Ocean Acidification

About 1/4 of carbon dioxide (CO2) released by human activities to the atmosphere since the start of the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s has been taken up by the oceans. This service has slowed down the accumulation of CO2 in the Atmosphere, but there is a price to pay. CO2 dissolves in the surface water and forms carbonic acid. This carbonic acid has caused a decrease of ocean pH by 0.1 units over the past 200 years, which is equivalent to a 30% increase in acidity. If global emissions of CO2 continue at the present rate, ocean pH is predicted to fall an additional 0.3 units by 2100. The oceans have not experienced such a rapid pH change or one of this great a magnitude for at least the last 55 million years, raising serious concerns about the ability of the ecosystems to adapt. "Ocean Acidification" has become a focus of active research over the last decade. Accelerated efforts to understand the extent and impact of ocean acidification are underway. Mechanisms of ocean acidification, possible impact on marine organisms and ecosystems, and issues related to Canadians will be discussed. For the speaker’s biography, click This lecture is sponsored by the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society.