Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidification is the reduction of pH levels in the ocean due to the absorption of carbon dioxide that is released from burning fossil fuels.  This can affect planktonic and benthic organisms by destroying shells of these organisms, leading to less protection for them and possible mortality.  If acidification increases greatly, than this could even lead to the deaths of organisms that cannot survive that acidity.  Man contributes to ocean acidification by constantly consuming fossil fuels, which leads to large emition of carbon dioxide, in turn increasing the amount of carbon dioxide that the ocean absorbs.  One way that we can reduce ocean acidification is by becoming more energy efficient as a species.  If we continue our destructive ways, in only a matter of decades many ocean species could become extinct, unable to adapt.  One thing that I learned from this topic was that the ocean absorbs 22 million tons of carbon dioxide each day.  I also learned that ocean acidification is referred to as 'the other carbon problem', and that the ocean has absorbed 1/4th of the carbon dioxide that has been produced.