...Ocean Acidification The article that I read about is called “Why isn’t anyone talking about ocean acidification”. This article explains that climate change is not the only outcome of increased greenhouse gas concentrations, and that ocean acidification occurs when carbon dioxide dissolves (CO2) in ocean water, undergoing a chemical reaction that produces carbonic acid. The increase of ocean acidification is attributed to one main cause: an ongoing increase of carbon dioxide levels in the earth’s atmosphere. This increase of carbon dioxide is directly related to human activity, most notably the use of fossil fuels. For me it is really important to find ways to try to stop ocean acidification because it affects our world and also so many species...
Words: 279 - Pages: 2
...Period:9/10 Ocean acidification is sometimes referred to as “ climate change’s evil twin “. Ocean acidification is referred to “climate change’s evil twin” because it's a significant and harmful piece of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that's invisible and untouchable because its effects are happening underwater. At first scientist was sure that this would be a good thing because it leaves very little carbon dioxide in the air to warm the planet. About one quarter of the CO2 is released by burning coal , oil and gas doesn't stay present but instead dissolves in the ocean. Since the beginning of the industrial era,the ocean had taken in 525 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. When carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, the water...
Words: 1018 - Pages: 5
...Ocean Acidification Ocean Acidification is an ongoing pressing issue that has been present within our underwater ecosystems for decades. The issue of ocean acidification poses multiple challenges to marine life along with straining the incomes of fishermen and shellfish farmers. The crucial matter that we are experiencing firsthand is that marine life is being threatened every day. (Kroeker, Kordas, Crim, & Singh, 2010). These threats are being imposed by a rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration levels which as a result, reduces the pH levels of the ocean and is therefore threatening calcification rates, dissolution, development, and survival. (Kroeker, Kordas, Crim, & Singh, 2010). As oceans are consuming more carbon dioxide,...
Words: 1607 - Pages: 7
...in the ocean, living with the sea creatures and living in the waters? In this essay, I will be writing about the acidification of the ocean. Ocean acidification is when the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide. Chemical reactions begin to occur and this helps reduce the pH of seawater. This chemical reaction can also lead to the creation of carbonic acid. Calcium carbonates can be found within the ocean which are the building blocks that help marine organisms in the sea be able to live and grow. The ocean has an abundance of calcium carbonate which allows sea life to build up their shells, to produce, and helps in skeleton formation. As time goes on, ocean acidity increases which becomes harmful to marine organisms. Ocean acidification can cause the nutrients in the ocean to disappear which becomes detrimental to all living sea organisms. This will hinder sea creatures to form shells and develop skeletal formation. Ocean acidification is very harmful to the ocean....
Words: 750 - Pages: 3
...Ocean Resources Paper (Option 2) Chelsea Ellis SCI/275 March 1, 2014 Tami McConnell Ocean Resources Paper (Option 2) Our oceans are at a greater risk than ever for acidification, dying coral reefs, over fishing, mercury pollution, litter, and trash you can actual see floating from space, and so much more. The oceans are our biggest resource for living, for life on Earth… they supply us with our air in every breath we take. Oceans gives us 50% to 70% of our air!! They need our help if we want to continue the joys of salt life and watching our fellow salt-water friends swim about happily. * Describe the problem and how it came about I would like to discuss acidification and the harms of it. I didn’t know that much about this problem before going into all the research, I knew our oceans we in dire need of help, but I had no idea how bad the acidification has gotten. Ocean acidification is when carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed by seawater and those chemical reactions that occur reduce the seawater pH, carbonate ion concentration, and saturation states of biologically important calcium carbonate minerals (NOAA, 2014). Our carbon footprint is killing not only the oceans animals, but we are killing ourselves here. Acidification is especially harmful to the little plankton, oysters, and shellfish. It’s harmful to the coral and the star fish that attach themselves to the coral, the fish that swim in the reefs, sea otters, and even the whales until eventually it finds...
Words: 1412 - Pages: 6
...Rachel Bowman Megan Hodgson ENG 201 1 April 2016 Annotated Bibliography: Ocean Acidification Research Questions: What is ocean acidification? What are the causes? What are the consequences? Blackford, Jerry C. "Predicting the Impacts of Ocean Acidification: Challenges from an Ecosystem Perspective." Journal of Marine Systems 60.2-4 (April 2010): 12-18. Science Direct. Web. 23 Mar. 2016. This journal answers all three of my posed research questions. Ocean acidification is marine uptake of carbon dioxide emissions. These emissions can come from two sources, anthropogenic: originating in human activity, and natural causes: respiration, decomposition, etc. The consequences range widely and greatly depend on future rates. There could potentially be changes in composition, size, structure and succession in ecosystems that would then lead to greater consequences, energy flow and resources. In the greater picture food sources and economics could also be a resulting consequence. The journal includes several models that try to predict the future pH of the ocean and the effects each pH will have. Dupont, S., O. Ortega-martínez, and M. Thorndyke. "Impact of Near-Future Ocean Acidification on Echinoderms." Ecotoxicology 19.3 (2010): 449-62. ProQuest. Web. 31 Mar. 2016. This article focuses on how severe the issue is. By 2100 carbon dioxide concentrations are predicted to double. The ocean, being a major carbon dioxide sink, absorbs more than half the excess carbon, causing huge impacts...
