to increased supply of Fe either by upwelling or dust input would lead to greater rates of CO2 sequestration in the deep ocean (Sigman et al. 2010). Increased productivity in the Subantarctic Zone during glacial periods, coupled with reduced Antarctic overturning would have also increased the amount of carbon in

Atmospheric CO2 levels are projected to reach 730 to 1090 ppm by 2100 due to rising anthropogenic CO2 inputs (IPCC 2007, Joos et al., 2001, Meehl et al., 2005, Wigley 2004, Wigley and Raper 2001). Oceanic uptake of CO2 is raising marine pCO2 and lowering pH as the dominant dissolved carbonate species in sea water shift from CO32- and HCO3- towards HCO3- and H2CO3, a process known as ocean acidification (OA) (Qu?r? et al., 2012). Declines in pH and ?aragonite associated with emerging changes in carbonate chemistry due to OA will impact diverse marine biota (Doney et al., 2009).

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.