How Acidification Threatens Oceans

Trae Pina
How Acidification Threatens Oceans



This article is about how the pH of the seawater around the world is dropping. This is due to the oceans absorbing more and more carbon dioxide than ever before. Several experiments have been done, and show that many species such as snails, copepods, brittle stars, and sea urchins are struggling to balance the changing pH levels in their bodies. This threatens and impairs their ability to grow and reproduce. Many of these species will not be able to adapt to the lowering pH levels because the change is happening too quickly. These species going extinct could affect the food chains in the oceans around the world. In order for this drop in the pH levels to stop and raise back up to their normal levels humans must take action.

I believe that this article has to do with marine biology. The carbon dioxide that the ocean is taking in is becoming carbonic acid when it comes in contact with seawater. The more acidic the seawater becomes, the more trouble it is for animals such as clams and mussels to develop their skeletons and shells. The fact that the drop in pH levels affected these organisms ability to reproduce could affect food chains and food webs around the world in many different environments. This also shows that it could affect other animal’s reproduction and growth. These new pH levels also affect marine animal’s tissues, cells and organs. If these pH levels continue to fall, there could be whole collapses of food webs.

The reason that we should care about this is that we are the cause of the rise in carbon-dioxide levels, which in turn is lowering the pH levels of oceans world-wide. We are causing the disruptions of entire ecosystems and regions of the world. We also rely on the oceans as a source of food, fun, and other things. We may soon be unable to do this though. I think the reason that they put this article up to show that the ocean is also affected by the rise of carbon-dioxide levels in the atmosphere, and to say that we need to take action to prevent any further damage to the ecosystems and environments around the world.