With each passing year humans are emitting more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. We do this through burning coal, driving cars, deforestation, and the list goes on. We have been told repeatedly through the news that emitting C02 into the atmosphere is bad for the environment, but did you know that it is having a serious effect on the oceans and all of the animals that live in it?
The level of carbon Dioxide in the environment is measured in parts per million (PPM), in the pre-industrial age the level was around 280ppm, we are now hovering around 380ppm, and it is said that by 2065 levels will reach 560ppm.
Oceans absorb a large portion of the CO2 that humans put into the atmosphere; however, this absorption of CO2 is now altering the pH level of the oceans around the world. We are literally changing the chemistry of the oceans. Scientists and researchers have just begun tackling this subject and are finding horrifying results. Ocean creatures are very sensitive to pH levels and any small change can have catastrophic effects. An example is that some plankton (which produce half of the oxygen in the atmosphere) are having trouble creating their calcium based shells, if they do not create shells, they cannot survive, and if they do not survive they will not create oxygen...
The chemistry of the ocean will continue to change as the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere continues to rise. It is easy for humans to ignore the issues surrounding the oceans because they are not visible to us in our daily lives; however, it is important for us to remember that the oceans are the key to life, without them we will not survive.
Image from: http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/top-20-greenhouse-gas-emitter
s-including-land-use-change-and-forestry
2 comments:
scary... there are whole worlds that we are hurting because of what we are doing. :(
Here's a summary of some of the environmental threats to our oceans. The way things are going, there could be no fish left in the oceans in as little as 40 years.
http://selfdestructivebastards.blogspot.com/2009/10/our-oceans-are-dying.html
Post a Comment