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 >
The Ocean Is Becoming POLLUTED!
Ocean Acidification is becoming very more serious in our world today. The CO2 is contracting with the water which causes it to be so acidic. Also, oil leaks can be a factor of why the ocean is so dirty. There is seaweed and corals and many other things under the water that will die to the water being polluted. Living organisms will die in the ocean and they can't do nothing about it too. The living organisms can die by eating glass or other bad and not edible things that are in the ocean today. I am asking the people to stop throwing trash in the ocean and to just throw it in the actual trash or compost. Avoiding to litter can keep our ocean clean and make our environment healthy.
To add on, when oceans take in CO2, this CO2 combines with water molecules to form carbonic acid, which causes oceans to become more acidic. The water molecules are then released, soon binding with carbonate to form bicarbonate. This causes marine organisms, like coral or sea urchins, to not be able to form their shells out of calcium carbonate, since there wouldn’t be as much carbonate in the ocean. There are many graphs that show the effects of ocean acidification, one of which is linked below. By 2100, the pH of ocean water is estimated to be 7.85, which is a dramatic decrease from what the current pH levels of oceans are today (8.05). What you said about oil spills and putting trash in the ocean is totally right. We should definitely be aware of these actions. It causes marine organisms to suffer and possibly die. We should also be aware of our CO2 emissions because a lot of CO2 would lead to much more acidic oceans, which would cause a lot of marine organism s to not be able to form their calcium shells and possibly die.
Graph: [0A7464CD-A4E9-41BD-8035-12ECA6381BCC](//muut.com/u/footprint/s1/:footprint:4hAL:0a7464cda4e941bd803512eca6381bcc.jpeg.jpg)