Feature

Ocean Acidification

By and 2009-11-01T00:00:00

Part of a coral reef

Source: Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary/NOAA

Recent evidence suggests that ocean removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is having serious consequences for marine life

Current anthropogenic atmospheric carbon dioxide levels (386 ppm) - from transport, electricity generation and deforestation - are already more than 37 per cent greater than pre-industrial levels (~280 ppm). For example, the red line in Fig 1  shows atmospheric CO2 levels recorded since 1958 from the top of Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii. A little less than half of the excess CO2 emitted by humans remains in the atmosphere. The remainder is removed by the ocean or land vegetation, which is beneficial because it slows the rate of global warming. However, recent evidence suggests that the ocean removal of CO2 has other serious consequences, namely ocean acidification.  

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