Put a Stop to Ocean Acidification

By Rahul Kumar


Throughout history, the release of CO2 by human activity has increased vastly. Many environmental problems are caused by increased pollution, but one problem is typically overlooked: Ocean Acidification. In the past 200 years, the pH of surface ocean waters have reduced by .1 pH. The pH scale works like the Richter Scale, meaning it is logarithmic. A 0.1 pH decrease doesn't seem like a lot, but it actually results in a 30% increase in acidity.



The Cycle of Ocean Acidification

Since the industrial era, the ocean has approximately absorbed 525 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere, which is decreasing its pH. The decreased pH is harmful to a lot of the marine life in the ocean. For example, the shells of some animals dissolve in acidic seawater. The pH also causes chemical reactions, making carbonate ions less abundant. Carbonate ions are essential to the creation of coral skeletons and sea shells. Therefore, not only does the acidic water dissolve the shells, but it makes the shells harder to be produced. The animals that depend on these shells will die off without them. One animal, the Pteropod, has been affected greatly by shell deterioration, and is slowly being removed from the marine ecosystem. This would disrupt the entire ecosystem, causing a devastating chain of events.


Pteropod

Scientists are already working hard to solve this problem. NOAA is collecting carbon meaurements and performing research expeditions to study how the carbon dioxide is changing the ocean chemistry. As for the global population, we must take an initiative to reduce our CO2 emissions to help slow down ocean acidification. Fossil fuel consumption must be lowered, and we should strive to use environmentally friendly energy sources as much as possible.



Do you believe ocean acidification is a big enough problem to significantly reduce our carbon emissions?

What do you think you could do to reduce carbon emissions in your life?

Why do you believe we should strive to use more environmentally friendly energy sources?

Sources:
https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/Ocean+Acidification
https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts-education-resources/ocean-acidification
https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/ocean-acidification
https://www.dolphinaris.com/learn-about-5-scary-consequences-to-ocean-acidification/
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/environment/2014/05/19/ocean-acidification-eats-away-at-tiny-sea-creatures/




