The+Affects+Climate+Change+Has+On+The+Ocean's+Chemical+Composition

__ Ocean Acidification: W hat Has Come From It and What Will Come __ **What is Ocean Composition?** Have you ever been swimming in the ocean? Have you tasted the water, or felt it sting your eyes? Our ocean isn't composed of simply hydrogen and oxygen atoms. No, as the table below shows it contains most of the elements found on earth. Dissolved gases, salts, and metals boat loads of matter. However are all of these elements necessary?

** Main Elements in Seawater: **

There are many other elements that make up the oceans composition, but these are the main ones. Note! ppm= parts per million As the oceans acidification increases, the amount of some elements either increase or decrease. Hydrogen for example increase in parts per million because during the acidification process, lots of hydrogen ions are formed, which over take the carbonate ions, needed by organisms to make their skeletons and protective shells.
 * Hydrogen (H2O)- 110,000 ppm
 * Oxygen (H2O)- 883,000ppm
 * Sodium (NaCl)- 10,800 ppm
 * Chlorine (NaCl)- 19,400 ppm
 * Magnesium (Mg)- 1,290 ppm
 * Sulfur (S)- 904 ppm
 * Potassium (K)- 392 ppm
 * Calcium (Ca)- 411 ppm
 * Bromine (Br)- 67.3 ppm

**The Beginnings: ** In the early 1800’s, the Industrial Revolution began. It was a time of prosperity with growing industries and technological advances. As society flourished with new advances such as factories and cars, our atmosphere suffered. Fossil fuels such as coal and oil, were used to run the factories and cars. As we burned the fossil fuels, carbon dioxide was released into our atmosphere. This carbon dioxide started off as a small amount, but over the centuries it has increased immensely. You may be thinking, well okay so it has increased, big deal, right? Well it IS a big deal, carbon dioxide has contributed to the acidification of our oceans. Since the time of the revolution, our oceans have become 30% more acidic and the pH level has dropped by [|0.1 units]. More recently, our oceans have absorbed about [|50% of CO2 emissions]by humans over the past two centuries. This here is just the start, and seeing that we are very advanced and always continuing to grow in the industrial world, carbon dioxide levels will continue to grow in our atmosphere, increasing the acidification of our oceans. 



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Ocean Acidification: [|Ocean acidification] can be described as the changes we see in the chemistry of the oceans worldwide, primarily as a result of burning fossil fuels. As we know already, the oceans acidic level has changed about 0.1 units since the 1800’s, but it is forecasted to change another 0.2-0.4 units. The pH of the ocean is currently 8.1 units, which is slightly alkaline, but more acidic since the beginning of the 1800’s when it was 8.2 units. Many say that the ocean isn't acidic at all, just [|basic]. By basic they mean at a level of 8 units or so, which yes that is the acidicity of the ocean. However if there were to be a change in the the pH level (like predicted) and it drops to some where in the range of 7 units the water becomes more neutral, but the fish feel like it is more acidic because of what they are used to. They are use to the water being more alkaline and if it drops to a more neutral state, it will still be more acidic then what they are use to even if it is "basic". If the pH level were to drop to 7.8 or 7.7, we are looking at a catastrophic affect on our marine life habitats.

Carbon dioxide absorption made by our oceans has continued to increase as the amount of CO2 in our atmosphere continues to increase. Our oceans today absorb about 50% of the CO2 in our atmosphere, which in turn makes the ocean more acidic. Scientists have found that by the continuation of burning fossil fuels, CO2 levels have risen from [|275ppm (pre-industrial revolution) to about 375ppm (today]). If this amount continues to grow, which unfortunately it will because we continue to burn fossil fuels, the acidity of the ocean will become detrimental to those who live there.  [|Process of Acidification:] 

Over the past 200 years, one half of the carbon dioxide that is released from burning fossil fuels has been absorbed by the oceans, and dissolved into the water. When the carbon dioxide is mixed with the water, it creates Carbonic Acid. <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> [|CO2 H2O--> H2CO3] Carbonic acid lowers the pH level of the ocean and makes it become more acidic. By this happening, it raises the concentration of Hydrogen ions in the water, which limits the organism’s access to carbonate ions. H2CO3> HCO3^-1 (bicarbonate ions) Carbonate ions are important to the making of skeletons and shells for marine life. Marine animals make their shells and protective plates out of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in a process called [|calcification]. As we make our ocean’s water more acidic, the calcification process is stunted and the ability to create protective shelling, or just being able to grow for some organisms will be inhibited as well. As their environment changes, they change too, either for the better or for the worst, and in this case for the worst. <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> <span style="font-size: 120%; color: #008000; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: 140%; color: #008000; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Affects Of Ocean Acidification <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Marine life may not be able to keep up and adapt with the high level of acidity pouring into their habitats. These fish, crustations, plants, corals, plankton, etc. are all used to their environment being slightly more alkalidic. Such a change from a less acidic to a very acidic habitat in such a short time could cause chaos for the creatures. The shift in the chemical makeup also reduces the ability of carbonate ions, which many creatures use to build their skeletons and shells out of calcium carbonate. When there isn't enough calcium to be used to make shells and skeletons, either the organism won't develop or organisms like crustations won't be able to make a shell protecting their organs. If these organisms cannot continue to grow or protect themselves, they simply won’t be able to live and reproduce making them extinct, or they won’t be able to be safe from predators, then making them extinct. As these organisms are affected, so is the rest of the food chain. When the first organisms are affected, those that are predators of these organisms will be affected because they won’t have anything to eat, soon making them extinct. The process will continue until the whole chain has been affected. Pretty soon ocean life will become extinct and not that populous anymore.

