Ocean Acidification

The New York Times, has an editorial this morning highlighting another mechanism through which global warming is leading to a loss in the equilibrium of our eco-system.

This mechanism is ocean acidification. The oceans of the world act as an carbon sink. However, as more and more carbon is produced from anthropogenic sources, the oceans absorbs more of this carbon. This causes a reduction in the pH of the oceans leading to the destruction of oceanic corals and the extinction of species. These outcomes will create other positive and negative feedback mechanisms leading to further disruption of the equilibrium of the eco-system.

From the NYT today,

"That added carbon dioxide is slowly making the oceans less alkaline and more acidic, altering the chemical balance on which much of oceanic life depends. Carbon dioxide reacts with seawater to form carbonic acid, a process that consumes carbonate ions. Those ions are necessary for the chemical reaction used to form calcium carbonate, the structural element in corals and the shells of many marine animals. As the oceans acidify, shells will simply dissolve. The growth of coral reefs will slow, and their structural integrity would be weakened, making them more vulnerable to storms and erosion. That would be a catastrophic loss. The list of potential long-term effects to oceanic life is only beginning to be explored"