Ocean Acidification Affects Life On Earth

Decent Essays
Ocean acidification affects all life on earth. It is caused by our excessive use of fossil fuel. It releases CO2 into the atmosphere and the CO2 disolves in the ocean as an acid. This changes the chemistry of the ocean, and it makes the environment change very quickly. The current state of the ocean is one we haven’t seen for millions or years.
Ocean acidification has affected all the food chain. In particular, it degraded the coral reefs. There are 500 millions of people depend on the coral reefs for their food and their income. If this keeps going they wouldn’t even be able to feed themselves. Ocean acidification also prohibits the growth of the organisms that have to form a skeleton, and that is most of the organisms. It is responsible for

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    For years this planet has been undergoing vast changes in its environment, wildlife, and mostly our oceans. The acidifying of our oceans is because of all the Carbon Dioxide that is absorbed by seawater. A chemical reaction that occur which reduces seawater's pH. All of the Carbon Dioxide is being put into our atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. Calcium carbonate minerals are the building blocks for the skeletons of shells of many marine organisms. In certain areas where life now congregates in the ocean, the seawater, is supersaturated with calcium carbonate mineral.…

    • 429 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The effects are several and are causing oceans to rise, have more ultraviolet radiation and acidify (QUOTE). It is important to highlight that there has not been a reciprocal relationship between humans and nature. For centuries we have taken all of natures resources for granted, making use of them as we pleased without realizing that we are completely dependent of them. For instance, pollution is a mayor contributor in the destruction of balanced ecosystems.…

    • 850 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Scientific Validity of “Study links altered brain chemistry, behavioral impairments in fish exposed to elevated CO2” Coral reefs are having a problem with pH levels and they are dying some places around the world right now, because of it. This is not only affecting the coral reefs, but the animals that live in them and survive with them. There is a Scientific Study called “Study links altered brain chemistry, behavioral impairments in fish exposed to elevated CO2” which discusses the behavior and neurological impairments of coral reef fish due to more CO2 and acidic levels of pH. More CO2 causes lower levels of pH and makes it more acidic and very dangerous for fish. Overall this is a poor scientific article, because it has only one good source…

    • 1738 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When the seawater becomes more acidic, the coral has a hard time rebuilding their calcium carbonate skeletons. If the water is too acidic, it will cause destruction among already preexisting…

    • 993 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Ocean Acidification Effect

    • 1820 Words
    • 8 Pages

    If ocean acidification affect the number of squid special can also influences the fisheries as squid. Many squid species are supporting the productive fisheries, and there is about three million per year of squid are catch globally (Halpern). If there were decreased in the number of squid, this could be a negative impact on the commercial species that feed on it. California is the largest fishery for squid in the united state, it provide 25 million dollars in revenue during 2008 (California Department of Fish and Game). We can expect that the declines the number of squid populations will have drastic consequences for squid fisheries and also very important to California.…

    • 1820 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Air pollution contributes greatly to global warming Global warming also contributes to the phenomenon of ocean acidification. Ocean acidification is the process of ocean waters absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Fewer organisms can survive in warmer, less salty waters. The ocean food web is threatened as plants and animals such as coral fail to adapt to more acidic oceans.…

    • 61 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Between 1800 and 1994, the oceans had absorbed around 48 percent of the total amount of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels (IPCC, 2014). Therefore, the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean would have increased considerably since then, and with the increased production of carbonic acid which releases bicarbonate and hydrogen ions, the amount of carbonate ions which are necessary in the creation of coral shells and skeletons decrease significantly. (Australian Government, n.d.) Therefore, more acidic seawater impacts coral significantly, dissolving their shells and skeletons, and hindering their ability to absorb calcium carbonate. Ocean acidification not only impacts coral and the animals that rely on coral as their main food source, but the animals that make calcium carbonate shells such as snails and clams (How does climate change affect the reefs?,…

    • 704 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Humans rely on the oceans as a resource for food; seafood is a common addition to people’s diets. However, ocean acidification will negatively impact ocean species such as shellfish as they will be unable to produce tough shells due to decreased carbonate ion concentrations. An example of a food source already impacted is oysters in the Pacific Northwest, where larvae have responded negatively to acidic conditions, leading to a decline in the survival and growth of young larvae (4). This has also threatened a large industry rhar has an overall economic value of US$278 million in 2009 (4). This presents an issue as mussels are a large food source for many sea creatures and could harm the ocean food chain, putting a strain on the seafood industry.…

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Why Overfishing Is Bad

    • 143 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Brennan Boch Mrs. Frisby LA per 1 3 December 2015 Overfishing In 2002 the United Nations commercial catches of cod, Hake, Haddock, and Flounder in the North Atlantic had dropped by 95%( smith ). Why is this happening ? The answer is overfishing.…

    • 143 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    “The sun is always going to be there but fossil fuels are not” - Jason [Find Last Name In Papers From MUN]. I am Dr. Michaela Hodges-Fulton and I am the director of the Environmental Protection Agency. I have a Bachelor of Science from Brown College, a Masters from Williams College, and a PhD from Yale University. Since I was a small child I have been drawn to the life in the ocean. The marine biome covers more than ¾ of the planet we call home.…

    • 1035 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Human activity has a great impact on global warming. Events, such as burning fossil fuels, contributes much of the carbon dioxide that is emitted into the atmosphere. Global warming effects caused by human activity affects the earth 's climate in many ways. It is melting the earth 's poles, glaciers and ice sheets which causes sea levels to rise. It is also shifting climates and precipitation patterns and is forcing animals to migrate.…

    • 1231 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    (Gain attention) President Barack Obama once said “There’s one issue that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other, and that is the urgent threat of a changing climate.” (Reveal Topic) This statement by President Obama on climate change conveys how important the fight against climate change is. (Establish Credibility) I became interested in this topic after getting into a disagreement regarding climate change with my grandfather and how he doesn’t “buy into that liberal bullshit,” so I set out on a mission to prove him wrong by conducting research with the goal of fully understanding the climate change debate. (Preview the Body)…

    • 1384 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Oil Research Paper

    • 1145 Words
    • 5 Pages

    It can kill animals. It affects global warming. It pollutes the air. Mainly the sea is where the animals are affected. The population of sea animals is decreasing.…

    • 1145 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A few examples of these organisms include phytoplankton, coral as well as sponges. Acidification would cause a domino effect, for example, if the organisms such as phytoplankton and coral that depended on calcium carbonate would die, then the other species that depended on those organisms for a food source would also die. (eaq.org) Conversely, acidification is not the only harmful aftermath of humans. Acidification can cause the ocean to absorb greenhouse gases, which warms the ocean, and this is disturbing because it can generate formidable storms such as hurricanes.…

    • 1223 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Effects Of Water Pollution

    • 1039 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Earth is constantly being polluted in a variety of different ways. The pollution that continuously happens is harming us and the things around us. Plenty of the pollution that happens in our society can easily be slowed down or eradicated in a whole. Among the various types of pollution that need to be stopped water pollution is one the most damaging. Water pollution damages the environment, so it needs to be controlled because it can cause diseases, it can affect soil, it affects animals that live in water, and clean water is also essential to our survival.…

    • 1039 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays