Contributors of Ocean Acidification
As a recap from my previous article, The Danger Faced by Marine Life, ocean acidification is the process of carbon dioxide being absorbed by seawater, causing water to slowly decrease in pH and become more acidic. Ocean acidification takes up necessary vitamins and minerals used by sea creatures in building their shells and bones.
Ocean acidification occurs naturally but has ramped up its pace due to human activities. There are three main ways carbon dioxide enters the ocean:
Nutrient Pollutants
When it rains, rainwater carries pollutants such as agricultural chemicals and sewage water into the bodies of water which eventually lead up to the ocean. The burst of nutrients causes algae to feed on these nutrients and rapidly increase their population. Eventually, nutrients run out and algae start dying off. Bacteria in the ocean use up the oxygen in the seawater to decompose to algae and release carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide mixes with seawater and begins the process of acidifying the ocean.
With a lack of oxygen and abundance of concentrated carbon dioxide, these places become known as “dead zones,” in which marine life cannot survive.
Fossil Fuels
As we increase our use of fossil fuels, we not only pollute the atmosphere but also pollute the ocean. When burning fossil fuels, we release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Almost twenty-five percent of the carbon dioxide we release is absorbed by the ocean. Once the carbon dioxide enters the ocean, it immediately starts the chemical reaction causing ocean acidification.
Upwelling
Deepwater, by nature, has a higher pressure exerted on it and is thus able to hold more gas. One of these gases found abundantly in deepwater is carbon dioxide. Luckily, this carbon dioxide storage doesn’t harm too many animals as most of them live in shallow water areas. However, at shore, the process of upwelling occurs; deep water is swept up and mixes with shallow water, increasing carbon dioxide concentrations in the area of most sea creatures.
Although ocean acidification is a huge problem that would require massive policy reform, there are some steps we all can take to reduce the danger faced by marine life. Keep an eye out for my next article covering what we can do on an individual scale and by working together to reduce ocean acidification.
