Article Title: The Dangers of Ocean Acidification
Author/Source: By Scott C. Doney
Key Points:
-Carbon dioxide changes the acid balance of the water.
-Coral reefs are becoming physically damaged from toxic chemicals
-Gas is now 30% more abundant than it was a couple hundred years ago
-Large amounts of carbon come mostly from the burning of fossil fuels
-Water absorbing Co2 forms carbonic acid
-More acid in the water makes shells and coral reefs thinner.
- Coral is dependent on plankton
Summary:
Each passing day, we send an enormous amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Compared from our atmosphere of a few hundred years ago, carbon dioxide is thirty percent more abundant having the ability to disrupt nature's balance. It becomes even worse in the water. Carbon dioxide mixed with water forms carbonic acid. This chemical that is constantly increasing in numbers are changing the balance of the ocean's peaceful life. Some of the ocean's features, such as coral reefs, are already starting to decay. These coral reefs are becoming thinner each day. Many organisms are also dependent on the coral reefs as homes, and many of the coral reefs are dependent on the many organisms to survive. Some organisms, such as phytoplankton feed the coral reefs with calcium carbonate. The same effects are present on snail shells.
My Thoughts of this Topic:
The amount of Co2 in the atmosphere have been on our fault. It has even gotten to the point where it is dangerous in our oceans. Half of our population aren't even informed of the problem. With many different options other than fossil fuels in our modern day, we should be able to slow down our production of Co2. Our daily choices could even help. Recycling, turning off lights, and using our old appliances instead of buying new ones can make a difference. We could consider them our daily appliances.
-Carbon dioxide changes the acid balance of the water.
-Coral reefs are becoming physically damaged from toxic chemicals
-Gas is now 30% more abundant than it was a couple hundred years ago
-Large amounts of carbon come mostly from the burning of fossil fuels
-Water absorbing Co2 forms carbonic acid
-More acid in the water makes shells and coral reefs thinner.
- Coral is dependent on plankton
Summary:
Each passing day, we send an enormous amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Compared from our atmosphere of a few hundred years ago, carbon dioxide is thirty percent more abundant having the ability to disrupt nature's balance. It becomes even worse in the water. Carbon dioxide mixed with water forms carbonic acid. This chemical that is constantly increasing in numbers are changing the balance of the ocean's peaceful life. Some of the ocean's features, such as coral reefs, are already starting to decay. These coral reefs are becoming thinner each day. Many organisms are also dependent on the coral reefs as homes, and many of the coral reefs are dependent on the many organisms to survive. Some organisms, such as phytoplankton feed the coral reefs with calcium carbonate. The same effects are present on snail shells.
My Thoughts of this Topic:
The amount of Co2 in the atmosphere have been on our fault. It has even gotten to the point where it is dangerous in our oceans. Half of our population aren't even informed of the problem. With many different options other than fossil fuels in our modern day, we should be able to slow down our production of Co2. Our daily choices could even help. Recycling, turning off lights, and using our old appliances instead of buying new ones can make a difference. We could consider them our daily appliances.
So What?If the acidity rises, our ocean could become so toxic that many of the organisms would become extinct.
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Says Who?Many of the scientists that study the ocean and atmospheric acidity and Scott Doney
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What If?What if the phytoplankton changed continued to die and become extinct?
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What Does This Remind Me Of?This topic reminds me of the ocean acidification lab we observed in class.
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