Ocean Acidification
So, we’ve all heard of climate change, and if you haven’t, get your head out of your ass, it’s happening. Climate change is based off of earth’s rising climate, due to the excess amount of Carbon Dioxide (a greenhouse gas) present in the atmosphere. The extra carbon comes from anthropogenic (human) activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Ocean acidification, or as I like to call it; climate change’s evil twin, refers to the lowering pH of the ocean.
Before industrialization, the ocean’s pH was 8.2, and it’s now at 8.1 and is expected to drop to 7.95 very soon. But whats the big deal?!!! That’s only like a 0.1-0.15 difference! Except, a drop of 0.1 units on the pH scale represents a 26% increase of acidity.
Okayyyy? But how is that a problem?! Well I’ll tell you!
The ocean is the largest carbon reservoir. It absorbs much of this excess carbon through the oceanic biological pump. So this is creating lots of extra carbon in the ocean. When there’s extra carbon in the ocean, these carbons will start to bond. This is going to make bicarbonate ions, leaving less carbonate ions.
I still don’t see the problem. Well shush! If you’d just let me GET THERE!
Marine calcifiers, such as coral reefs, oysters, mussels, sea urchins, clams, etc. NEED carbonate ions to make their skeletons and shells. This is where I like to primarily focus on coral reefs. Coral bleaching is when a coral expels symbiotic algae from their bodies as a result of stress. This stress can be caused by things like, oh I don’t know, INCREASING OCEAN TEMPERATURES and INCREASING ACIDITY! So when you see these bleached corals, it is the result of these factors. Not only that, but their growth is stunted! From the studies that I’ve personally read up on, this affects the thickness of their branches. But this isn’t just a problem for the coral, it’s a problem for the organisms that depend on these habitats!
Corals house hundred and sometimes thousands of species. They provide shelter, food and protection to these species. If coral growth is stunted, and the corals are bleaching, these organisms lose their homes.
Not to mention that I’ve also recently read up on the direct effects ocean acidification has made on the fish. Some sensory abilities are fucked, like auditory, olfactory and visual functions. Studies have highlighted that fish are losing the ability to sniff out predator and prey, they’re losing the ability to locate settlement areas, and their ability to mate is affected!
THIS IS SERIOUS! I’d be more than happy to look through more research anyone suggests or try to answer questions to the best of my ability when it comes to this stuff. If there’s something you don’t understand, I’ll try to explain further.