Acidic and Hot: The ocean's future
Summary
- The ocean is becoming less suitable for life due to climate change
- The poorest will suffer the most
- Coastal erosion will become more common
- At the extreme many fish could become extinct
https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-ocean-acidity
One of the most alarming effects of climate change on the ocean is the acidification of the water. This is caused by excess carbo dioxide in the air being absorbed by the ocean. Normally this absorption is a good thing and it helps balance the atmosphere and ocean into equilibrium, the process taking a very long time to evenly spread through the ocean. But because we are producing carbon dioxide at such fast rate and in such large quantities the ocean is suddenly absorbing a lot of carbon dioxide as our atmosphere becomes more choked with it.
- 28% of carbon dioxide from the last 250 years has been absorbed by the ocean.
-Carbon dioxide reacts with seawater to produce carbonic acid which increases the acidity of the ocean.
-Certain organisms such as coral cannot produce calcium carbonate as well under acidic conditions. Calcium carbonate is necessary for the structure of these organisms.
-Without coral and similar species that hold together many coastal ecosystems and habitats fish populations and aquatic life would de-diversify and plummet.
-More acidity in the ocean also directly affects the health of plankton and other fish important to the ecosystem.
-Ultimately, a source of food that billions rely is under threat from climate change.
Ocean Temperature Rise
When the average temperature rises of the atmosphere so does the temperature of the ocean. This temperature increase in the ocean and this effects coral which are important for coastal structure and other fish. The coral reefs are made of polyps and the brittle coral structure itself is the skeleton of these. The polyps are symbiotic with an algae that lives inside them called zooxanthallae. When the temperatures the algae leaves the polyps, the algae gives the coral its colour so the coral becomes bleached. The symbiosis is no longer able to happen and the polyps eventually starve resulting in the reefs breaking down.
How would coastal systems change?
http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/06/13/losing-our-coral-reefs/
Why are coral reefs so important?
-They are the "rainforests" of the ocean.
-They cover 0.2% of the ocean but account for half the ocean species, and $375 billion of the global economy.
Who needs the ocean?
Food is the main reason we need the ocean. There are various numbers on how many, it seems it is between 1 and 3 billion people who rely on the ocean, at the maximum, at least a third of the worlds population. I also came across a suggestion that the poorest people rely on seafood the most. In a place like NZ seafood is more expensive than some red meat but in other countries around Asia especially this may not be the case. This is another example of how climate change ends up effecting the poor the most.
- The ocean is becoming less suitable for life due to climate change
- The poorest will suffer the most
- Coastal erosion will become more common
- At the extreme many fish could become extinct
https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-ocean-acidity
One of the most alarming effects of climate change on the ocean is the acidification of the water. This is caused by excess carbo dioxide in the air being absorbed by the ocean. Normally this absorption is a good thing and it helps balance the atmosphere and ocean into equilibrium, the process taking a very long time to evenly spread through the ocean. But because we are producing carbon dioxide at such fast rate and in such large quantities the ocean is suddenly absorbing a lot of carbon dioxide as our atmosphere becomes more choked with it.
- 28% of carbon dioxide from the last 250 years has been absorbed by the ocean.
-Carbon dioxide reacts with seawater to produce carbonic acid which increases the acidity of the ocean.
-Certain organisms such as coral cannot produce calcium carbonate as well under acidic conditions. Calcium carbonate is necessary for the structure of these organisms.
-Without coral and similar species that hold together many coastal ecosystems and habitats fish populations and aquatic life would de-diversify and plummet.
-More acidity in the ocean also directly affects the health of plankton and other fish important to the ecosystem.
-Ultimately, a source of food that billions rely is under threat from climate change.
Ocean Temperature Rise
When the average temperature rises of the atmosphere so does the temperature of the ocean. This temperature increase in the ocean and this effects coral which are important for coastal structure and other fish. The coral reefs are made of polyps and the brittle coral structure itself is the skeleton of these. The polyps are symbiotic with an algae that lives inside them called zooxanthallae. When the temperatures the algae leaves the polyps, the algae gives the coral its colour so the coral becomes bleached. The symbiosis is no longer able to happen and the polyps eventually starve resulting in the reefs breaking down.
How would coastal systems change?
http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/06/13/losing-our-coral-reefs/
Why are coral reefs so important?
-They are the "rainforests" of the ocean.
-They cover 0.2% of the ocean but account for half the ocean species, and $375 billion of the global economy.
Who needs the ocean?
Food is the main reason we need the ocean. There are various numbers on how many, it seems it is between 1 and 3 billion people who rely on the ocean, at the maximum, at least a third of the worlds population. I also came across a suggestion that the poorest people rely on seafood the most. In a place like NZ seafood is more expensive than some red meat but in other countries around Asia especially this may not be the case. This is another example of how climate change ends up effecting the poor the most.
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