Words: 1110 - Pages: 5
...Ocean Acidification Oceans play an integral part in sustainability of life. Comprising nearly 70% of Earth’s surface, they are the largest active carbon sinks, absorbing up to 30% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) produced (Sabine et al., 2004). Anthropogenic CO2 absorbed by oceans form carbonic acid, which dissociates to produce hydrogen ions. This has alleviated the impacts of global warming to an extent. However, human activities such as burning fossil fuels and urbanisation have caused ocean acidity to increase by 26 % from preindustrial levels till today. (IPCC, 2014). Being terrestrial creatures, our focuses are on environmental impacts occurring on land, and less so in oceans. Yet, oceans are so fundamentally important that ignoring...
Words: 2028 - Pages: 9
...Integrated Natural Science (INT1) Task 1 The Changing Nature Of Science Evolution Evolution :- All living beings have developed over time from ancestors through a series of changes. That life has changed over long periods of time, with all forms of life related to one another, is a scientifically well-established fact. There are two aspects of evolution today. First, evolution is the organizing principle for all of biology. Just as we are offspring from our parents, and our grandparents before them, and so on, all living organisms today are inclined from organisms that lived in the past. Understanding how and why these ancestor-descendent lineages have changed through time helps us appreciate the diversity of life we see today. Genetics, anatomy, physiology, neurology, morphology, and behavior all of these aspects of living organisms have evolved through time. The study of the evolutionary processes that produced these traits provides the comprehensive framework for understanding them. Theory Of Evolution Evolution Theory: - Evolution is technically defined as: "a gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form." As it is most famously used, "evolution" is the process by which an organism becomes more sophisticated over time and in response to its environment. The Theory of Evolution is currently the most popular concept of how life reached its current state. Evolution as a biological mechanism is driven by natural...
Words: 1588 - Pages: 7
...Josh Steichen M. Bermas harmful effects of chemical changes are: -acid rain -rust -chemicals in an anti spot cream reacting with a silver necklace, turning it black -exhaust fumes -spoilage of foods -chemical fertilizers 1. Global Warming Cause: Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel burning power plants Our ever increasing addiction to electricity from coal burning power plants releases enormous amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 40% of U.S. CO2 emissions come from electricity production, and burning coal accounts for 93% of emissions from the electric utility industry [EPA, pg. 10]. Every day, more electric gadgets flood the market, and without widespread alternative energy sources, we are highly dependent on burning coal for our personal and commercial electrical supply. 2. Global Warming Cause: Carbon dioxide emissions from burning gasoline for transportation Our modern car culture and appetite for globally sourced goods is responsible for about 33% of emissions in the U.S. [EPA pg. 8] With our population growing at an alarming rate, the demand for more cars and consumer goods means that we are increasing the use of fossil fuels for transportation and manufacturing. Our consumption is outpacing our discoveries of ways to mitigate the effects, with no end in sight to our massive consumer culture. 3. Global Warming Cause: Methane emissions from animals, agriculture such as rice paddies, and from Arctic seabeds Methane is another extremely...
Words: 1004 - Pages: 5
...organisms in the delicate balance of our ecosystem. This paper will highlight the critical role of plankton as the organisms that make life on earth possible by describing the foundational role it plays in the food chain and in significant bio-chemical processes and discussing the negative effects it will give to the environment. I. Main Functions of Plankton in the Environment There are two main roles played by plankton in the environment. The first important role of plankton is in the food chain. Because of their microscopic size, they serve as food for other microorganisms, fishes and seal animals, which make-up 30% percent of the world’s entire intake of animal protein (J.H. Steele et al, 2009, p.8). Thus, we find plankton at the bottom of the food chain: zooplanktons eat other planktons for food, which in turn, along with phytoplankton and bacterioplankton, are food for fish and sea mammals, most of which eventually become food for human beings. Secondly, plankton plays an important role in the earth’s biochemical processes. Phytoplankton, for one, is responsible for the primary production of organic compounds that sustains the aquatic ecosystem. Because they have plant-like features, they are capable of photosynthesis and the conversion of carbon dioxide into oxygen and other essential compounds. According to M. Toner (2002), of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the photosynthesis done by the tiny green plants of the oceans “…account for about half of the carbon dioxide that...
Words: 1525 - Pages: 7
...Aleisha Wiley Business Sustainability December 15, 2013 What does sustainability mean in general terms and in a business context In general terms, the key principal of sustainability is to support, endure, perpetuate and supply the necessities of life on earth without depleting resources at a rate in which they cannot replenish themselves, crossing any thresholds or boundaries potential harmful the existence of life or destroy ecosystems that are important to animal and plant life on earth. These principals can also be applied to the life we lead as business owners, manager and other working professionals. In this paper I will be discussing what the key principals and meaning of sustainability as it applies to general terms and in a business context. Sustainable business or green business is an enterprise that has no negative impact on the global or local environment, community, society, or economy. The organization participates in environmentally friendly activities that ensure all processes, products and manufacturing activities adequately address current environmental concerns while maintaining a profit. In other words, it is a business that “meets the needs of the present world without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. Exemplary examples of a green business are the efforts of Nike and Adidas. They developed a new way of dyeing clothes with CO2 instead of water. The process is a potentially revolutionary technique that...