[|Coral Reefs]<span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> are another group affected by the acidification of the ocean. As carbon dioxide enters the ocean and makes it more acidic the level of CO2 ppm increases. Coral reefs are stable at [|350 ppm], now the amount of CO2 is at about 385 ppm and in the near future will rise to 450ppm or higher. The amount of CO2 now in the coral reefs habitat will have a severe impact on its ability to grow. Coral reefs act as breeding grounds for species at the bottom of the food chain, which are very important to the ecosystem of the ocean. <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> M any organisms use calcium carbonate to grow, and as the ocean acidifies, the process to their growth slows. Coral reefs rely on calcium carbonate to grow and expand, providing more breeding grounds, but since CO2 levels have increased, the acidity of their environment has slowed the progression of their growth. When the coral reefs are put under stress, they aren’t able to produce as much algae, which is used as food for them. <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> By coral reefs not being able to grow, they won't be able to act as a home for those organisms that use coral reefs as breeding grounds, making them surch for a new place, or become extinct. Their extinction would through off the food chain, because other organisms eat them to survive

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<span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Scientists believe that ocean life can adapt to the higher acidity in their environment. In 1993 one study found that the ocean life was able to survive with a pH level of 7.4 units. Around 7.5 million years ago the ocean's pH level was about 7.4, which is .7 units lower than it is today. The main concern is not that ocean life can't survive the low pH, but the rapidity of which the pH is lowering. The ocean's organisms won't be able to adapt to their changing environment that fast. When the pH level was at 7.4 units, it took tens of thousands of years to reach this level. Today, with all the carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere and then getting absorbed by the ocean, the ocean's pH level is dropping too fast, and the change is occuring over a short amount of time. With the quick change, organisms won't have time to adjust to their new environment, causing them harm and possible extinction. If we want to slow this process of acidification down, we need to cut our emissions of CO2 into our atmosphere as much as we can by cutting out the burning of fossil fuels, and turning to alternative energy. Only the reduction of CO2 in our atmosphere will slow the process down.
 * What does the [|future] hold? Is there hope for our oceans? **

__Credits:__
Site Created by Lindsay Haythorn and Donald McMenemy Lindsay: Ocean Acidification and Affects of Ocean Acidification, Pics Donny: Ocean Composition, The Beginning, Process of Acidification, Video Both did: Bibliography and What does the future hold

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 * Bibliography:**
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Bard, Dave . "CARBON DIOXIDE AND OUR OCEAN LEGACY." __PMEL Ocean Acidification Home Page__ . April ,2006. Pew Charitable Trusts. 23 Mar 2009 []
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">YouTube - Ocean Acidification." __YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.__ 23 Mar. 2009 [].
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">"Ocean Acidification." The Ocean Acidification Network. 23 Mar 2009 [].
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">National Science Foundation. "Study: Rising Carbon Dioxide in Oceans Threatens Coral Reefs; Effects to Ripple Through Food Chain." __Underwatertimes.com__. July 5,2006. UnderwaterTimes.com News Service. 23 Mar 2009 [].
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Harrabin, Roger. "'Coral lab' offers acidity insight." __BBC News__. 10 March, 2009. BBC News. 23 Mar 2009 [].
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Masters, Jeff. "Our Acidifying Oceans." __Weather Underground__. 23 Mar 2009 [].
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Carnegie Institution. "Climate Change Alters Ocean Chemistry." __ScienceDaily__ 12 December 2008. 23 March 2009
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">American Geophysical Union. "Whatever The Warming, Ocean Acidifies From Carbon-dioxide Buildup." __ScienceDaily__ 27 March 2007. 23 March 2009
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Texas A&M University. "Atmosphere Threatened By Nitrogen Pollutants Entering Ocean." __ScienceDaily__ 16 May 2008. 23 March 2009
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. "Acid Oceans Threaten Corals." __Science Alert__. 17 October,2009. Science Alert. 23 Mar 2009 [].
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">[] NOAA site.
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">further research into the consequences of ocean acidification. []
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Floor, Dr. Anthoni J. "Composition of seawater." __Seafriends home page__. 23 Mar. 2009 <http://www.seafriends.org.nz/oceano/seawater.htm>.