In addition to the famous impacts of atmospheric carbon on global warming, there is an equally worrisome effect of carbon dioxide on the oceans: ocean acidification (or OA for short). Here at I2SEA we have a series of resources about OA, including Our Acidifying Ocean, which is an introductory activity and virtual lab (note: now mobile compatible!).
A student suggested that we start a conversation topic about OA, and here it is! Have you heard about Ocean Acidification? If so, are you worried about it? How do you think we can best raise awareness about it among your fellow students and the general public? Have you seen particularly good links or films about OA that you would like to share? What are you doing to address the problem?
Ocean Acidification >
Why is Ocean Acidification so bad?
This is not the only problem that our world faces, but it is one worth talking about. The huge reason why ocean acidification is so horrible is because it causes the coral in our oceans to calcify, or bleach. The ocean becomes more acidic because, since the polar ice caps are melting (another big issue), the ocean can't reflect as much sunlight. So inevitably, the ocean absorbs the sunlight, this making the ocean more acidic. When the ocean water becomes more acidic, the coral begin to dissolve because they are made of calcium carbonate. Coral are a huge part of ocean ecosystems. They provide food and habitat for other marine organisms. So marine organisms that we eat, rely on the coral. And if the coral are dying, the marine animals will also die, and our seafood, will no longer exist.
Yes, I totally agree with you. They can be decomposers and break down dead organisms, they can provide food and housing for other animals, and more importantly, it will help keep the ocean ecosystem balanced. Coral is a very big part of the ocean ecosystem, removing it from the ocean food web will cause major ecological collapse and have a significant impact on not just the rest of the marine organisms, but also us humans. Millions of people live on the coast, and about 1/7 of the world’s population are dependents on fish and seafood as their main source of protein. Many ocean organisms are dependent on coral, so if there’s no coral, then there will little or no fish/seafood left. This may lead to food insecurity and millions of people will be left starving. We must figure ways to stop this, but I believe that the main thing that’s causing this problem is the amount people that understand or know about this topic and how the corals and shellfishes are actually so important to us.