“We found that mere absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere into the ocean was enough to harm marine creatures,” - Ken Caldeira, chemical oceanographer at the Carnegie Institution of Washington in Stanford, California, and author of the first major publication on ocean acidification.
Dear readers,
As I was researching ocean acidification, I was struck with how immediate and serious the biological ramifications were. All of a sudden, the climate change conversation switched from that of an abstract problem, to an immediate problem. I found myself wondering not about shifting coastlines or more severe summers, but instead about witnessing the next major marine extinction in my lifetime and wondering what would substitute the 100 million tons of seafood that we consume every year. For the first time while writing this blog, the game had changed to considerations of survival.
To put it in perspective, here's why I'm concerned. The biological ramifications of ocean acidification will probably be more profound than the consequences of global and oceanic temperature rise. First of all, consider the myriad of marine species that have some form of hard outer shell. Ocean acidification changes the fundamental chemistry of the oceans, stripping the carbonate ions from those shells. This translates to the weakening and dissolving of existing shells, and the decreased ability of organisms to build their shells or skeletons and calcify at the necessary rate. While the species that we commonly think of, such as coral reefs and oysters, will be severely affected by this, it is the less popular species, such as calcareous plankton and minuscule clams, which will profoundly change the marine food web.
The point to take away is that these less popular species form the base of the marine food chain. While they may not be large and vibrant (like reef systems), they fuel our fisheries. If the base of the food chain takes a hit, then our already weakened fisheries will collapse. All of this gives me great reason to be gravely concerned.
-N. Gallo
As I was researching ocean acidification, I was struck with how immediate and serious the biological ramifications were. All of a sudden, the climate change conversation switched from that of an abstract problem, to an immediate problem. I found myself wondering not about shifting coastlines or more severe summers, but instead about witnessing the next major marine extinction in my lifetime and wondering what would substitute the 100 million tons of seafood that we consume every year. For the first time while writing this blog, the game had changed to considerations of survival.
To put it in perspective, here's why I'm concerned. The biological ramifications of ocean acidification will probably be more profound than the consequences of global and oceanic temperature rise. First of all, consider the myriad of marine species that have some form of hard outer shell. Ocean acidification changes the fundamental chemistry of the oceans, stripping the carbonate ions from those shells. This translates to the weakening and dissolving of existing shells, and the decreased ability of organisms to build their shells or skeletons and calcify at the necessary rate. While the species that we commonly think of, such as coral reefs and oysters, will be severely affected by this, it is the less popular species, such as calcareous plankton and minuscule clams, which will profoundly change the marine food web.
The point to take away is that these less popular species form the base of the marine food chain. While they may not be large and vibrant (like reef systems), they fuel our fisheries. If the base of the food chain takes a hit, then our already weakened fisheries will collapse. All of this gives me great reason to be gravely concerned.
-N. Gallo
A marine pteropod. These small snails are planktonic, free swimming organisms with calcium carbonate shells, that are a main food source for juvenile salmon, mackerel, herring, and cod. Just one example of the many shelled planktonic organisms that will be affected by ocean acidification. Photo credit: http://www.nopp.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/pteropod.jpg
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