Ocean acidification and its impacts on marine biota

The carbonate system of the world’s oceans is quickly altering as a result of ocean acidification. Ocean acidification has been connected to previous mass extinction events, and the current rate of change in seawater chemistry is unparalleled. According to the available data, these alterations will likely have a considerable impact on marine taxa, especially those that produce biogenic calcium carbonate, shells, and skeletons. Though research into the long-term ecosystem effects of ocean acidification is still in its infancy, it is possible that changes in species distributions and abundances could spread through numerous trophic levels of marine food webs. Since the end of the pre-industrial period, the ocean has absorbed around 29 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions. The combustion of fossil fuels and changes in land use have resulted in an annual emission of around 40 gigatons of heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere over the past ten years (from 2008 to 2017), which is the same as 252 million blue whales.

Ponmani M., Manimekalai D., Padmavathy P., Rani V. & Manickavasagam S., 2023. Ocean acidification and its impacts on marine biota. Chronicle of Aquatic Science 1(3): 47-55. Article.

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