...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...
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...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...
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...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,...
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...in a lesser known consequence: ocean acidification. Anthropogenic activities such as deforestation and burning of fossil fuels continue to drive these levels higher. (Doney, Fabry et al. 2009) Ocean acidification occurs when the pH of the seawater declines as CO2 dissolves in water by changes in temperature and sea-air gas transfers, causing changes in chemical balances. (Buck and Folger 2009, Kelly, Foley et al. 2011) Alteration of seawater chemistry generates considerable environmental, social and economic risks. These can begin from marine organism population crashing, resulting in ecosystem imbalances that impact human food resources...
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...Our oceans are a biome of mass complexity and diversity. Within this complexity lies a gentle balance of chemistry, cycles and the bizarre miracle behind the ocean’s existence. I was given the opportunity to embark on a marine excursion with my professors, Dr. Meile and Dr. Castelao, their teaching assistant, David Miklesh, and Dr. Medeiros. Throughout the course of this weekend, the fantastic four opened up a world to me that previously appeared all too familiar. Sapelo, Island, being practically in my backyard, encompasses what I view as home. However, my appreciation for my home grew vastly over the course of these three days. The Sapelo Island research retreat opened my eyes to various issues connected to groundwater, ocean salinity, tides...
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...OCEAN ACIDIFICATION- ESSAY THURSDAY, JANUARY 24TH, 2012 Covering more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, the ocean is one of planet Earth’s most distinguishing characteristics. Over recent years, human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels have increased the amount of carbon dioxide gas emitted to the atmosphere and the amount that dissolves into the ocean. Now, so much carbon dioxide has been absorbed by the ocean that the chemistry of seawater is changing, causing the ocean to become more acidic. THE CARBON CYCLE Carbon dioxide is a critical part of Earth’s atmosphere; it traps heat and prevents the Earth from being covered in ice. Normally, the Earth’s carbon cycle maintains a natural balance of carbon in the atmosphere, land, and ocean through the “breathing of the planet”. However, since the beginning of the industrial era, emissions of carbon dioxide have climbed, and now are exceeding the capacity of the carbon cycle to maintain equilibrium between the atmosphere and ocean. Excess carbon dioxide traps more heat in the atmosphere, which changes the Earth’s climate. Not all of the excess carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere. Scientists estimate that one-third of all the carbon dioxide produced by human activities has been absorbed by the ocean. The ocean’s removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere has undoubtedly helped curb the extent of climate change—but this benefit has come at a cost. The absorption of carbon dioxide is fundamentally changing...
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...Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth century, the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been a subject of discussion among scientists and people. Global Trepidation for the future with no sign of hope until the ocean's potential to absorb was discovered. It was learned that the ocean absorbed about 33% of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere each year. This information reduced the alert of global warming until ocean acidification a co-existing partner of global warming and an enemy of the earth was discovered. Ocean acidification is known for its connection to global warming and also its effects on marine life. The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper understanding of what ocean acidification, it effects...
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...Have you ever wandered what it is like 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....
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...Geology Current Event There have been reports of Acidification in the Arctic Ocean that seems to rapidly increase the melting of sea ice. This process may bring in some important consequences for the health of the Artic Ecosystem. The question is what is Acidification and how dangerous can it be. Acidification is the process by which pH levels of seawater decrease due to the great amounts of carbon dioxide being absorbed by the oceans from the atmosphere. Currently the oceans absorb about ¼ of greenhouse gasses. Lower pH levels make water more acidic which decreases the calcifying for many organisms and reduces their ability to build shells or skeletons. These species of organisms happen to be ranging from coral to shrimp, and they have the potential to impact many species up and down the food chain. University students from Florida found out that the decline of sea ice in the Artic summer has major consequences for the surface of the Arctic Ocean. As the sea ice cover recedes the seawater beneath is exposed to carbon dioxide, which is leading cause of Arctic Acidification. The fresh water melted from the sea ice dilutes the seawater, lowering the pH levels and reducing the calcium and carbonate, which are building blocks of a mineral called Aragonite. Aragonite and other carbonate minerals make up the hard part of the microorganisms shells and skeletons. The lowering of the calcium and carbonate may impact the growth and development of these species that rely on for food....
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...Geochemistry Pop Quiz 2 - 20/3/2013 Niall Smith - SF Earth Science 1) On what evidence is the statement “If current carbon dioxide emission trends continue, shells of marine organisms will start dissolving in some parts of the ocean sometime around mid-century” supported? Provide a short explanation and what you think are the two most relevant literature references illustrating your point. The scientific evidence which supports this statement originates from two distinct categorical sources - historical scientific evidence, and present day observations and corresponding scientific projections or estimates. The historical scientific evidence in question consists of observations of the fossil record around the time of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary mass extinction event (65MYA). There is an observed vacancy or gap of the presence of carbonate shells at the end of the Cretaceous period in the fossil record, that were hugely abundant during the Cretaceous. This coincides with a meteor hitting the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and causing the renown mass extinction. The geology of this peninsula in Mexico is dominantly cretaceous chalk, and on impact, heat and pressure from the collision released large amounts of gaseous sulfurous compounds (Caldeira, 2007). The mixture of gas, soot, ash and dust released in this enormous impact blocked the sun for possibly up to several months and profoundly interrupted insolation - the incoming solar radiation. This caused the extinction...
