Ocean Acidification

Fifty-five million years ago, marine species suffered mass extinctions. Those die-off, most scientists agree, were caused by an increase in ocean acid. It took hundreds of thousands of years for oceans to recuperate.

Today, oceans are acidifying 10 times faster than they were back then, and as Yale Environment 360 reports, a new study suggests that mass die-offs could happen again—maybe sooner than later. More

By mid-century, countless coral species could go extinct. Among them are 82 species found close to the United States, in the waters off of U.S. Territories, Florida and Hawaii. The National Marine Fisheries Service recently ruled that those species be reviewed to determine if they need federal protection. Depending on biologists’ findings, some of the species could get an endangered species listing, while others may be listed as "threatened." More

More and more often, ocean acidification is making headlines. While that is scary news, getting the public more familiar with the phenomenon is certainly a plus. This week was no different: the Seattle Times reported unsettling results from a 15-year study.

Since the beginning of the Industrial Age, the world’s oceans have become about 25-30 percent more acidic, a change that threatens marine life. This was triggered by the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, some of which is absorbed by the ocean. That absorption triggers a drop in pH, which creates carbonic acid, and in turn eats up carbonate--the basic building block of shelled marine creatures, from corals to crabs to pteropods. More

When it comes to oceans, scientific evidence has linked global warming to a number of detrimental phenomena: sea level rise, ocean acidification, decimation of coral, fish and other marine populations—the list is long.

And it's getting longer. More

When I think of spending time at the ocean, I picture a place of quiet reflection, but unfortunately climate change could disrupt the peace for marine life.  A new study published in the journal Nature shows that increases in ocean acidification could reduce seawater sound absorption by as much as 60 percent by 2100. 

As if life under the sea wasn't noisy enough with the Navy's use of sonar, now rising concentrations of carbon dioxide from human activity has increased the ocean's acidity, which in turn reduces the concentration of certain chemicals that help absorb sound in the water.  More

jun_acullador's photostream (CC)

The effects of climate change threaten to destroy the Verde Island Passage, a stretch of tropical waters in the Philippines that is considered the most diverse marine ecosystem.  Hopefully conservation efforts will be quickly undertaken to protect the species that inhabit the area, as well as preparing the nearly two million people who rely upon tourism and fishing in theregion for food and income.

The destruction of the habitat would mean a tremendously devastating loss of biodiversity, as the Verde Island Passage contains the highest concentration of marine species in the world, including the giant clams, whale sharks, and Banggai cardinalfish. More

souldude's flickr photostream (CC)

Fish are losing up to half of their body mass and smaller species are dominating a larger proportion of European fish stocks as a result of climate change, according to a new study.  Jeez, as if fish didn't have enough to worry about with rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and enlarged ear bones, now it seems they're having to defend themselves with less bulk.  The study took into account the threat of overfishing to fish both large and small, and seems to suggest that rising sea temperatures are playing a major role in limiting the growth of many species in a variety of environments. More

Rising levels of carbon dioxide in the ocean may cause fish ear bones (aka otoliths) to grow abnormally large, according to a new study to be released in the journal Science tomorrow.  Man, it's getting hard out there for an ocean.  As if things weren't bad enough with rising sea levels, increased temperatures and acidification, now there's going to be fish swimming around with freakishly large ear bones.  I suppose any superior navigational abilities gained from the larger bones won't help them much if there's nothing to eat in the ocean's dead zones. Dark humor aside, this should be a warning sign that we are only beginning to understand the devastating ramifications of heedlessly pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. More