Essay On Ocean Acidification

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Planet earth is faced with many ecological issues. One that many people are unaware of is Ocean Acidification. This process like the name is the ocean experiencing a reduction in pH or raise in acidity. This environmental change as a result can have a direct effect on the organisms living in the ocean. This can directly and indirectly affect both autotrophs, which are self-sustaining organisms. This can also affect heterotrophs, which are organisms that rely on other organisms for food and nutrients. Ocean acidification simply is a reduction of pH that occurs from the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This process occurs mainly from the burning of fossil fuels. This event increases the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. …show more content…
This increase of acidity in the ocean has a direct affect on calcifying organisms. This plays a pivotal role in the marine ecosystem. Among these organisms suffering are mollusk such as oysters, and clams. Other organisms include sea urchins, shallow water corals, deep-sea corals, and calcareous plankton. Calcifying organisms are highly affected by ocean acidification due to the reduction in carbonate available. This reduction occurs from the increased H+ ions on the ocean actively bonding with the available carbonate. This leads to calcifying organism like clams for example working harder to generate carbonate by pumping out h+ ions into the ocean. This is done so that calcium and carbonate ions can combine to form calcium carbonate crystals in shells in skeletons. It is difficult for organisms to produce and push H+ ions into the ocean because ocean acidification creates an already more H+ dense environment therefor causing organisms to work harder to pump against the concentration gradient. This process is very draining and takes a toll on calcifying organisms and deters their ability to preform other functions such as growth reproduction and response to
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