Comments

Unknown said…
Even though .1ph seems like a small amount it really is a large amount considering that it is exponential. I believe that ocean acidification is a big enough problem to significantly reduce our carbon emissions. Ocean accidifcation can really harm wild life in the ocean.
February 14, 2019 at 5:17 PM
Anonymous said…
I think that is is vital for humans to reduce their carbon dioxide emission due to the fact that the direct, chemical effects that the increasing carbon dioxide emissions on the ocean and on marine animals is more important than the necessity of fossil fuels by humans. Increased carbon dioxide emissions and an increased amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the ocean will cause the acidity of oceans to rise and will reduce the amount of carbonate, which will make it harder for marine calcifying organisms like coral and plankton to form shells and skeletons and already existing shells will become more likely to dissolve. This will not only reduce the overall biodiversity of the marine ecosystem, ocean acidification will also harm human economic activities such as fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism, especially regarding the quantity of mussels and oysters. Also, ocean acidification will cause coral reefs to be able to function as coastal protections from storm sturges and cyclones, will negatively impact the tourism industry, and will accelerate climate change as oceans also serve as carbon sinks. Thus, the harmful impacts that are associated with ocean acidification outweigh the necessity of the utilization of fossil fuels by society, which implies that humans need to significantly reduce carbon emissions in order to ensure that society does not do irreparable harm to the planet. (Source: https://coastadapt.com.au/ocean-acidification-and-its-effects).
February 15, 2019 at 10:58 AM
Anonymous said…
It is incredibly important to control the current ocean acidification issue. Ocean acidification endangers the equilibrium of the ocean ecosystem which negatively impacts the animals and plants. For example, coral reefs, one of the most diverse and biologically productive ecosystems on earth, are hurt by ocean acidification. Without coral reefs, the ocean ecosystem will begin to fall apart. The negative effects of ocean acidification are significant and humans should be more cautious with carbon emissions.
February 15, 2019 at 6:50 PM
Anonymous said…
Even though a decrease of .1 in pH level seems like a small amount, this will endanger the delicate balance that exists between the biotic and abiotic factors of open ocean ecosystems. We humans may not be experiencing the direct effects of ocean acidification yet, but we will very soon if CO2 emissions continue at the same rate. It’s imperative that we deduce solutions to this problem soon— before the effects become drastic. Failure to do so would cause an irreversible chain reaction of events, and it would be too late for humans to intervene and undo the damage. It’s very important to form concrete ideas about what the next step is because the ocean’s equilibrium is in danger.
February 17, 2019 at 10:17 AM
Anonymous said…
Ocean Acidifiaction is a big problem as it has the potential to destroy the ocean food chain. Many of us rely on seafood for nutrition. Such a loss in marine life could drastically change our lives. We humans are a part of nature yet in many cases we destroy it. The Earth is our home and we have a responsibility to those we share it with to keep it a safe environment. It may seem like a problem too big for any of us to conquer, but in reality each of us making small changes in our life can make a significant difference. For example I drive to a lot of close by places where it would be very easy to walk. One person walking a little more may not seem like much, but if every person does that little then we can greatly reduce carbon emissions. We all need to accept our responsibility in out home and make the little changes we can to protect it.
February 18, 2019 at 11:53 AM
Anonymous said…
Although this issue is often overlooked, ocean acidification is an important issue in modern society as it would disrupt the variety of ecosystems in the ocean. Furthermore, humans must adopt renewable resources and abandon their unsustainable practices. For example, swapping out pollutant-emitting cars for eco-friendly cars or adopting wind or solar energy. Some may criticize these lifestyle changes. However, in order to ensure the stability of both mankind and the plant, humans must make changes to their impractical lifestyles in favor of environmental preservation.
February 18, 2019 at 5:49 PM
Unknown said…
As others have said, the issue of ocean acidification is extremely important and is closely tied to the caron emissions in our environment. However, when looking at our own lives it is important to realize that just 100 companies are responsible for over 70% of carbon emissions! Therefore, while we may make some small changes in our lifestyle the large companies are really the ones we should be way more concerned with.
February 18, 2019 at 6:27 PM
Anonymous said…
Ocean acidification is a very crucial problem to the ecosystem because all living things are somehow related to each other. Although the problem may seem small at first, the continuation of harming this ecosystem will offput the environment. It is a very important issue because not only do we get nutrients from oceanic organisms we get our water supply from oceans. It will disrupt the fragile balance between the organisms within this ecosystem which will eventually lead to the disruption of our ecosystems. It we continue to emitted harmful gases into the atmosphere this problem will pile up so that we suffer the upmost consequences. We should start reducing the amounts of fossil fuels that we use and resort to renewable resources so that we could reduce the acidity in the ocean.
February 19, 2019 at 9:33 AM
Anonymous said…
It’s very disconcerting to think about the drastic changes that are to come with just one domino falling over. Humans will not be affected just yet, but surely the effect will reach us. I think as humans, we ought to preserve out environment for the future generations to come. If we plan on enjoying seafood— free from harmful chemicals— then we must do what we can to save out environment.
February 19, 2019 at 10:13 AM
Anonymous said…
I believe that ocean acidification is a big enough problem because this is essentially like air pollution. Pollution in the ocean affects resources available for humans, just as air pollution affects human resources. To reduce carbon emission, people could walking or biking to shorter areas instead of driving. We could also decrease the amount of fossil fuels being burned in factories and instead use renewable resources for energy. We should strive to a more environmentally friendly energy source because this will allow the future generations to live in a sustainable environment and not suffer from our consequences.
February 19, 2019 at 4:26 PM
Anonymous said…
Ocean acidification is a huge problem. Organisms with calcium carbonate shells are in massive danger of losing their protective outer layer as the pH continues to rise. I took aquatic science last year which really opened up my eyes to a lot of the issues that the ocean is experiencing. If more people were informed, I think there would be more of a frenzy to help since the ocean provides us with so many resources.
February 19, 2019 at 6:49 PM
Anonymous said…
Unknown on 2/18/19 1t 6:27 is Alex Gortz
February 20, 2019 at 2:36 PM
Caroline Tuggle said…
It is amazing and definitely concerning that such a small alteration to the oceans pH level can cause such a large increase of acidity. The ocean is a major factor in the absorption of carbon dioxide as stated in your blog post and i believe there is definitely no way to prevent this totally, but I do think that humanity needs to realize that we are effecting our atmosphere so much more than we let ourselves believe . The ocean contains such a large percent of our world and so much that we don't know and may never know . The fact that the acidity in the ocean's water can cause some shells to disintegrate or kill other types of sea creatures is absolutely heart breaking . I believe that we must speak up about this issue and attempt to develop ways to help if not reverse these effects, then slow down the rate at which is it occurring .
February 20, 2019 at 4:23 PM
Anonymous said…
