Ocean Acidification. It’s a big word, but don’t let that intimidate you…let’s break it down.
- Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere
2. This carbon dioxide then enters the ocean.
3. When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, carbonic acid is formed
4. Excess hydrogen is released to form carbonate ions which form bicarbonates that shellfish would otherwise use for their shells and produces hydrogen
5. Excess hydrogen also makes the water more acidic overall
6. Which causes a LOT of problems.
- It turns coral reefs that look like this
- into THIS
Which isn’t good for these guys
or really any of these guys…because even if an organism doesn’t have a shell or rely on reefs, chances are that another crucial organism that is part of the ecosystem does.
But acidification also really effects these guys too
I mean, especially fishing and coastal industries that rely on the aquatic life for their source of income
ALSO acidification releases greenhouse gases into the air that intensify the effects of climate change
So why do humans continue to emit such high levels of carbon dioxide when the effects are just so awful???? It just seems to make more sense to reduce the amount of carbon we emit so that we can reduce the rate of acidification.
And that rate is SCARY and increasing faster than ever!
I just think that we should really try to make a change in this world for the better. Please go vote for reform to help make this planet a better place for all of us!
And if not for the sake of humanity, at least do it for this guy.
For the visual learners, here’s a helpful youtube video.
for more information make sure to check out my other posts!!!
trippy oceans 