Author: julboy

by

Warmer and acidified oceans can lead to ‘hidden’ changes in species behavior

University of Plymouth. (2020, January 21). Warmer and acidified oceans can lead to ‘hidden’ changes in species behavior. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 12, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200121113010.htm 

 

Projected ocean warming and acidification not only impact the survival rates of individual species but the behavior of marine organisms. For instance, Scrobicularia plana tend to rely on food within their water column, but with ocean acidification, they have changed it to using tube-like feeding siphon to scrape more of its food from the seafloor. Scientists have shown that the Scrobicularia plana change its feeding habits when faced with warmer and more acidified oceans. 

 

This relates to the environment because it gives a new insight into how organisms react with ocean acidification. Typically most think that it, for the most part, kills off most coral reefs and some species when it not only does that but for some, it’ll impact its food habits. 

by

Global cooling after a nuclear war would harm ocean life: Seafood production also may be impacted by increased acidification

Rutgers University. (2020, February 5). Global cooling after a nuclear war would harm ocean life: Seafood production also may be impacted by increased acidification. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 12, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200205084201.htm 

 

According to a study, a nuclear war that cooled Earth could worsen the impact of ocean acidification on corals, clams, oysters and other marine life with shells or skeletons. The massive amount of smoke that are produced from a nuclear conflict would block sunlight and cause global cooling. As the sun is blocked, it would cool the atmosphere briefly lessening the decline in pH from ocean acidification. However, the cooling would also lead to lower levels of carbonate ions for about 10 years, creating a challenge for the shells to survive in marine organisms. 

 

This article connects to the environment through its discussion about nuclear war and what its impact on ocean warming is. The main takeaway is how much the smoke from the nuclear conflict will cause more acidity to the oceans. 

by

Ocean acidification is damaging shark scales

Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf. (2020, January 8). Ocean acidification is damaging shark scales. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 7, 2020, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200108131630.htm 

 

In a recent study on the impact ocean acidification  has on sharks scales, they found that sharks have an unusual type of scales referred to as ‘denticles.’ After further research, the group of researchers found that climate change (CO2 levels) has caused damage to the denticles. 

 

This article relates back to the environment because similarly to the previous articles, it’s negatively impacting our sea life and its creatures’ survival rates. We need to draw more attention to new possible alternatives that could lower CO2 levels which would ultimately lower the oceans’ acidity. 

by

Ocean acidification could cost the U.S. billions of dollars

Guzman, J. (2020, January 3). Ocean acidification could cost the U.S. billions of dollars. Retrieved March 5, 2020, from https://thehill.com/changing-america/sustainability/climate-change/476667-ocean-acidification-could-cost-the-us-billions  

 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)  has noticed and is warning people that the CO2 emissions/ocean acidification levels are continuing to increase at rates that have never been met before. This uptake in OA can lead to costing the U.S  economy billions of dollars. NOAA has noted that ocean acidification is causing a “great urgency” as the region is impacting very sensitive coral reef ecosystems that have “generated $4.4 billion in annual sales, $2 billion in income and more than 70,000 full and part-time jobs”. NOAA added that all of those factors will be threatened as a result of ocean acidification. 

 

This article is related to the environment through its mentioning of economic costs. The impact OA will have expenses wise is insane and in addition to the literal amounts of money, it also is threatening various amounts of species to die off. 

by

Warming, acidic oceans may nearly eliminate coral reef habitats by 2100

American Geophysical Union. (2020, February 18). Warming, acidic oceans may nearly eliminate coral reef habitats by 2100. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 12, 2020, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200218124358.htm 

 

In a recent study, they have found that by 2100 nearly all existing coral reef habitats will be eliminated due to the rising sea level and acidic waters. This research presented from San Diego at the Ocean Sciences Meeting 2020 has suggested restoration projects in these areas will also bring about serious challenges. Statistically speaking,  70 to 90 percent of coral reefs will supposedly disappear over the next 20 years (it will continue to worsen up until 2100) as a result of climate change and pollution. The majority tend to think that human pollution has a big factor in ocean acidification when realistically it only has a minor contribution and the contribution it has done has already impacted most coastal communities, leaving very few left to be impacted. 

 

This article relates to the environment because, in the next couple of decades, we may have additional extinct species due to the warming of oceans. This will cause hundreds of fish markets to close down due to insufficient supply of demand.

by

seagrass can mitigate negative ocean acidification effects on calcifying algae

Bergstrom, E., Silva, J., Martins, C., & Horta, P. (2019, February 13). Seagrass can mitigate negative ocean acidification effects on calcifying algae. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-35670-3. 

