What is ocean acidification?
Illustration from https://www.britannica.com/science/ocean-acidification
Ocean acidification results in the lowering of pH of the ocean water. This is largely due to the industrial revolution and associated pollution. Large amounts of CO2, carbon dioxide are absorbed by the oceans. In 2021, 26% of carbon dioxide emissions get absorbed but the oceans every year.
"Quick Facts (https://www.epa.gov/ocean-acidification/understanding-science-ocean-and-coastal-acidification)
Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) increased 40% from preindustrial levels to the early 21st century, ten times faster than has ocurred on Earth for millions of years.
The ocean surface layer absorbs about one third of human-released CO2.
Ocean acidity has increased about 25% from preindustrial times to the early 21st century, a pace faster than any known in Earth's geologic past.
The acidity of the ocean is greater than any point in the past two million years."
Some of the observed consequences affect marine life ecosystems and the marine food chain. A lack in carbonate and aragonite, affect corals, shellfishes and other marine calcifiers as they use it for calcification. Coral reefs for example provide habitat to many species and are present in areas of biodiversity. Those face decline and disappearance.
Acidification also threatens the marine food chain supply and therefore the stability of the ecosystem. Fishes and other larger animals also face acidosis, raise in the carbon acid concentration, resulting in respiratory issues, growth and reproduction. It's the whole prey - predator dynamic that is threatened.
We depend on the oceans for oxygen, food supply, travel, transportation, worlds temperature's cooling, rain and water cycle, amongst other things. If you take a step back and observe how much water is linked to our lives, way of living and surviving you start to understand that imbalances caused to this element causes direct imbalances to our lives. Living the way we have isn't longer suitable, we need tor realize the damage we are causing to alter the way things are done, produced and created.
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