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CO2 emissions could doom fishing industry mongabay.com July 3, 2008
The oceans have absorbed about 40% of the anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions over the past two centuries. While this has slowed global warming, the extra carbon dioxide has caused the ocean's average surface pH become about 0.1 units more acidic compared to pre-industrial levels. Continuing emissions could cause the ocean's pH to drop by as much as 0.35 units by the 2050. Ocean acidification is important because it reduces the availability of carbonate ions necessary for the formation of shells and exoskeletons by marine organisms. Corals, marine plankton, and shellfish would be especially affected, although some research has suggested that even juvenile fish would suffer from higher-than-normal CO2 levels.
Some researchers have cautioned that the ecological changes wrought by increasingly acidic conditions may have significant economic consequences, especially for marine fisheries. Many commercial fish species rely on plankton and other carbonate-dependent organisms for sustenance. Because ocean acidification is largely independent of temperature, strategies to address climate change independent of reining in emissions (such as geoengineering) will not solve the problem. "We need to consider ocean chemistry effects, and not just the climate effects, of CO2 emissions. That means we need to work much harder to decrease CO2 emissions," says Caldeira. "While a doubling of atmospheric CO2 may seem a realistic target for climate goals, such a level may mean the end of coral reefs and other valuable marine resources." R.E. Zeebe, J.C. Zachos, K. Caldeira, and T. Tyrrell (2008). Carbon Emissions and Acidification. 4 JULY 2008 VOL 321 SCIENCE News index | RSS | Add to MyYahoo! Advertisements: Organic Apparel from Patagonia | Insect-repelling clothing |
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