Table of contentsIntroductionUnderstanding ocean acidificationCauses and impacts of ocean acidificationEffects of ocean acidificationClean energy solutions to ocean acidificationConclusionWorks citedIntroductionOcean acidification oceans, a continuing decrease in the pH of Earth's oceans, is mainly caused by the increasing amount of carbon dioxide and the rising temperature of the Arctic Ocean. Statistically, over the past two hundred years, ocean pH has fallen by thirty percent globally (Orr et al., 2005), meaning that this change is significant enough that ocean acidification already has the potential to affect certain oceans and their biology. important residents. This requires drastic solutions to ocean acidification. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayUnderstanding Ocean AcidificationOceans absorb most of the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which plays a critical role in climate regulation, but the unprecedented amount of carbon dioxide oceans created today have exceeded what the ocean can normally absorb, thereby changing the chemistry of the oceans and making them more acidic (Orr et al., 2005). The increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide mainly results from increased use of fossil fuels and deforestation. Causes and Impacts of Ocean Acidification Humans burn large quantities of fossil fuels for energy, including gasoline for cars, heating oil, and natural gas used to generate electricity. 37% of global emissions come from internationally traded fossil fuels (Davis et al., 2011). In addition to energy consumption, significant fractions of fossil fuels are used for non-energy purposes. When fossil fuels are used for non-energy purposes, there are several ways to show how this can ultimately lead to carbon dioxide emissions. Chemicals such as solvents can cause carbon dioxide emissions after use due to oxidation in the atmosphere, for example after applying solvent-based paint with a brush in an open space. Another pathway for carbon dioxide from non-energy use is certain industrial processes. If part of the feedstock is oxidized during chemical conversion, as in the case of hydrogen production, this is generally considered an inherent feature of the chemical process and not fuel combustion. In this case, the resulting carbon dioxide is called industrial process emissions (Freed et al., 2005). Deforestation is also mainly caused by human elements. Human populations play a direct role in deforestation by clearing land for gardens, cutting down trees for lumber, firewood, etc. Furthermore, in many forest areas, native tree species have been replaced by economically valuable introduced species. And human colonization introduced fire as a powerful force in the island's deforestation. This is particularly important in deforestation on dry islands, as traditional agricultural systems often rely on fire to clear fields, and on dry islands where there is a high risk of fire spread and out-of-control fires (Van der Werf et al ., 2010). .The release of methane from melting hydrates in shallow regions ofthe Arctic Ocean could exacerbate the acidification of the ocean water column. Hydrate destabilization may occur in the Arctic in response to global warming and the fact that the potential release of methane is large but limited over the next 100 years (Biastoch et al., 2011). Large quantities of methane hydrates are potentially stored in sediments along continental margins, due to their stable conditions of low temperature and high pressure. Global warming could destabilize these hydrates and cause a release of methane (CH4) into the water column and possibly into the atmosphere. The resulting warming is spatially inhomogeneous, with a stronger impact on shallow regions affected by the Atlantic influx. Over the next 100 years, warming will affect 25% of shallow and mid-depth regions containing methane hydrates. The release of methane from melting hydrates in these areas could increase ocean acidification and oxygen depletion in the water column (Biastoch et al., 2011). Effects of Ocean Acidification Changes in marine ecosystems and economic devastation are two major effects of continued ocean acidification. Coral reefs, an ecosystem known to be vulnerable to ocean acidification, have begun to show signs of decline that may be due to ocean acidification. Some of the largest reef-building corals on the Great Barrier Reef show a reduction of more than 14 percent in skeletal growth since 1990 (De'ath et al., 2009). Sea turtles are among the most endangered marine animals and often rest and feed in coral reefs. As ocean acidification worsens, the abundance of reef species will likely decline, which could drive turtle feeding behaviors and cause them to turn to less nutritious food sources or even suffer from hunger (Bonin et al., 2006). In addition to associated marine organisms, healthy reefs provide goods and services to society, including fisheries, coastal protection, tourism, education and aesthetic values. In Hawaii alone, coral reefs generate $364 million from tourism each year. If reefs collapse due to increasing acidity, global warming and other threats, coastal communities will bear the brunt of these losses (Sukhdev et al., 2010). Serious health consequences could result in some 30 million people relying almost solely on coral reef ecosystems for protein and protection. Potential losses from coral reef decline will be felt from the smallest coastal subsistence communities throughout the global economy (Wilkinson & C, 2008). Additionally, many scientists estimate that the major reef-building organisms, corals and calcifying macroalgae, will calcify 10 to 50 percent less than pre-industrial rates by the middle of this century. This decrease in calcification is likely to affect their ability to function within the ecosystem and will almost certainly affect the functioning of the ecosystem itself (Kleypas & Yates, 2009). However, ocean acidification affects not only corals but also the reefs they build. Declining calcium carbonate production, coupled with increased dissolution of calcium carbonate, will diminish reefs and the benefits they provide, such as high structural complexity that supports biodiversity on reefs and breeze effects -bladeswhich protect shorelines and create calm habitats for other ecosystems, such as mangroves and seagrass beds (Kleypas & Yates, 2009). By the middle of this century, if carbon dioxide