Preview

The Impact Of Ocean Acidification On Organisms

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
180 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Impact Of Ocean Acidification On Organisms
The impacts of all this CO2 being absorbed by the ocean can become a problem if too much is absorbed at a very high rate. Ocean acidification is the main problem that arises when too much CO2 enters the ocean. Ocean acidification causes the pH of the oceans to lower this will affect coral reefs as they can be made of calcium carbonate and can be dissolved by the increased acidity. In addition organisms with a calcium carbonate shell or skeleton can be damaged reducing the biodiversity of parts of the ocean. With the increase of ocean acidification the efficiency of the two pumps will decrease. Firstly due to the effects of acidification on organisms such as plankton which will die if the pH changes too much. Organisms which use CO2 for photosynthesis

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • 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

    Ocean acidification is caused by CO2 in the atmosphere when it reacts with water it creates carbonic acid. It's a significant and harmful consequence of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that we don't see or feel because its effects are happening underwater. When carbon dioxide is absorbed by seawater a chemical reaction occurs that reduces the seawaters pH, carbonate ion concentration, and saturation states of biologically significant calcium carbonate minerals. It decreases the pH of seawater, meaning it increases the seawater’s acidity. Over the past 250 years, ocean acidity has increased by 30 percent. At least one-quarter of the carbon dioxide CO2 released by burning coal, oil and gas doesn't stay in the air, but instead dissolves…

    • 634 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ocean Acidification

    • 364 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has risen from 320 parts per million in the early 20th century to an astonishing 380 parts per million at the beginning of the 21st century. These drastic changes to earth’s atmosphere and environment have resulted in numerous ripple effects including the acidification of the ocean. The ocean is a complex mixture of chemicals primarily consisting of water, sodium chloride and trace elements of magnesium, sulfur, potassium, calcium and bromine. Calcium is the most important constituent as it is important in sustaining marine life and plays a role in the chemical balance of the ocean. The acidification of the ocean, precipitated by global warming, is causing a change in the chemical interactions of these various ecological systems. These systems rely on chemical reactions where the pH of the ocean is within a certain range and concentrations of carbon dioxide are at acceptable levels. The increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has allowed more of it to dissolve in the ocean causing a drastic change in pH and carbonic acid concentrations. These changes could result in the loss of various marine life and ecosystems which once lost cannot be recovered. Acidification of the ocean is a serious concern and if allowed to continue could result in irreversible and permanent changes to ocean ecosystems and marine life.…

    • 364 Words
    • 2 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
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ocean acidification is hurting many sea creatures in the ocean. It is also hurting the world food chain. Ocean acidification is when carbon dioxide (Co2) is released into the ocean and the saltwater consumes the Co2. Many creatures have trouble living and reproducing when the ph level is low. It is hurting the world food chain because many people rely on sea creatures for food and if they are slowly dying, there won't be enough food in the world to hold all these people.…

    • 194 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Excess CO2 is very toxic. A high level of carbon dioxide has three main effects.…

    • 1399 Words
    • 6 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
  • Powerful Essays

    CO2 is one of the main gases contributing to global warming, which is scientifically proven to accelerate the natural process of climate change - currently the most serious environmental and…

    • 2115 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the reading ‘Global Warming” by Jill Egan the author explain how the Carbon Dioxide(CO2) is setting a layer on the atmosphere that is blocking the heats waves to get out, causing a global warming alert that could destroy a million kinds of plants and animals by the year 2050. According to studies, about 20 percent of the Earth's land area could be affected by this phenomenon .…

    • 137 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Based on my knowledge, CO2 that emits to the air will go up to the atmosphere and damage the O3 layer on the atmosphere. This would cause what we called the glass house effect. The glass house effect occurs when the heat from the earth cannot emits to the outer space again, and this will cause the earth’s temperature to raise and cause a global warming. Not only that CO2 can damage the earth, but also human’s health since CO2 is not healthy for human’s lung. More sickness will occur in the human…