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...Coral bleaching can be fatal to coral reefs, which in return could hurt us in the future. Ocean acidification is another problem that coral reefs are facing around the world. Not only is it harmful to the coral reefs but harmful to marine life as well. Although these are all negative actions towards coral reefs there can be a bright...
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...water is a very weak acid, whilst the ocean is a very stable buffer with a pH averaging around 8. The concentration of enough CO2 to significantly reduce that pH will not come from the atmosphere – there isn’t enough CO2 in the atmosphere to make much difference.The mass of the oceans is 268 times the mass of the atmosphereI can say this with confidence because the mass of the oceans is 268 times the mass of the atmosphere, and CO2 is currently only 0.04% of that.No honest chemist would claim the dissolving of the entire atmospheric mass of CO2 at once would make much difference to the pH of the oceans.Secondly, it is well known that an increase in temperature will reduce the solubility of CO2 in water. (The oceans are known as a carbon sink. When they’re cold, they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. When they warm, they release CO2 into the atmosphere. ed)Warm up a carbonated drink and see what happensWarm water naturally contains less CO2 than cold water. Warm up a carbonated drink and see what happens – the CO2 comes out of solution.The oceans are outgassing CO2 due to the slight warming trend observed. The cause of this trend IS NOT known !I find alarmists stunningly contradictory and amusing.They point out the slight increasing trend in temperatures as alarming !They point out the side effect of this slight increasing trend in temperatures – rising sea levels – as alarming !Then they claim man’s CO2 emissions will increase ocean acidification as alarming.But you simply cannot have...
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...concern about the ocean pollution? Because everything in the world we use comes from the ocean in some way. The ocean provides us with everything we need like; the air we breathe, water we drink, food we eat, new medicines, climate, and products we use daily. Our ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and maintain our climate change impacts. The ocean holds about 97 percent of the worlds water supply. Is it the largest ecosystem on earth and it provides most of the animal protein we eat. Researchers says that there’s is about 50-80 percent of life underwater, and only 5 percent of it has been explored. Leaving thousands of millions undiscovered species. Here are some various types of ocean pollution and does it affect our ecosystem. Oil Pollution An oil spill happens when a crude oil and a refined oil spill on lands and into the water. For example, trucks can be a major cause of oil spill, because they transport oil from one place to...
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...Describing Ocean Acidification Ocean Acidification is the amount of acidity in the water. The pH scale is beginning to drop from a base to an acid. The ocean is close to the atmosphere which causes it to absorb large quantities of carbon dioxide. This reacts with the ocean's water and creates carbonic acid. Each molecules of carbonic acid then releases 2 hydrogen ions that increase the ocean's acidity, Therefore it dissolves the calcium in the shells and disposed most carbonate in the ocean that marine life needs to build their shells. Rising ocean acidity is clearly a huge fast growing problem for both us and the planet. Various amounts of life will suffer as the pH level increases, leading to collapses in the food chains and pyramids....
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...Climate Change and the IPCC o What is the IPCC? - Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change, created in 1988, first assessment report in 1990 launched global awareness of climate change issue. How the IPCC works - Thousands of scientists contribute to writing and reviewing reports. Does not carry out new research or monitor climate related data. There are 3 working groups and a special tasks force. Terminology – 99%-100% (Virtually Certain) 90%-100% (Very Likely) 66%-100 (Likely) 33%-60% (About as likely as not) 0%-33% (Unlikely) 0%-10% (Very Unlikely) 0%-1% (Exceptionally Unlikely) o Causes of climate change Relative forcing components – Long-live greenhouse gases (Global), Ozone (Continental to Global), Stratospheric water vapor from methane (Global), Surface albedo, Aerosol (Direct Affect, Cloud Albedo Affect, Surface to Continental), Linear Contrails (Continental) , Solar irradiance (Global) Earth’s energy budget & human use Quadrillion BTU 100% Incoming Solar Energy Wood 64% - Radiated to space Coal 51% - Absorbed by land and oceans Oil &Gas 23% - Carried to clouds Hydropower &Nuclear (1900-) 20% - Reflected by clouds 16% - Absorbed by atmosphere 15% - Radiation absorbed by atmosphere 7% - Conduction and rising air 6% - Reflected by atmosphere 6% - Radiated directly into space 4% - Reflected from Earth’s surface 3% - Absorbed by clouds Greenhouse gases (types and impact)...
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