emissions continue at the same rate, coral reefs could be eroded by natural processes faster than their skeletons can grow, due to the combined pressures of the increasing acidity and global warming (Silverman et al., 2009). Reefs can change dramatically from the structures that so many species depend on for habitat, meaning that when corals face severe decline or even extinction, the survival of reef-dependent species will in turn be threatened. . Although they cover just over one percent of the planet's continental shelves, coral reefs provide important habitat for over twenty-five percent of all marine fish species (Knowlton et al., 2010). . As reef habitat becomes less available, fish dependent on coral reefs will decline accordingly. The coral bleaching event is an example to explain the relationship between coral reefs and the fish species that depend on them. For example, after an event in Papua New Guinea, 75 percent of coral reef fish species declined in abundance and several species even disappeared (Jones et al., 2004). By 2050, pteropods may be unable to form calcium carbonate shells, which would threaten their ability to survive (Orr et al., 2005). If they cannot adapt to life in more acidic waters, their population will drop, which could affect the food webs that depend on them (Doney et al., 2009). North Pacific salmon which rely heavily on pteropods for food (Aydin et al., 2005). And the North Pacific salmon fishery provided three billion dollars in personal income to fishermen and others in 2007 and supported 35,000 jobs in fish harvesting and processing alone (Orr et al., 2005). Therefore, with the decline of pteropods, North Pacific salmon and other commercially important fish species that feed on pteropods, including mackerel and herring, would be at risk of collapse and directly lead to a decline in income personal or fishing and job losses. Additionally, the decline of smaller species, such as pteropods and salmon, could ripple across the oceans, ultimately affecting larger marine species. For example, the Chukchi and Northern Bering Seas are among the richest fishing grounds in the world and home to predators as varied as gray whales, seals, and walruses, all of which rely on marine calcifiers for food. Resident killer whales in the North Pacific prefer to eat salmon, with almost 96% of the diet of some killer whales consisting of salmon (Fabry et al., 2009). When the base of the food web disappears, the upper food web also disappears immediately. If top predators are unable to supplement their diet with other food sources, food webs may even collapse completely. Ocean acidification can also affect shellfish species like sea urchins, damselflies and brittle stars. Sea urchins on a reef, essential grazers in any environment, help protect the reef by eating some of the algae. They reproduce by releasing eggs and sperm directly into the surrounding seawater. However, the sperm of some sea urchins swim more slowly in acidified conditions (Reuter et al., 2010), reducing their chances offind and fertilize an egg, form an embryo and develop into sea urchin larvae (Havenhand et al., 2008). . The majority of sea urchin embryos and larvae are eaten by fish and only a few survivors become adults. Although sea urchins normally release millions of eggs and sperm into the surrounding water to compensate for this low success rate, scientists have predicted that the more acidic conditions could reduce the number of sperm released by some species, further decreasing the size of the next generation of sea urchins. sea ​​urchins by the end of this century (Reuter et al., 2010). Additionally, like many other calcifiers, such as corals, pteropods, and oysters, sea urchins will likely have a harder time building their calcium carbonate skeletons in an acidified ocean. Young sea urchins have been observed to grow more slowly and have thinner, smaller, and deformed protective shells when raised in acidified conditions. Slower growth rates and deformed shells can make sea urchins more vulnerable to predators and decrease their ability to survive (Brennand et al., 2010). As a result, slower shell growth would likely reduce the survivability of molluscs, with significant implications for commercial fishing. If this slowdown in growth continued, the shellfish fishery would have lost between $75 and $187 million (Cooley & Doney, 2009). In addition to smell, some reef fish, such as damselfish, rely on hearing to find their way back to their home reef. They listen to the sounds of a reef using otoliths, which are calcium carbonate structures similar to the bones of the human ear. Using their otoliths, larval fish can separate the low-frequency sounds of breaking waves, currents, and surface winds of the open ocean from the high-frequency sounds of gurgling, crackling, and clicking sounds. a coral reef. Damselfly larvae use these distinct sounds to return to their home reef and away from the ocean (Gagliano et al., 2008). However, it has been observed that the carbon dioxide concentrations expected towards the end of this century alter the normal development of otoliths in the larvae of a deep-sea fish, the white sea bass (Asch, R. 2009). Increased otolith growth could make it difficult for fish to locate suitable reef habitat, leading to population declines. Larger than normal otoliths in damselflies have been shown to decrease their ability to recognize sounds and return to a coral reef (Gagliano et al., 2008). Fragile stars also play a crucial role in the environment as burrowers and as a food source for larger predators like flatfish. A fragile star's spindly arms break when the animal senses danger and, under normal conditions, can regenerate quickly. Although brittle stars can still regenerate their arms in acidic conditions, they do so with less muscle mass than usual (Gooding et al., 2009). The fragile stars not only created insufficient amounts of muscle for their new arms to function properly, but they also devoured the muscles in their already existing arms to provide energy for the now much more difficult process of forming calcium carbonate . Weakened arms could diminish the ability of fragile stars to survive in a more acidic ocean. Increased acidity is also likely to threaten brittle star larvae (Dupont et al., 2010). It seems that fragile starsappear to be very vulnerable to increasing ocean acidity, both as adults and as larvae, which would lead to severe population