Rising Ocean Acidity an Environmental Concern

Many scientists are expressing concern over the increasing acidity of the world's oceans, threatening small shellfish that farm the base of the ocean's food chain. According to these scientists, the seas have absorbed 500 billion tons of carbon dioxide that has accumulated in the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels.

The ability of the oceans to absorb this carbon dioxide has buffered the earth from some of the effects of climate change. Because colder water can absorb higher levels of CO2, higher levels of acidity are being measured in northern oceans. Unfortunately, this situation leads to the bottom rung of the food chain, such as small marine snails that salmon and other fish feed on.

Although levels have not yet reached crisis levels, scientists are keeping a watchful eye on materials such as the calcium carbonate found in snails and corals, where high acidity has been shown to dissolve existing organisms.