Natural Phenomena
Ocean Acidification
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Ocean acidification is a reduction in the ocean's pH over an extended period, caused by the ocean absorbing roughly 30 percent of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. As seawater absorbs more CO2, chemical reactions raise hydrogen ion levels and reduce the carbonate ions that shell- and skeleton-building organisms such as oysters, clams and corals need to build and maintain their structures.
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Reef-building corals are among the organisms most cited as vulnerable to reduced carbonate availability from acidification.
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Open Questions (1 open question)
How severely and how quickly will continued ocean acidification affect shell- and skeleton-building marine life across different species?
The chemistry of ocean acidification is well established, but how various calcifying species and food webs will respond as pH continues to drop is still being actively researched.
What would resolve this Long-term, multi-species experiments and field observation tracking calcification rates and population effects as ocean pH continues to fall.
Marine chemistry and marine biologyOcean Acidification (NOAA Ocean Service)
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