By Lara De Luca
A thriving coral reef (click here) community at Hotsarihie, Republic of Palau. A research team led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution identified a detailed mechanism showing how ocean acidification affects coral skeletons—giving scientists a way to predict more precisely where corals will be more vulnerable. The study was published Jan. 29, 2018, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Hannah Barkley, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
Before you begin reading this blog, (click here) I would like you to take a few seconds to reflect on the following questions: what does ‘ocean acidification’ mean to you? Do you consider that stressors such as marine plastic pollution need more urgent attention? How visible or invisible is ocean acidification in your life?
Most of the time when people hear about ‘ocean acidification’, the first thing that pops in their minds is climate change. Indeed, there is no denying that both of them are intertwined by the changing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. The ocean is an important carbon sink, absorbing almost a third of the CO2 emissions the Earth produces . Though it helps to reduce the concentration of this gas in the atmosphere, the dissolution of CO2 in the water can make it more acidic. Ocean acidification (OA) is often framed as a symptom of climate change rather than an on-going and concerning threat to the marine ecosystems. Despite the warning from scientists regarding its alarming effects, OA has not been highlighted as an important issue in the political-agenda of governments worldwide.
Why does it seem that ‘OA’ is not a top priority?...
Before you begin reading this blog, (click here) I would like you to take a few seconds to reflect on the following questions: what does ‘ocean acidification’ mean to you? Do you consider that stressors such as marine plastic pollution need more urgent attention? How visible or invisible is ocean acidification in your life?
Most of the time when people hear about ‘ocean acidification’, the first thing that pops in their minds is climate change. Indeed, there is no denying that both of them are intertwined by the changing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. The ocean is an important carbon sink, absorbing almost a third of the CO2 emissions the Earth produces . Though it helps to reduce the concentration of this gas in the atmosphere, the dissolution of CO2 in the water can make it more acidic. Ocean acidification (OA) is often framed as a symptom of climate change rather than an on-going and concerning threat to the marine ecosystems. Despite the warning from scientists regarding its alarming effects, OA has not been highlighted as an important issue in the political-agenda of governments worldwide.
Why does it seem that ‘OA’ is not a top priority?...
