Ocean Acidification: The Other Climate Change Issue

Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere reacts with coastal water to increase the acidity of the ocean, a trend that threatens many marine ecosystems. Within Earth's vast oceans exists a diverse population of beautiful creatures that depend on a delicate balance of chemistry to remain viable. The tiniest animals are often the most important and underestimated species in any environment; they also are among the most vulnerable. If acidified conditions should cause the concentration of dissolved iron to rise, this may stimulate photosynthesis, giving rise to a negative feedback mechanism. The effects of ocean acidification fall not just on certain species or particular regions, but throughout the food webs of the globe. According to the NOAA Ocean and Great Lakes Acidification Research Plan, changes in ocean chemistry probably exert several indirect effects: shifting predator-prey interactions, increasing the prevalence of invasive species, modifying the distribution of pathogens, or altering the physical structure of ecosystems.