Before the Industrial Revolution, the average pH of the ocean was about 8.2. Now, it is 8.1. Although it has technically only decreased by 0.1, in the context of pH, this is a huge difference. It means that the ocean has had about a 30% increase in acidity. This phenomenon, called ocean acidification, is not good since marine organisms have adapted to a certain pH, and their bodies will not respond well to a drastic change. There are a couple exceptions though: certain species of phytoplankton might actually thrive in a more acidic environment. However, other species might not. How ocean acidification affects phytoplankton is still being studied, but as of right now, we know that as certain species of phytoplankton increase in population and others decrease, the food chain, especially in marine ecosystems, will likely change dramatically. This is because phytoplankton are at the base of marine food chains. Not just that, but about 50-80% of the oxygen in the world comes from the ocean, and phytoplankton are the key players. Because of the importance of phytoplankton, we need to limit interference at least until we understand them better and can use them effectively. That is just one example of why ocean acidification needs to be addressed. Some others include weakening corals, preventing oyster larvae from forming their shells (which ultimately kills them), and slower circulation of oceans.
How does ocean acidification even occur though? Naturally, carbon dioxide from the air dissolves into oceans. When this happens, the molecules of carbon dioxide react with the molecules of water, forming carbonic acid. Carbonic acid can be transformed to bicarbonate and carbonate ions. The ocean needs to be balanced with these four forms of carbon, but because of the increased carbon dioxide in the air, the balance is thrown off. Because of this, the only real solution is to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Manila K
The Carbon Newsprint 2021
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