declines in the future. Besides shellfish species, animals without shells or skeletons will also be affected by ocean acidification, such as clownfish and cardinalfish. Fish larvae that live on coral reefs hatch on the reef and migrate offshore where they spend the next two to three weeks drifting. When the larvae are ready to return to their home reefs, they use their sense of smell and hearing to guide them (Munday et al., 2009). Unfortunately, in more acidic conditions, larvae may not be able to distinguish the odors of a suitable home from those of a hostile environment, which could ultimately lead to their death (Dixson et al., 2010). Additionally, clownfish also use their sense of smell to avoid predators. As higher carbon dioxide conditions are expected toward the end of this century, this scent-related predator defense system is disrupted and most returning clownfish larvae are no longer able to discern between predatory and non-predatory signals (Munday et al., 2010). And increasing carbon dioxide levels in seawater can decrease the ability of some fish to breathe, such as cardinalfish. Cardinal fish have proven particularly vulnerable to increasingly acidic conditions. The ability to absorb oxygen decreased by up to 47 percent in a species of cardinal fish when exposed to carbon dioxide levels similar to those expected by the end of this century. The reduced ability to breathe will more likely impact cardinal fish, including a decreased ability to feed, grow and reproduce, which could have adverse consequences on the sustainability of cardinal fish populations. As ocean acidity increases, they simultaneously warm due to climate change. Rising temperatures combined with acidity levels expected by the end of this century have proven deadly for a species of cardinal fish tested in the laboratory. These results are particularly concerning, especially if they apply to other species, because they show that although individuals can survive one threat, they are less able to withstand the simultaneous threats of increasing temperature and of ocean acidification (Munday et al., 2009). Clean energy solutions to ocean acidification Preserving natural resilience and reducing carbon dioxide emissions are potential prevention measures that prevent the ocean acidification to worsen and seriously affect marine ecosystems and lead to even greater economic devastation. To preserve natural resilience, we must reduce human-caused threats, particularly overfishing, to maintain the natural resilience of marine ecosystems. Overfishing has profoundly affected the world's oceans, directly and indirectly. For example, fisheries scientists recently estimated that over the past 50 years, the global biomass of large predatory fish – such as tuna and swordfish – has declined by 90 percent and the diversity of these fish has declined by 10 to 50 percent (Myers & Worm 2003; Worm et al. 2005). Declining fish populations are often particularly hard on poor coastal communities – both North and South – where many people depend on fishing (and fishing-related industries, such as boat building and fish processing). for their food andjob. The overfishing crisis therefore has both environmental and socio-economic dimensions, because overfishing is a problem for fish, their ecosystems and the people who depend on them (Mansfield, 2010). Home energy and personal transportation are the two largest contributors to the average American's carbon dioxide emissions into the environment, accounting for more than 50% of their total carbon footprint. To date, the main methods applied to improve energy efficiency and/or reduce energy consumption have been technological and economic (Armel, 2008). For example, the production of hybrid or hydrogen vehicles has been highlighted as a major solution to reducing CO2 emissions and dependence on oil. However, there is growing evidence that a human-centered behavioral approach should also be pursued to educate, inform, and motivate energy-saving human behaviors. In-home feedback technology has been shown to reduce energy consumption by 10-15% on average, with significant decreases linked to more frequent feedback and greater data granularity (e.g. specific data on the energy consumption of devices). As the cost of home energy sensing decreases, we will see a huge increase in the amount of data available that can be viewed and returned to the consumer on their energy usage. How to most effectively build interfaces around this data to reduce consumption is an open research question that involves psychology and HCI (Froehlich, 2009). Furthermore, reducing CO2 emissions from transport by diverting traffic demand towards less polluting modes has been one of the main priorities of European policy in recent decades and therefore a good number of effective measures have been planned and implemented across the continent (Nocera & Cavallaro). , 2011).Keep in mind: This is just a sample.Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a custom essayConclusionIn conclusion, we are forcing marine species to live in unusual conditions that do not are unlike any that have existed for millions of years. For some species, the changes we impose on them will be so vast that they risk extinction. Although there will certainly be ecological winners and losers, overall, marine ecosystems will deteriorate. They will become less dynamic and diverse, leading to a decline in many of the goods and services they provide, forcing millions of marine organisms, and even people, to find new food sources, new homes, and new sources of livelihood. income. Some of the most vulnerable communities will have no alternative to compensate for the loss of maritime goods and services. Adapting to these losses will require enormous resources from the global community and, in some cases, adaptation will not be possible. Undesirable species will likely be among the winners, as the decline of their direct competitors and predators will allow them to thrive. Some species will even see their growth rate and abundance increase due to increased carbon dioxide (Connell et al., 2010). All outcomes will be driven by ocean acidification, reflecting an overall decline in biodiversity and meaning an unbalanced ocean. Increasing acidity will have widespread impacts on many types of marine life. Non-calcifiers also exhibited responses that will likely decrease their ability to survive in an acidified future., 106(21), 7795-7800.