 

The ultimate effect that ocean acidification (OA) and warming will have on the physiology of calcifying algae is still unknown. Possible answers depend on a variety of interactions such as species-specific physiologies, seawater chemistry, and global/local stressors. In coastal and shallow reef environments, the metabolic interactions between calcifying and non-calcifying organisms are effective in providing shelter against OA effects and increasing the resilience of the more OA-susceptible species. 

 

This article relates to environmental science by its discussion of classifying organisms. As ocean acidification levels rise in the ocean, this will affect calcifying organisms in the ocean, for example, organisms that have shells will eventually get weakened by the PH levels, leaving them more vulnerable to predators, and possibly becoming extinct. In addition, it will substantially affect the food chain in the ocean. 

 

by

The Dynamics and Impact of Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia: Insights from Sustained Investigations in the Northern California Current Large Marine Ecosystem

The Dynamics and Impact of Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia: Insights from Sustained Investigations in the Northern California Current Large Marine Ecosystem. (2019, September 5). Retrieved from https://tos.org/oceanography/article/the-dynamics-and-impact-of-ocean-acidification-and-hypoxia. 

 

The article, The Dynamics and Impact of Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia discusses that Coastal upwelling ecosystems are wind-generated currents that bring in nutrients to the surface ocean where they begin productive food webs. Coastal upwelling ecosystems are now known especially for their vulnerability towards hypoxia (OAH) and ocean acidification. An alliance for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) scientists and other researchers in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem revealed insights into the interpretation of OAH as linked environmental stressors, their temporary variability, and impacts on species, ecological communities, and fisheries. Sustained investigations also deepened the understanding of connections between climate change and the intensification of hypoxia, and are beginning to acquaint the ecological processes that can hopefully help solve our problem of ocean acidification. Moreover, because of the cruelty of the die-offs and harm to fish life, these scientific advances have fostered policy advances. 

 

 The article relates to environmental science by briefly discussing hypoxia and ocean acidification and certain research they have done to answer some of our questions. Ultimately OA relates to environmental science because it affects us. The uptake in acid into the ocean kills organisms which means less production resulting in fewer sources for us. 

by

Climate change could shrink oyster habitat in California.

Kerlin, K. (2019, August 6). Climate change could shrink oyster habitat in California. Retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2019-08-climate-oyster-habitat-california.html. 

 

Ocean acidification has had a huge impact on shellfish, mainly oysters. As climate change causes water temperatures and sea chemistry to vary, it creates the possibility for oysters habitats to become destructed. According to a UC Davis study, from 2014-2017 they planted oysters all around Tomales Bay and recorded their results based on a variety of seasonal conditions. In addition, they also monitored water chemistry at each location and measured the growth and mortality rates of the oysters. In the end, they found that the oyster with the lowest growth and survival rate occurred in the parts of the bay where the majority of river runoff and inflow of upwelled ocean waters came in. 

 

This article was very fascinating to me because it went into depth about a certain study that UC Davis did covering the impact climate change has on oysters and how it relates to ocean acidification.

by

Acidification of coastal waters

Acidification of coastal waters. (2019, February 11). Retrieved from https://oehha.ca.gov/epic/climate-change-drivers/acidification-coastal-waters. 

 

In the article Acidification of coastal waters, it discusses ocean acidification and what problems it causes. It states that  “oceans absorb about one-third of CO2 emitted by human activities”. Although this absorption has brought down levels of the gas in the atmosphere, it has impacted the CO2 levels due to its weak acid state in the water, causing large amounts to be absorbed by the oceans resulting in acidifying seawater. Some problems that OA has caused include shell dissolution and inhibited shell formation, impaired physiology, disruption of marine ecology, increased impacts of other stressors on coastal ecosystems and lastly potential loss to the seafood industry. 

 

I believe ocean acidification is horrible not only because of the problems that are listed in the article but the simple fact that it continues to happen and we either are doing the bare minimum or nothing is improving.  

by

Carbon dioxide from Silicon Valley affects the chemistry of Monterey Bay

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. (2019, April 23). Carbon dioxide from Silicon Valley affects the chemistry of Monterey Bay. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 6, 2019, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190423145520.htm 

 

MBARI researchers have recently measured high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the air blowing out to sea from urban neighborhoods, including Silicon Valley.  They have found that the high concentrations of CO2 could increase the amount of carbon dioxide dissolving in Monterey Bay waters by about 20 percent. In addition, they went ahead and looked at all coastal areas around the world and came to the conclusion that this new intake could give off 25 million additional tons of CO2 into the ocean. 

 

This article relates to environmental science through its connection of ocean acidification and how the local CO2 concentrations can easily hover over urban areas in the mornings causing risks of human health with the increase in air temperatures. Ocean acidification is a huge problem that still had yet to be fixed or reduced sustainably.