It is extremely worrying to see what a problem ocean acidification has deteriorated into, especially in the last few years. Many people may feel that a .1 decrease in pH hardly seems significant, but forget to keep in mind that this is actually a fairly large change in logarithmic terms. It’s time that more attention is paid to the issue of ocean acidification, as this could destroy ocean food chains, which can result in unforseeable economic and environmental issues. I believe that more education on the dangers of ocean acidification ought to be implemented in an effort to help prevent it.
February 20, 2019 at 5:16 PM
Anonymous said…
Ocean acidification is a very pressing problem in our world today. The acidic ocean water destroys shells made up of calcium carbonate and ruins the ecosystem. Fundamental changes in seawater chemistry are occurring throughout the world's oceans. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the release of CO2 from humankind's industrial and agricultural activities has increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The ocean absorbs about a quarter of the CO2 we release into the atmosphere every year, so as atmospheric CO2 levels increase, so do the levels in the ocean. Initially, many scientists focused on the benefits of the ocean removing this greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. However, decades of ocean observations now show that there is also a downside. The CO2 absorbed by the ocean is changing the chemistry of the seawater. This is a serious matter that should be addressed, and awareness should be increased.
February 21, 2019 at 10:39 AM
Anonymous said…
It is concerning to read about the damage that ocean acidification causes. It’s crazy to see that a small change in the pH balance can completely throw everything off. I definitely think this is a big problem since oceans provide us with so many of our resources. Therefore, we need to find ways to put this to an end, and reverse the damage. That all starts with informing people about the consequences of CO2 emissions, which hopefully, will encourage people to find alternatives.
February 21, 2019 at 1:29 PM
Mallory Odom said…
It's unsettling that such little changes in our environment like the slightest change in pH balance can completely alter our ecosystems. Ocean acidification is a major problem as it destroys food chains and can corrode shells as well as other inhabitants in the ocean. We have to be aware of how any small change can drastically affect our environment and result in irreversible damage if we continue to let ocean acidification increase like it is now.
February 21, 2019 at 2:30 PM
Anonymous said…
Before reading this I was unaware of how much damage ocean acidification causes. It’s sad to see that such a small change in the pH can affect so many marine animals. It is a major problem that can wipeout species and alter an entire ecosystem. People need to be more aware of this issue so we can put a stop to it. Small changes in each persons lifestyle can make a huge difference and help save the ocean.
February 21, 2019 at 2:51 PM
Anonymous said…
I do believe that ocean acidification is a big enough issue to focus global efforts on. It is obvious that the increased acidity of the ocean is harmful to a variety of organisms, and can cause further issues for human as well. This is just another example of the concerns surrounding our emissions of CO2 into the environment. Therefore, we must realize the issue at hand and come together to determine a sipufficient solution. We need to look to clean sources of energy and reduce the amount of fossil fuels we burn.
February 21, 2019 at 4:06 PM
Anonymous said…
Ocean acidification is definitely a big enough problem that it requires global efforts to reduce. Marine life heavily relies on the water in ocean; different industries rely almost exclusively on the water produced by oceans. To reduce our carbon emissions, I can start car pooling more and take the bus more often. Also, it is important to use less environmentally harmful resources that are more renewable so that the acidification of oceans can decrease. Overall, reducing carbon emissions in water is important and requires global efforts.
February 21, 2019 at 6:58 PM
Anonymous said…
I think ocean acidifcation is a big problem that is often overlooked. Even a seemingly small change can have a huge impact on the environment. Ocean acidification is caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide, and in order to combat this, we should use renewable resources.
February 21, 2019 at 7:08 PM
Anonymous said…
Because slight changes in pH are so drastic and so negative to the environment it is now more important than ever to reduce the ocean acidification. Even though you may think it will only affect 1 area it affects the whole entire ocean ecosystem. The primary reason for this issue is high carbon emissions which eventually get absorbed by the water causing the pH to decrease. I believe we need to start being more aware of our carbon footprint because it doesn't just affect one or 2 things but it nearly affects every environmental issue in the world.
February 21, 2019 at 9:36 PM
Anonymous said…
Ocean acidification and it’s effects are something I never really thought about before. This post really changed my view upon it because I never really understood the effects of it. The impact it has upon animals in the water and whole ecosystems is astonishing and sad. The thing is, small changes in our own lives can cause such a difference in the impacts. The slight pH change that can make a world of a difference is something so many people are so unaware of and our actions directly contribute to that.
February 22, 2019 at 12:04 PM
Anonymous said…
Global warming and the harmful effects of greenhouse gases are studied to a great degree but I never knew that it caused a rise in the pH of oceans. Although it does not seem like a lot, even a slight change in acidity and the extinction of one species could be catastrophic. We have studies the delicate balance in food webs and ecosystems and how interconnected these webs are. Even a slight change could have a great effect on them and upset the balance.
February 22, 2019 at 8:26 PM
Anonymous said…
Such a small change of .1 pH changing the environment so drastically surprised me on how much it could change the environment and the detrimental effect it had on the marine life. To me it feels like this problem is often ignored or overlooked because of the nature of the ocean. I mean there is so much of it, it’s very easy to lose yourself in the vastness of it and assume there won’t be any huge problems. We, as a society, should really start to work toward a world where we are able to safely sustain ourselves and the environment to live on the earth for a long time.
February 22, 2019 at 8:39 PM
Anonymous said…
A change of .1 pH is incredibly detrimental to the ocean and the animals/plants that live within. These problems may seem small at first glance, but genuinely affect the environment. TO be more careful in the future, we should really pay more attention to how pollution affects the ocean and the environment. Little changes such as reducing our use of fossil fuels could potentially cause big benefits for the environment.
February 24, 2019 at 9:08 PM
Anonymous said…
Even though numerically the PH levels do not seem that bad. In the large scheme of things it is very large in an exponential viewpoint. This can have horrible impacts on ecosystems such as coral reefs and other types of oceans. We must be much more careful in the future as this can have very bad lasting impacts on our environment causing a unstable earth.
February 25, 2019 at 12:11 PM
Anonymous said…
Carbon emissions should be limited not only because of its effects upon the oceans PH levels but because of all the negative effects, it has on the environment. A 30% increase is quite drastic and we are only continuing to rely more and more on nonrenewable energies that release carbon emissions in our daily lifestyles. It is important we understand the effects of these carbon emissions on the environment or we may see much bigger consequences for sealife in the near future.
-Adam Ghanem
February 26, 2019 at 9:15 PM
Luke Farinelli said…
This is why I hate when people argue that they don't care about pollution because they don't care if the Earth gets a little warmer. But things like Ocean Acidification are proof that our effects on the world are amplified by Mother Nature in every way imaginable.
March 2, 2019 at 4:49 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Disappearance of Honey Bees Yashu Pindi

