Preview

Causes Of Ocean Acidification

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
201 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Causes Of Ocean Acidification
The oceans and reefs of Australia are deteriorating faster than previously thought. The corals in the reefs are becoming bleached and decaying and the population of some sea creatures is changing. The most likely causes for this are ocean acidification and overfishing. The problems that Australia faces cannot be fixed overnight and will take years. These problems aren’t just Australia’s problems. This could and does happen all around the world. Corals and certain marine animals are facing a serious problem. Ocean acidification is causing coral to become bleached and start to decay. Ocean acidification is most likely caused by the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The worlds dependency on fossil fuel has raised carbon dioxide levels

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    With the global climate changing so are the coral like many other things and sadly they are dying off because of the temperature changing. Which is causing coral reef bleaching which is when the whitening of diverse invertebrate taxa it is caused by when zooxanthellae decline and or the concentration of photosynthetic pigments within the zooxanthellae…

    • 1178 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In The Truth about Ocean “Acidification”, by Patrick Moore, the term “ocean acidification” has been fabricated, and people do not see the positive effects it has on marine life. In 2003, many articles on ocean acidification were published. Moore challenges one of the article’s hypothesis that corals will cease to grow by mid-century, and ocean acidification will impact fisheries worldwide. Moore emphasizes that there are five key reasons why the ocean acidification narrative is a fabrication. First, the concentration of Co2 was much higher in the earth’s atmosphere during the Cambrian period. Next, most of the invertebrates with the ability to produce calcium carbonate armor are capable of rapid adaptation. Third, there are two distinct physiological…

    • 279 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Climate change’s equally evil twin seems to be ocean acidification. 25 percent of the CO2 dissolves into the ocean instead of being in the air. When the industrial era started over 525 billion tons of CO2 were absorbed (22 million tons per day). Scientists at first thought that we were good because it warms the planet, but that’s not the case. The ocean is becoming more acidic than ever because of the CO2. 200 years later the water temperature increased by 30 percent. Rivers usually keep the ocean stable because they have to carry all of the chemicals, but they haven’t been able to keep up with all of this CO2. As a matter of fact some of these animals’ shells dissolve in this acidic seawater which doesn’t help at all. With…

    • 938 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The acidity of seawater is determined by the amount of hydrogen ions in solution , which is then measured on the pH scale. The higher the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution, the lower the pH of the solution. As stated in the previous paragraph, carbonic acid ( CO3-2) releases hydrogen ions ( H+) into the solution. If the sea water absorbs more carbon dioxide and then more carbonic acid will be formed as well. Which means the ocean will releases large quantities of hydrogen ions. Thus lowering the pH of the ocean. “ Ocean acidification: A greater threat than climate change or Overfishing,” reports that since the industrial revolution the pH of the ocean has dropped from 8.2 to 8.1. This change in the pH of water over the past 150 years is the greatest seen over the past several million years. ( Burner W. 2008…

    • 1304 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    This sea is predicted as how the oceans of the planet will look like within the next century. The acidification that might happen throughout the oceans of the world is mostly caused by the carbon dioxide emitted from smokestacks and tailpipes. (527) Thirty percent of the carbon dioxide released by man has been soaked in the oceans. Many marine organisms cannot survive in these high carbon dioxide concentrated conditions. The evidence from Castello Aragonese proves that this polluted sea is missing thirty-three percent of marine organisms that live outside the vent system. Another significant organism of the chemistry of the ocean is the coral reef. Coral reefs are essential for the ecosystem of the ocean. Ocean acidification is a threat to their existence. According to Jane Lubchenco, ocean acidification is global warming’s “equally evil twin.” (qtd. in…

    • 1197 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Some coral species lose their skeletons altogether” (Fine & Tchernov, pg 9, par 4), “and skeletal growth of recent recruits can be disrupted” (Cohen, pg 9, par 4). So the disruption of the skeletal growth can then make the reefs weaker and more vulnerable to damage and destruction. The acidity of the ocean doesn't just effect the skeletal growth of the coral reefs either. “This is damaging many ocean species that use calcium carbonate to form their skeletons and shells. Studies have shown that calcium carbonate formation is disrupted if water becomes too acidic”(Fujita, pg 2, par 8). So not only coral reefs being effected in skeletal growth, but all organisms that have an outer shell or exoskeleton have trouble developing a strong shell as the acid restricts the calcium production. Another effect that climate change brings about is rising sea levels. “The most obvious consequence of sea level rise will be an upward shift in species distributions. Most species are expected to be able to keep pace with predicted rates of sea level rise, with the exception of some slow-growing, longlived species such as many corals” (Knowlton, pg 10, par 1).” However, dramatic ecological changes could result from decreased habitat availability within a…

    • 678 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    work cited

    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Global warming puts coral reefs in danger as warmer water increases the possibility of coral diseases and Global warming raises sea levels, and that could threaten cities in a number of states. Sea levels have risen about seven inches in the last 100 years, which is more than in the previous 2,000 years combined, according to Do Something, a nonprofit aimed at empowering young people. And they could rise another 19 inches by 2050. That means cities like New Orleans and Miami could start to look like Venice. Rising water levels can also put fragile coral reefs in danger. Coral relies on sunlight, which could become scarce as water levels rise. the rising sea levels makes it more difficult for coral to receive adequate sunlight.…

