4.3 Ocean Acidification
89
on Mountain Kilimanjaro. Glaciers often act as a water tower, and various
rivers are currently drying up. By 2001, Intergovernmental Panel in Climate
Change (IPCC) reported that about 82% of the ice that initially capped Mt.
Kilimanjaro had disappeared.
4.3 Ocean Acidification
This refers to the ongoing reduction in pH of the Earth’s oceans, attributed to the
uptake of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) absorbed from the atmosphere. Ocean acidification
takes place when oceans absorb carbon dioxide to produce acid. The acid is a result
of the chemical reactions that result in more concentration of hydrogen ions. The
increase leads to more acidity of seawater and makes carbonate ions to become
abundant. It is estimated that about 30–40% of the CO 2 from human activity that
enters the atmosphere gets into water bodies (Andrews and Schlesinger 2001). For
chemical equilibrium, some of this gas reacts with water and forms carbonic acid.
The dissociation of carbonic acid molecules into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions
thus increases ocean acidity.
What world oceans have been affected by ocean acidification?
4.3.1 Ecosystems
Higher acidity potentially harms marine organisms, including the immune responses
of some organisms and causes coral bleaching. The net reduction in carbonate ions
quantity could make it difficult for marine calcifying organisms, including planktons
and coral, to form calcium carbonate. Such structures are susceptible to dissolution
(Andrews and Schlesinger 2001). In addition, a high drop of seawater pH can make
it difficult for organisms to build their skeletons or shells. Lower pH of seawater can
weaken the metabolic processes of various organisms, including reproduction and
respiration. Whereas it is difficult to predict the changes in ocean ecosystems due to
higher acidity, these ecosystems become less productive and resilient.
Identify some of the ecosystems that have become less productive because of
ocean acidification.
89
on Mountain Kilimanjaro. Glaciers often act as a water tower, and various
rivers are currently drying up. By 2001, Intergovernmental Panel in Climate
Change (IPCC) reported that about 82% of the ice that initially capped Mt.
Kilimanjaro had disappeared.
4.3 Ocean Acidification
This refers to the ongoing reduction in pH of the Earth’s oceans, attributed to the
uptake of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) absorbed from the atmosphere. Ocean acidification
takes place when oceans absorb carbon dioxide to produce acid. The acid is a result
of the chemical reactions that result in more concentration of hydrogen ions. The
increase leads to more acidity of seawater and makes carbonate ions to become
abundant. It is estimated that about 30–40% of the CO 2 from human activity that
enters the atmosphere gets into water bodies (Andrews and Schlesinger 2001). For
chemical equilibrium, some of this gas reacts with water and forms carbonic acid.
The dissociation of carbonic acid molecules into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions
thus increases ocean acidity.
What world oceans have been affected by ocean acidification?
4.3.1 Ecosystems
Higher acidity potentially harms marine organisms, including the immune responses
of some organisms and causes coral bleaching. The net reduction in carbonate ions
quantity could make it difficult for marine calcifying organisms, including planktons
and coral, to form calcium carbonate. Such structures are susceptible to dissolution
(Andrews and Schlesinger 2001). In addition, a high drop of seawater pH can make
it difficult for organisms to build their skeletons or shells. Lower pH of seawater can
weaken the metabolic processes of various organisms, including reproduction and
respiration. Whereas it is difficult to predict the changes in ocean ecosystems due to
higher acidity, these ecosystems become less productive and resilient.
Identify some of the ecosystems that have become less productive because of
ocean acidification.