Info-graphic made by Elzemiek Zinkstok I Lushomo for the Save Our Seas Foundation. Visit the website at https://www.saveourseasmagazine.com/.

What is Ocean Acidification?

Ocean acidification usually refers to a reduction in the pH of the ocean over an extended period of time and is the result of carbon dioxide being absorbed by seawater, resulting in the higher concentration of hydrogen ions and the decrease in carbonate ions.

Causes

There are several causes of ocean acidification, but some have bigger impacts than others. One major cause of ocean acidification is the Industrial Revolution, which has largely increased the ocean's acidification due to the increased use of machines that produce carbon dioxide, which usually ends up in the atmosphere and the ocean. Another major cause of ocean acidification is the burning of fossil fuels, which also releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and the ocean. As a result of the Industrial Revolution and the burning of fossil fuels, carbon dioxide levels in the ocean and atmosphere are raised, making the raising of carbon dioxide levels in the ocean and atmosphere another major cause of ocean acidification. Another major cause includes a decrease in carbonate ions and chemical reactions that cause a high concentration of hydrogen ions. Other causes of ocean acidification includes cement manufacturing, changes of land use, loss of biodiversity, production alterations of bio-gas, and lack of environmentally friendly laws and regulations.

Effects

One effect of ocean acidification is calcifying organisms, such as oysters, clams, sea urchins, shallow water corals, deep sea corals, and calcareous plankton have trouble building and maintain shells.. Some fishes' ability to detect predators also decreases, meaning that the entire food web is at risk. With the food web out of wack, and certain fishes becoming scarce, people who eat fish and marine animals as their primary food source are at risk too. People who also have a job having to do with the ocean (fishing, crabbing, etc.) are at risk of losing their jobs due to the dwindling population of fish and other marine animals. Tourism will also decrease as the water is polluted and the exotic marine animals are becoming extinct or endangered.

How You Can Help

Although ocean acidification is a big problem, there are ways that you can help. One way that you can help would be by buying fish that were harvested humanely. Another way you can help would be reducing your carbon footprint*, which is the amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted by a person, household, building or a company and released into the atmosphere each year. You can also help by reducing your energy and electric usage. Some other ways that you can help would be supporting environmentally friendly initiatives and educating people about ocean acidification.

There are lots of ways that you can help, but there are also ways that the government can help too. One way that the government can help would be implementing local, state and federal regulations on carbon dioxide emissions. Another way that the government could help be would implementing regulations on factories that produce fossil fuels,

*If you are interested in learning more about about carbon footprints, you can visit the "Carbon Footprint" tab on our website.

Citations

US Department of Commerce, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “What Is Ocean Acidification?” NOAA's National Ocean Service, 1 Aug. 2012, www.oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/acidification.html

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Department of Commerce. “What Is Ocean Acidification?” Arctic Change - Land: Tundra, www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/What+is+Ocean+Acidification%3

Madaan, Sonia. “Causes, Effects and Solutions of Ocean Acidification.” Earth Eclipse, 8 Feb. 2016, www.eartheclipse.com/environment/causes-effects-solutions-of-ocean-acidification.html.

Lushomo, Elzemiek. “What Is Ocean Acidification?” Save Our Seas Magazine, 2016, www.saveourseasmagazine.com/the-co2-conundrum/.

This topic was researched by My T. of Toano Middle School, who also wrote this page.