    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ocean Acidification Lab

    • 952 Words
    • 4 Pages

    This research project investigates how the pH of ocean water affects the mass of the shells of sea organisms. People who might benefit from this project are Oceanographers and Fisheries. The resources used included an article from the website Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, called “Ocean Acidification” by Jennifer Bennett, an interview with Dr. Andrew Dickson, a professor of marine chemistry at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, and an article from the website PBS News Hour, called “Coral Reefs and Shellfish Battle Acidifying Oceans”, by Saskia de Melker. From this research, one can conclude that rising acidity and decreasing pH have had and will continue to have a huge impact…

    • 952 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Have you ever been in the ocean before? Have you ever felt it burning your skin? Ocean acidification is becoming a great problem in our world. Ocean acidification is the ongoing decrease of the oceans pH levels due to lots of CO₂ entering the water from our atmosphere. 30-40% of the carbon dioxide from human activity released into the atmosphere goes into lakes, rivers, and oceans. This is causing the ocean to become more acidic. The ocean's acidity has increased by around 30% since the industrial revolution. This affects all of the oceans. Specifically the Arctic, Antarctic, Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic ocean. In this report will explain what is causing this issue, some effects, and some solutions.…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Many organisms that reside in the earth’s oceans are dependent on the ecosystem that coral reefs provide, it is therefore important to protect these environments from the harsh effects of ocean acidification. Currently approximately 25 % of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the earth’s atmosphere, enters the ocean (ref 3), this results in pH reductions and alterations in fundamental chemical balances, these changes in unity, are referred to as ocean acidification (ref 4). Experiments have shown that ocean acidification, has a drastic effect on the performance of marine organisms due to the correlating high carbon dioxide levels, (ref 1). To support the fact that these coral reef ecosystems, need to be protected from the drastic effects of ocean…

    • 123 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ocean acidification is happening every day and it is happening fast. The atmospheric carbon dioxide molecules dissolve into the oceans water and instantaneously form bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) and hydrogen ions (H+). These hydrogen ions are those that are acidic, and the rate at which this is occurring is too fast for the oceans sediments to neutralise it (Kerr, 2010). This acidification threatens one of the worlds largest biodiverse habitats. Coral and other marine organisms rely on calcium carbonate (CaCO3) to construct their shells and skeletons (Rise, 2009). As a consequence of the rising carbon dioxide levels, is that the lower the pH the harder the calcification. Not only does it make calcification difficult the lowering of the pH weakens…

    • 137 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Best Essays

    Chelsea Zeller Dr. Andre Droxler ESCI 107 10 December 2012 Ocean Acidification: Consequences on Flora and Fauna The prosperity and health of our Earth is held within a delicate balance, a balance easily disrupted by any interference from natural and unnatural forces alike. The environment is currently in a state of gravely precarious instability pushed to this edge by careless human activity. The impacts within the atmosphere are evident – temperature changes, increased storm activity, and melting ice – but less obvious is how the upset balance of our Earth’s systems affects our oceans. While the oceans certainly play into the atmospheric changes we see, they are also experiencing serious consequences distinct from those on the surface. As CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere continue to increase, seawater chemistry is being seriously and detrimentally altered. In a process called ocean acidification, chemical reactions between absorbed carbon dioxide and H2O occur that reduce the pH of seawater, as well as decrease carbonate ion concentration and saturation states of calcium carbonate minerals (“Ocean Acidification,” PMEL). This calcium carbonate is necessary for the formation of skeletons and shells of many marine organisms. Therefore, acidification is damaging, and likely killing, large amounts of sea life (Horsey, 2012). The consequences of destroying these organisms that serve as a base for marine ecosystems will have expansive impacts that go far beyond harming a few species. To understand how CO2 affects the chemical balance in the ocean, it’s necessary to first note the historical changes in CO2, and the consequent decrease in seawater pH. While carbon dioxide is naturally present in the atmosphere as part of the Earth’s carbon cycle (the circulation of carbon among the atmosphere, oceans, soil, plants and animals), the current levels and the…

    • 2961 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Best Essays