Ocean Ocidification

Ocean acidification is becoming a widespread problem facing many marine ecosystems with the growing emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere. It the coral, shell forming organisms and some phytoplankton in these ecosystems that are of the most concern with rising CO2 levels due the calcium carbonate that forms their exoskeletons and shells. The acidification of the ocean creates inadequate pH levels for the marine ecosystems. It is the coral polyps that are of the highest degree of interest as to their reactions to the acidification of the ocean due to rising CO2 levels, this essay will discuss the effects on individual corals, coral colonies and the marine ecosystem at large.

Rising levels of CO2 due to carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels in our atmosphere also increases the partial pressure of CO2 in the oceans. It is the increase of the concentrations of CO2 in our oceans that lead to the process of ocean acidification. …show more content…
With rising acidity of oceans organisms that incorporate basic elements into their morphology, such as carbonate exoskeletons and structures are at risk of being dissolved in the low pH. The reason for this dissolving is because carbonate is a basic structure that is readily dissolved in low pH. the reasons why (so and so) study found minimal coral growth and cover in the regions of low pH. In the filed study complete by (so and so) it was found that corals depend on a high pH due to the calcium carbonate in their morphology, they form these structures in a process where calcium and carbonate ions must be in excess in the seawater surrounding the corals so that they can form their carbonate tissues this process is called ‘calcification’ (3). When the pH levels are lowed the concertation of carbonate in the seawater is lowered and this weakens the calcium carbonate features in the coral as well as making it harder to form calcium carbonate