Carbon dioxide and the price of fish

Some of the extra CO2 emitted enters the oceans, acidifying waters globally.

"It's clear that marine food webs as we know them are going to alter, and biodiversity will decrease,"

These observations confirm that some of the processes seen in laboratory experiments and some of the predictions made by computer models of ocean ecosystems do also happen in the real world.

Last month, scientists reported that water with CO2 levels high enough to be "corrosive" to marine life was
rising up off the western US coast.

"The reason that the oceans are becoming more acidic is because of the CO2 emissions that we are producing from burning fossil fuels," observed Dr Turley.

"Add CO2 to seawater and you get carbonic acid; it's simple chemistry, and therefore certain.

"This means that the only way of reducing the future impact of ocean acidification is the urgent, substantial reduction in CO2 emissions."

stockula said:
How can CO2 acidify water? Especially on a scale that would affect sealife?

You guys will fall for anything, won't you?

stockula said:

The reason involves some basic chemistry. When CO2 gas dissolves in seawater, it combines with water molecules (H2O) to form carbonic acid (H2CO3). The acid releases hydrogen ions into the water. The more hydrogen ions in a solution, the more acidic it becomes. Hydrogen ions in ocean surface waters are now 25 percent higher than in the pre-industrial era, with an additional 75-percent increase projected by 2100.

The problem is, acidic conditions are corrosive to already formed calcium carbonate, and they also make it harder for organisms to build such hard parts in the first place.

From corals to sea snails to microscopic plankton, the creatures affected underpin many ocean food chains, say the authors of the report, a document reflecting the views of 50 top experts in ocean chemistry. The research was sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other federal agencies.

stockula said:
How can atmospheric CO2 acidify water? Especially on a scale that would affect sealife?

You guys will fall for anything, won't you?

bald_eagle said:

Oh, no. He only needs to make a snide comment, then scurry back to his troll hideaway.

stockula don't need no stinkin' sources.

stockula said:
How can atmospheric CO2 acidify water? Especially on a scale that would affect sealife?

You guys will fall for anything, won't you?

stockula said:
Entire oceans?

Chainlink said:

The spring 08 special edition of Discover magazine has an interesting article about using the oceans to pull carbon out of the atmosphere to alleviate global warming, though apparently recent studies are showing that not enough carbon is locked up and sunk into the deep waters to make a discernible effect and it may in fact exasperate the problem.

The theory involves seeding the oceans with iron. The iron is an essential nutrient for phytoplankton and algae. The basics have been realized for nearly 20 years or more.
Large blooms use the carbon from the air through photosynthesis and release oxygen, like a tree. They use the carbon, lock it up in their body structure, die and sink to the bottom.
Trouble seems to be they have proved to be remarkably efficient recyclers and as much as 95% sinks only 1000 feet or less then resurfaces, is eaten by predators who then respire carbon dioxide, or is otherwise released back into the atmosphere.
It also turns out to be incredibly difficult to measure exactly how much carbon is actually sinking down into the deep ocean.

I wonder though, if this process would also lock up CO2 that is dissolved in the water and causing the excessive acidity ? The net loss of CO2 in the environment may be negligible but it might at least balance the ph of ocean surface waters long enough to figure out a legitimate solution ?

Big_McLargehuge said:

It would create such a dead zone that trillions of underwater sea life will be lost.

stockula said:
Entire oceans?

FearTheReaper said: