Rate Of Global Ocean Acidification Fastest Since Well Before Permian Extinction
"The current rate of ocean acidification appears unprecedented at least over the last 300 million years," noted a report this week from the World Meteorological Organization.
That's a big deal — and it's worth unpacking a bit further. The WMO notes that the oceans currently absorb roughly one-quarter of all the carbon dioxide that we emit from our cars, factories, and power plants each year. That process helps fend off (some) global warming, but it also comes at a cost: As that extra carbon dioxide dissolves in water, it turns into carbonic acid and decreases the pH levels in the oceans.
This is called "ocean acidification" — and it could have terrible consequences for marine life in the decades ahead. More acidic seawater can chew away at coral reefs and kill oysters by making it harder for them to form protective shells. Acidification might also muck up the food supply for key species like Alaska's salmon. One recent study estimated that the loss of mollusks alone could cost the world as much as $100 billion per year by century's end.
Let's break down the numbers. We know the oceans have already been acidifying rapidly, with acidity levels increasing 30 percent since the Industrial Revolution (that is, the pH of ocean surface water has dropped from 8.18 to 8.07). As best scientists can tell from looking at historical data, this change is likely unprecedented in the last 300 million years:
EDIT
http://www.vox.com/2014/9/10/6131139/ocean-acidification-fastest-300-million-years
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