Ocean Acidification

Ocean Acidification

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What is Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidification is long term reduction of the pH of the ocean. This happens when carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater. Because the ocean absorbes about 30% of the CO2 released in the atmosphere, as levels of atmospheric CO2 increase, the CO2 levels of the ocean increase along with it. When the seawater is acidic, a series of chemical reactions cause carbonate ions to become less abundant. This loss causes calcifying organisms struggle to build and maintain shells. Changes in acidification can also affect behaviors of non-calcifying organisms, putting the entire food web, including humans, at risk.

Our Future

Cut Carbon Emissions

Cutting carbon emissions means reducing the amount of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide and methane, released into the atmosphere by human activities.

Geoengineering

Geoengineering is large scale manipulation of the Earth’s natural systems to counteract climate change.

What You Can Do!

One of the most important things you can do is to tell your friends and family about ocean acidification.

Impacts

CORAL REEFS Acidification from the ocean will limt the rate of coral growth. This will result in weaker reefs that will be more vulnerble to erosion.

FISHDue to the change in the pH of the water fish may experience seizures, comas, and even death. This chronic stress reduces growth and immune function.

Shelled AnimalsDue to the acidity the shelled animals are going to have difficulties building their shells. Already built shells will also begin to deteriorate.

Causes of Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidification happens when the ocean asorbs excess C02 residing in the atmosphere. Excess CO2 in the atmosphere is driven by human activities. When dissolved CO2 reacts with seawater, it creates carbonic acid, lowering the water's pH and reducing avavlable carbonic ions.

Human Activities

• Burning or using fossil fuels is the largest contributor
• Clearing forests reduces the planet's capacity to absorb CO2 and destroying vegetation releases stored carbon(especally algal blooms)
• Manufacturing releases significant quantities of CO2

Match the word to the solution or problem box

Solution

Problem

Using gas vehicles

Walking/biking instead

Using renewable energy sources

Using fertilizer near waterways

Educating yourself about OA

Cutting down trees

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Thank you for completing this course!

One of the best things you can do to make an impact is lower the amount of carbon dioxide you use everyday. To do this you can recycle, turn of unused lights, or walk intead of taking a car. You can also take larger actions such as swithching your car or home to clean energy.

The most realistic way to lower this number—or to keep it from getting astronomically higher—would be to reduce our carbon emissions by burning less fossil fuels. Another way is to create more carbon sinks, such as mangroves and seagrass beds, to store carbon.

The goal of geoengineering is to counteract human caused climate change. Two ways people accomplish this are by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reflecting solar radiation back into space.

Solution

Problem

Walking /biking instead

Using gas vehicles

Using renewable energy sources

USing fertilizers near waterways

Educating yourself about OA

Cutting down trees

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