Natural History Museum

The Smithsonian museums present the discovery of new knowledge and preserve our history for the public. The Natural History Museum shows our fascinating world that surrounds us and our place in it. Looking closely at the “Sant Ocean Hall” and the “Living on the Ocean Planet” exhibits, I learned about the biggest surface of the planet, the ocean. The warming of the ocean, ocean acidification, and how the ocean is important to every living organism, including us, are tackled by these exhibitions to inform the everlasting effect of climate change and its effect on marine life. The earth has gone through several climate changes through its 4.6 billion year lifetime. It’s a natural process that the earth goes through during its lifetime, but something

Acidification of the ocean is created through the process of the “absorption of the carbon dioxide by seawater, carbon dioxide reacts to form carbonic acid, and carbonic acid breaks into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions and reduces the amount of carbonate”(Ludwig). As the pH level decreases, shelled organisms are threatened and as they “lose resistance to disease and predation” because the acidity of the ocean, it “begins to dissolve anything with calcium carbonate” (Atikkan). This creates a huge shift in ecology and decimate the established food chain in the ecosystem as small prey reduce in numbers. Humans depend on many of these shelled organism for food as “marine and freshwater fisheries, a primary source of protein and other goods and services for humans” (Dixon). Humans have a choice to make in their vital role they have for the future of the ocean and “without the reduction of [carbon dioxide] emissions, the seafood of the future will be monotonous and rubbery” (“The Sant Ocean Hall”). The changes made through anthropogenic activities established long term effects of climate change on the ocean as “carbon dioxide [can] stay in the earth’s atmosphere for hundreds of years” and “it will take another thousands of year for the ocean’s chemistry to return to normal” (“Living on an Ocean Planet”). The human relationship to the ocean is important in every aspect

As a “society [we have a] choice to make, doing nothing a choice” (“Living on an Ocean Planet”). The growing reduction of ice capes has created rising sea levels that gradually will sink the coastlines surrounding the land and force humans to move more inland. It will affect marine fisheries to change where human fish but as some may organisms may adapt, other will die out. Consequently, changing the range of organisms due the acidification of the ocean and the ocean temperature rising. The severe weather caused the warmer temperature can cause harsh conditions and significant amount of damage around the coastline. In addition, the effects of the ocean becoming warmer harms not only the marine animals but also terrestrial animals, including us. The ocean is vital to our survival and to the many other animals that share our planet. The majority of our planet is covered with water, the ocean “provides at least half of the earth’s oxygen and the volume of water regulates temperature and drives weather systems” (“The Sant Ocean Hall”). The ocean’s healthy ecosystems provide us with many abundance of daily materials that we need to survive. They provide us with “food, fuel, fiber, fodder, medicines, and energy” (Dixon). The only planet in our solar system to have liquid water is failing at our hands, but we have the opportunity to solve the problem before it’s too late. “It’s not too late to avoid disaster, but we are