Initially the sea of earth take in around 25 to 30 percent of our carbon dioxide emissions and much more are accumulated over time. At the beginning and the before the beginning of the industrial revolution the ocean surface pH was 8.2 and now it has decreased by 0.1. Hence the term ocean acidification means the decrease in the pH of the ocean waters caused by the change of the carbon levels in the atmosphere. In a language of chemistry it means, When carbon dioxide (CO₂) is absorbed by seawater, chemical reactions occur that reduce seawater pH, carbonate ion concentration, and saturation states of biologically important calcium carbonate minerals. These chemical reactions are termed "ocean acidification Acidification by dissolving carbon dioxide creates carbonic acid, that limits the number of carbonate ions present in ocean . The decrease of carbonate ions available in the seas have negative impact on crustaceans and organisms with calcified shelters, limiting their protection against damage or predators. Ocean acidification has huge impact on the marine animals. This will have huge impact on the growth and development of younger species, making each generation more susceptible to an acidic sea. Moreover, acidification does not single out species that need to form shells or other calcified shelters, but any ocean life could experience negative repercussions due to the acidification of the ocean. Some of the biologist and the researcher has discussed in the various literature that the increased pH makes it hard for clownfish to sense their predators and for sharks to hunt their prey. Various metabolic function of the marine animals are affected due to the acidification of the water due to the fact that various animals can only tolerate the short fluctuation of the pH and temperature. Ocean acidification could wreak havoc on the lifespans of many sea inhabiting species with much side effects; for example, many researchers and   scientists discovered that by 2100, the body size of Atlantic cod residing within the Baltic and Barents Sea could be minimized to one-fourth of their present body size. These all are due to the ocean acidification.

Causes of Ocean Acidification:

·         Raised Carbon dioxide Concentration in the Ocean

·         Raised Carbon dioxide Concentration in the Atmosphere

·         Higher Concentration of Hydrogen ions in the Water

·         Burning of Fossil Fuels

·         Waste Disposal

·         Improper Land Management

·         Industrialization

 

Ocean acidification is an emerging global problem and agenda. Over the last decade, there has been much focus in the ocean science community on studying the potential impacts of ocean acidification on the marine ecosystem and marine food chain. Since sustained efforts to monitor ocean acidification worldwide are only beginning and stilly on its infancy, so it is currently impossible to predict exactly  how ocean acidification impacts will cascade throughout the marine food chain and affect the overall structure of marine ecosystems. Hence there is an urgent need of the policy maker, scientists and researchers to carry out the sound, sustainable research and maintain the knowledge for the importance of ocean and impacts of the ocean acidification. As ocean acidification will approximately cost the world economy more than $1 trillion, annually, one must wonder what are realistic and timely solutions to solving the crisis of ocean acidification? The climate change issue should be effectively raised and reduced so that there will not be further extension of the acidification, minimization or carbon pricing will be of great solution.

 

 Pic Source:

ocean acidification

 

 References:

http://savethewater.org/ocean-acidification-the-worldwide-growing-concern/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5JSLBhCxARIsAHgO2Sc0Z22ZsW6xaDXP6ghSMmyP2LuaUCFwyChBN5WK2ScUaG0legRdJm4aArSCEALw_wcB

 http://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article/65/3/414/789605