Image
 The Disappearance of Honey Bees Besides making honey and stinging people, honey bees also provide a vital service to agriculture- pollination. Approximately 80& of crops in the US would suffer without the help of honey bees. Honey bees provide us with a colorful, varied, and nutritious diet. Along with pollinating crops for food, they also pollinate wildflower species that make our countryside beautiful. One of the most amazing foods, in my opinion, is honey. Honey is a very healthy alternative to sugar. I personally use honey rather than sugar in daily things like coffee and in baking. However, in the United States, beekeepers have seen the lifespan of bees decrease by more than half over the past decade. Scientists have linked this decrease to parasites, pesticides, and habitat loss. Recent evidence suggests that human activity such as land development, electromagnetic pollution, and the use of neonicotinoid pesticides is making it har for honey bees to reproduc...
Read more

Removing Carbon From the Atmosphere

Image
Vyom Gupta Removing CO2 From the Atmosphere The entrapment of greenhouse gases plays a big part in global warming and Carbon Dioxide as at the forefront of this problem. As the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, the more we expedite the global warming process. In order to delay  the effects of carbon dioxide, we need to find temporary solutions to decrease the amount of Carbon in the atmosphere. In the meantime, the first solution is (used by Climeowrks and Global Thermostat) using direct air capture devices and having them pull out CO2 from the air by sucking in lots of air and then through a series of chemical reactions remove the CO2 and re-releasing the air. Because CO2 is only found in one of 2,500 molecules, large volumes are going to be needed to efficiently remove the carbon. The main idea an is industrial cooling tower containing a liquid hydroxide solution which will capture CO₂ and convert it into carbonate. The carb...
Read more

Are GMO Crops Good or Bad for the Environment?

Image
Saaketh Koka Genetically Modified Organisms, commonly known as GMOs, have long been a topic of debate in the scientific community. Humans have been modifying crops for centuries. Native Americans selectively bread maize crops in order to get desirable characteristics out of them. Nowadays, scientists target specific sequences in an organism's DNA and change it to their needs. Many scientists debate whether GMOs help or harm the environment. GM crops harm the environment by decreasing the genetic variation which, in turn, decreases the biodiversity. Although GM crops harm biodiversity, non-GM crops require excessive use of pesticides which harm the environment a lot more. GMOs can be seen as a traditional crop replacement because they harm the environment a lot less than traditionally grown crops. Traditional crops require lots of pesticides to properly grow. These pesticides can runoff into streams and rivers and eventually make their way to l...
Read more