    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Rocky Shores Issues

    • 978 Words
    • 4 Pages

    As the human population increased, it also means that the deterioration of the world’s ocean systems.…

    • 978 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ocean acidification impacts marine organisms to varying gradations. For example, photosynthetic algae and seagrasses may benefit from higher CO2 conditions as they require CO2 to live much like plants on land. On the contrary, studies have shown that a more acidic environment has a negative effect on calcifying species, such as oysters, clams, sea urchins, corals, calcareous plankton and many more. When shelled organisms are at risk, the entire food web is also at risk. Currently, over a billion people worldwide rely on food from the ocean as their primary source of protein. Many jobs and economies throughout the world depend on the fish and shellfish in our…

    • 634 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Coral Reef Structure

    • 1471 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Over the last few years there has also been a large rise in climate causing the oceans to heat up. The oceans heating up cause the carbon dioxide in the water to rise causing a bleaching effect on the coral, which is extremely dangerous because it prevents the coral from growing and causes them to calcify. This issue has caused many conservationist to worry about the future of reefs. According to National Geographic this is becoming a large problem because of how long it takes coral to actually mature. "That spells trouble for corals, which often take 15 years to reach sexual maturity and reproduce only once a year" (As Oceans Heat Up, a Race to Save World's Coral Reefs). National Geographic along with other programs have started many conservations and programs to help slow down the dying rate of the reefs. A biological oceanographer at the University of Miami gave this quote to National Geographic, "So a lot of our efforts are to give first aid to buy time until we can fix the problem, like CO2 [levels]. We can make a difference. It's not that hard" (As Oceans Heat Up, A Race to Save World's Coral Reefs). This just shows that with everyone's help we can all change the future of these…

    • 1471 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Coral Reef Research Paper

    • 843 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The food web is one of the quality things about a coral reef; without the shark, its food web would be off balance. Even though coral reefs are located in different areas within the ocean and they are different shapes and sizes, the food web remains the same. Among the different types of coral reefs, fringing reefs or shore reefs are the most common. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s secret treasures; without it the world wouldn’t have the underwater beauty that it holds. Unfortunately, climate change could affect the loss of coral reefs and the ocean wouldn’t be what it is today. Not only can climate change affect the life of a coral reef, but a human’s touch can damage it too. Just think of a coral reef as a house to humans; the humans would want to maintain the reef just like they maintain their houses. With that being said, protect the coral…

    • 843 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Coral reefs are home to many fishes and plants. Because of global warming, 16% of the world’s coral reefs were wiped out in one year alone (“Global Warming and Coral Reefs”). Ocean temperatures have also risen by 1.3 ° Fahrenheit since the last 19th century (Coral bleaching and ocean acidification are two climate-related impacts to coral reefs). The increasing carbon dioxide levels lead to coral bleaching. This occurs when coral responds to the stress of the temperature warming. This expels the colorful algae that live within most of the coral dies, so the entire ecosystem disappears. Warmer waters are expected to increase the chance of coral diseases such as black band disease, white plague, and white pox. All of the diseases lead to the killing of coral reefs and the entire ecosystem is supports.…

    • 1989 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As they have been largely affected by recent developments in climate change and pollution, it is crucial that we stabilize the loss of reefs; if not, we will undoubtedly be negatively impacted. In the event that we lose considerably more reefs, we will also lose a large part of the tourism industry. When you think of tourism, beaches most likely come to mind. Whether it be the pristine waters of the Caribbean, or the rougher waves of the Australian coasts, coral reefs are a popular attraction. Aside from tourism, coral reefs supply, many people with food, as they provide varying species of fish with a food source and shelter. If coral reefs disappear, so do the fish they support with food and shelter, which will add to the world’s existing food challenges. Finally, coral reefs are noted for their biodiversity, which means the undiscovered life living there could possibly a possess cure for cancer or other serious…

    • 614 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Oceans, lakes and rivers absorb 30 to 40% of the carbon dioxide produced by the human population. Ocean acidification has been a rising issue for the last three decades, and oceanographers have been studying the carbon dioxide effects on the ocean throughout that time. It is becoming increasingly problematic because the levels of carbon dioxide being emitted into the environment are greater. In the last 200 years, the ocean has become 30% more acidic because as more carbon dioxide is dissolved into the water, the more acidic the water gets. This is destroying the marine life that has had a stable pH level of ocean water for thousands of years. The oysters have been highly affected by the ocean acidification.…

    • 224 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Global Warming Artifact

    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Ever since the beginning of time, Earth’s oceans have maintained a stable acidity. Oceans currently absorb a third of human carbon dioxide emissions at about twenty two million tons each day (Ocean). The carbon dioxide that has been consumed by oceans, slowly turns into carbonic acid which affects the lives of many aquatic life. Continuous emissions of these gases will raise the acidity by 0.5 pH levels by the end of the century; the increase in acidity causes aquatic shell growth come to a halt (Ocean). This rise in oceanic acidity affects lives of aquatic creatures…

    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays