The oceans of the world are a huge part of the natural cycles that make this planet habitable. They regulate global temperatures, absorb CO2 and provide a home to many plants and animals. When CO2 dissolves in ocean water, a reaction leads to the formation of organic acids (H2CO3), which increases the number of hydrogen ions within the water, causing an increase in the acidity of the ocean. The pH value of water decreases. This process is called ocean acidification.
Ever since the economic revolution commenced, around one-third of the CO2 released by human interference has been absorbed by the ocean. This is also one of the explanations for the drastic climate change. The most recent research in oceanography has focused on the consequences of worldwide global climate change on the dynamics of oceans. Now the ocean water is becoming more acidic thanks to global climate change and human activities.
Ocean chemistry is constantly changing due to many reasons. A few examples would be the technological revolution and increased CO2 within the atmosphere, loss of Biodiversity, lack of environmental friendly laws and regulations.
Ecosystems During This Century
An organism can withstand fluctuations in various pH levels during its lifetime. However, a more acidic environment harms marine species like molluscs, corals, and a few types of plankton. The shells and skeletons of these organisms are less dense or weak. One such example is coral reefs. The coral reefs are formed by the accumulation of carbonate sediment on organisms called corals for thousands of years. The corals are hard,-lime-like primitive organisms. Coral reefs are commonly found in abundance in warm and shallow waters, especially around the Pacific, within the proximity of the many warm or subtropical islands. Oceanic acidification prevents coral organisms from forming their rigid skeletons. This is often caused by the oceans absorbing large amounts of human-generated CO2 emissions. In general, shelled animals like mussels, clams, urchins, and starfish, are facing a similar problem. From a study, it is expected that, by the end of the century, Mussels and oysters’ shell formation would be reduced by 10% and 25% respectively. It'll still get worse if we don't pay attention to our biosphere and start tracking global CO2 emissions. Ocean acidification doesn’t only impact the biosphere but also affects human society and the economy.
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