IPCC Report Concludes Ocean Acidification "Potentially Catastrophic" For All Sea Life

[hatrack]

Rising carbon dioxide emissions are making the world's oceans more acidic, particularly closer to the poles, heralding disaster for marine life, a major United Nations report on climate change impacts says. Harvey Marchant, Australian lead author on polar regions for the report, the second of four this year by the UN climate panel, said research showed a high take-up of carbon dioxide by polar oceans was producing marked changes in several species.

The report, released in Brussels on Friday, carries the toughest UN warning yet about the impacts of global warming. Marchant, a former head of biology at the Australian Antarctic Division, said in Canberra that Southern Ocean species were more susceptible because cold waters absorb more carbon dioxide than warmer waters.

"Carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere continue to rise, putting a greater strain on the world's oceans which are being forced to absorb more of these emissions than ever before and with potentially catastrophic effects," he said. "Many important planktonic species such as pteropods, or sea snails, and some algae and single-celled animals rely on calcium carbonate for their shells to develop," he said.

"The more carbon dioxide taken up by the ocean the more acidic it becomes, inhibiting calcium carbonate formation and leaving these species vulnerable." Changes could also affect the chemistry of dissolved nutrients, potentially causing large-scale changes in marine ecosystems with a knock-on effect to other larger species, such as fish and squid that rely on these organisms to survive.


EDIT

http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__international_news/&articleid=304088

[NMDemDist2]

1. if the ocean dies, so do we. K&N n/t

[Morgana LaFey]

3. can you elaborate?

The loss of food is obvious -- what else will happen?

[NMDemDist2]

6. here ya go

http://www.conservation.org/xp/frontlines/protectedareas/focus23-2.xml

snip....

It is impossible to overstate the importance of the ocean. Without it, Earth would be barren--a lifeless planet much like Mars. The ocean, alive with complex ecosystems and fine-tuned over billions of years, is the cornerstone of Earth's life support system. More than 97 percent of the world's water is ocean. It drives climate and weather, shapes planetary chemistry, generates more than 70 percent of the oxygen in the atmosphere, absorbs carbon dioxide and replenishes our fresh water through clouds. As important as terrestrial systems are to life on Earth, if they were to disappear entirely, life in the sea could continue to prosper. However, if life in the ocean disappeared, or its basic chemical processes altered, the impact on the rest of the planet would be catastrophic.

more at link.......

[Morgana LaFey]

7. Thanks

That context really helps the discussion, and of course helps me understand more as well.

[corkhead]

2. time to seed the ocean with genetically modified oysters, tuna and lobsters for us to eat

that is what sea life is for isn't it?

oh and just in case you need it... :sarcasm:

[cascagraphic]

4. Yikes! The consequences just seem never-ending.

[phantom power]

5. Welcome to our nightmare.

(and welcome to DU)