Words: 1190 - Pages: 5
...Sustainable Development and Planetary Boundaries BACKGROUND RESEARCH PAPER Johan Rockström and Jeffrey D. Sachs with Marcus C. Öhman and Guido Schmidt-Traub Submitted to the High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda This paper reflects the views of the author and does not represent the views of the Panel. It is provided as background research for the HLP Report, one of many inputs to the process. May 2013 Draft for Discussion Sustainable Development and Planetary Boundaries Draft for Discussion Background paper for the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda Prepared by the co-chairs of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Thematic Group on Macroeconomics, Population Dynamics, and Planetary Boundaries: Johan Rockström Executive Director, Stockholm Resilience Centre Professor of Environmental Science, Stockholm University Jeffrey D. Sachs Director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University Director, The Sustainable Development Solutions Network Special Advisor to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on the Millennium Development Goals with Marcus C. Öhman Associate Professor and Senior Researcher in Ecology and Environmental Science, Stockholm Resilience Centre Guido Schmidt-Traub Executive Director, The Sustainable Development Solutions Network 15 March 2013 1 Draft for Discussion The world faces a serious challenge, indeed one that is unique to our age. Developing countries rightly...
Words: 10566 - Pages: 43
...Solar Energy as an Alternative to Fossil Fuels Classical Argument Position Paper Nick Gross Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Author Note This paper was prepared for English 123 taught by Professor Cameron. Solar Energy as an Alternative to Fossil Fuels Classical Argument Position Paper The climate of the Earth is changing. In the last 100 years, the average temperature has risen 1.5°F (Kalogirou, 2003, para. 2.3). That may not sound like much, but even a small change in temperature can have a large impact on our environment. Changes in rainfall, heat waves, and the warming of our oceans are all effects of the increased temperature of the atmosphere (Climate Change, n.d., para. 2). This shift in climate is due to the burning of fossil fuels as an energy source. Humans must adopt a cleaner method of producing energy or the increased temperature of our atmosphere will continue to degrade our environment. Solar power is the energy source of the future because it is renewable, economical, and much better for the planet than burning fossil fuels. One advantage that solar energy has over fossil fuels is that it is renewable. A renewable energy source is one that is always available and will never run out. The sun has been burning for billions of years and will continue to produce tremendous energy for billions of years to come. The quantity of fossil fuels still available is unknown, but some experts estimate that 500 years worth of fuel remains in the Earth (Smith,...
Words: 1100 - Pages: 5
...PROJECT TOPIC : GLOBAL WARMING MOHAMED HASSAN SPN150597 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 2 2. DEFINITION GLOBAL WARMING .................................................................................................. 3 3. WHY DOES GLOBAL WARMING OCCURE? ............................................................................................ 3 5. CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING ................................................................................................... 5 6. EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING .................................................................................................. 9 How will climate change affect you? Your community? The environment around you? .................... 12 4. SOLUTIONS FOR THE GLOBAL WARMING ............................................................................... 13 5. OTHER EFFECTIVE WAYS TO PREVENT GLOBAL WARMING ............................................. 15 1. Plant Trees and Bamboo................................................................................................................. 16 2. Ride a Bike ...................................................................................................................................... 16 3. Buy Less Stuff...................................................................................
Words: 3663 - Pages: 15
...2012 – 2013 INTEL PHILIPPINE SCIENCE FAIR RESEARCH PLAN Required for All Projects To be Submitted to IRB/SRC before the Experimentation Begins Joshua Garcia Bullago Life Science II Name Cluster Category Baguio City National High School School Fair Division (074) 444 26 45 Cor. Gov. Pack Rd., Baguio City School Address Tel. No. NEUTRALIZING MIXTURE Title of Project Mrs. Juliet Herreria-Ilustre Project Adviser The research plan must include the following: A) Problem/s: 1. General Objective: The study aims to neutralize weak and strong acidic solutions using mixture of ashes of banana leaves, banana peelings and potato peelings. 2. Specific Objectives: a. What is the pH of the weak and strong acidic solutions after incorporating mixture of ashes of banana leaves, banana peelings and potato peelings? b. Which of the following mixture of different amounts of ashes of banana leaves, banana peelings and potato peelings will best neutralize the pH of the acidic solutions? c. How long will the neutralization take effect on the pH of the acidic solutions once the mixture of ashes of banana leaves, banana peelings and potato peelings is incorporated to the solutions? B) Hypothesis/Objectives: 1. The neutralization of pH of acidic solutions using mixture of different amounts...
Words: 1502 - Pages: 7