Research Paper On Ocean Acidification

Ocean Acidification is a pressing issue that will have a major effect on the ocean in the near future. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), ocean acidification is when the pH drops due to an uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide. This is a controversial issue because many people do not believe the ocean is becoming acidic. They believe ocean acidification is a hoax brought on by global warming to try and convince people on the dangers of climate change. This issue is important because ocean acidification posses a threat on the coral reef ecosystems, which house 25% of marine, fish species. If coral reefs were to be removed from the ocean, fish would no longer have a place to live and have babies. According

Ocean acidification is caused by the uptake in atmospheric CO2. Through the burning of fossil fuels and the excess use of energy on a daily basis, humans contribute to the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. I want to talk about how through human means; ocean acidification is destroying the oceans coral reef ecosystems, which ultimately affects the algae and fishes in the ocean and humans source of food. I understand what ocean acidification means chemically and biologically for the ocean and what its affects are. Coral reefs make their shell with the calcium carbonate ions in the ocean but if the ocean becomes more acidic, there will be less calcium carbonate in the ocean. Coral reefs have natural threats of bioeroders who eat through corals calcium carbonate shell, so if corals cannot build their shells faster than bioeroders can eat them, corals will die. This is one major example of how a more acidic ocean will be detrimental. I have consulted articles from the journal Oceanus and from NOAA. Both of these sources publish professionals in the field of marine biology and chemistry. These sources along with general classes I have been taking have helped me and will help me better understand this pressing

Having an ocean without coral reefs is almost like having a world without homes. There would be no place for shelter or to raise a family and humans would be more susceptible death. When in a chemistry lab, if one were to add just a little too much of a chemical, the whole reaction could be changed. For chemical reactions to work properly, there cannot be excess amounts of certain chemicals because the balance would be thrown off. This is exactly the same for the ocean; when the ocean absorbs more CO2 than normal, chemical balance is thrown off. Although in certain parts of the world there are thriving coral reefs in more acidic water, these reefs were made to live in these harsh environments, but if in a couple hundred years the pH level drops even more, those reefs may too die like the rest. Ocean acidification is a pressing issue that needs to be dealt with now before it is too late to save the