Ocean Acidification


Ocean Acidification and Temperatures

 

I believe this subject merits a section of its own for the following reasons

 

  1. Oceans have become more acid than at any time in the last 35 million years
  2. Processes in the ocean are much less well understood than those on land. For example there are thousands of calcifying organisms on earth and we have investigated only six to ten of them.
  3. Half the photosynthesis on earth takes place in the ocean.
  4. Nearly half the excess CO2 we produce is absorbed in the ocean
  5. Dissolved CO2 in the oceans quenches life and changes behaveour.
  6. Some shells are 33% thinner than 1970's already 

 

A good summary of the dangers is given in this NOAA lecture.

 

Shells 33 percent thinner  20/06/16

Artificial Coral to restore endangered reefs  07/10/14

Ocean Algae can evolve faster than thought to combat rising temperatures and acidity 11/09/14

Ocean Algae Reef Fish Lose Brain Power as Oceans Acidify  23/05/14

Ocean Acidification Concerns  15/11/13

Ocean Change Fastest for 300 million years  02/03/12 

Ocean Acidification could be unprecedented  01/03/12

Arctic Corrodes Shellfish by 2018 02/10/09

Climate Change Clues from Algae 03/02/13

Comprehensive Ocean Acidity Measurements  25/01/12

Ocean Dead Zones Likely to Expand 01/11/09

Ocean Acidity May Have Caused Great Extinction  06/09/11

Sea Urchins Tolerate Acid Oceans  - but calcify less 26/10/10

On Plankton Warming and Whiplash  05/05/11

Declining Plankton  10/08/10

Shell Weight Evidence of Danger 10/03/09

Southern Ocean Tipping Point by 2030 09/02/09

Climate, Carbon Cycling, and Deep Ocean Ecosystems - changes measured 16/11/09

Ocean Acidity 10 times faster than models predict 03/12/08

Warmest Ocean on Record 17/07/09

Update - Ocean Acidification 21/05/08

Relationship between Ozone and Oceans 12/12/08

Nitrogen Danger - the science 06/09

Current Targets Endanger Ocean Life 09/07/08

Greater Acidification Danger 25 years to disaster 30/11/08

Oceans Becoming Corrosive 23/05/08

Jellyfish - Problem or Food? 09/10/08

Adding Lime to Seawater 22/07/08

Diazotrophs to the Rescue 22/07/08

Ocean Collapse Possible 27/12/07

Ocean Acidity Concerns 21/02/08

Resilience of Coral Reefs 15/08/03

North Sea Recovery 09/06/07