Social: Q. Who is to blame for ocean acidification? A. Simply put, the USA. While other countries emit CO2, the US has put more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than any other country. A quarter of all CO2 emitted into the atmosphere by humans has come from American sources. This means that the USA bears the most responsibility for ocean Adicification 4. Q. But most of that was from the industrial revolution, nowadays China produces more CO2 than the US. Shouldn't the focus be on China? A. Not completely. The effects from ocean acidification are long term. We might not see the total impact of our CO2 emissions for several years 6. Q. What can be done now? Can the USA combat emissions without crippling trade? A. Yes. We can look to the success of the Clean Air Act. The government recognized certain substances as harmful. They set up regulations and laws that resulted in meeting their goals for better air quality. Innovation was seen in industry and transportation without hindering industry and Transportation 5. Social: Q. Who is to blame for ocean acidification? A. Simply put, the USA. While other countries emit CO2, the US has put more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than any other country. A quarter of all CO2 emitted into the atmosphere by humans has come from American sources. This means that the USA bears the most responsibility for ocean Adicification 4. Q. But most of that was from the industrial revolution, nowadays China produces more CO2 than the US. Shouldn't the focus be on China? A. Not completely. The effects from ocean acidification are long term. We might not see the total impact of our CO2 emissions for several years 6. Q. What can be done now? Can the USA combat emissions without crippling trade? A. Yes. We can look to the success of the Clean Air Act. The government recognized certain substances as harmful. They set up regulations and laws that resulted in meeting their goals for better air quality. Innovation was seen in industry and transportation without hindering industry and Transportation 5. By Hayley Young, Stephanie Aragon, Lise Ferguson, and James Herman. Scientific: Ocean acidification refers to the change in the ocean’s pH caused by an increase in the ocean’s uptake of atmospheric CO2, caused mainly by the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. Water with a slightly lower pH: lowers the metabolism of squid dramatically changes the shape of sea urchin larvae shortens the lifespan of brittle sea stars and barnacles Effects the sensory of young fish populations, which confuses their ability to sniff out prey and avoid predators makes the ocean “noisier”, which can confuse whales and other animals with sonar. 1 Scientific: Ocean acidification refers to the change in the ocean’s pH caused by an increase in the ocean’s uptake of atmospheric CO2, caused mainly by the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. Water with a slightly lower pH: lowers the metabolism of squid dramatically changes the shape of sea urchin larvae shortens the lifespan of brittle sea stars and barnacles Effects the sensory of young fish populations, which confuses their ability to sniff out prey and avoid predators makes the ocean “noisier”, which can confuse whales and other animals with sonar. 1 The world’s oceans absorb about a third of atmospheric CO2. When the CO2 reacts with seawater, not only does it lower the pH of the surrounding water, but it forms carbonic acid, or H2CO3, which dissolves calcium carbonate shells. Left to right: a healthy pteropod shell followed by a 2-month lapse in corrosive seawater. The sequence simulates the effects on shell- building organisms exposed to CO2-rich water that is projected to be typical at the century’s end, if carbon continues to be emitted into the atmosphere at the current rate of 9.28 billion metric tons per year 2. Global: On a global scale, ocean acidification is affecting thousands of fisheries across the world. With low populations, fishermen are having difficulty catching enough fish during the season. The seafood industry is a big business, bringing in large revenues and employing thousands. Seafood sales at New York restaurants support around 70,000 full- time jobs U.S. domestic fisheries provided a primary sale value of $5.1 billion in 2007 The U.K. harvested £645 million of marine products. Global: On a global scale, ocean acidification is affecting thousands of fisheries across the world. With low populations, fishermen are having difficulty catching enough fish during the season. The seafood industry is a big business, bringing in large revenues and employing thousands. Seafood sales at New York restaurants support around 70,000 full- time jobs U.S. domestic fisheries provided a primary sale value of $5.1 billion in 2007 The U.K. harvested £645 million of marine products. Local: Willapa Bay is the top oyster-producing estuary in the U.S., but oysters from this area have not reproduced in the wild since Scientists have linked the die-offs to the upwelling of carbon dioxide-rich waters on the west coast 3 Juvenile oysters are particularly sensitive to changes in ocean chemistry, and the lower pH of waters in that region cause the oysters to die before they are able to form protective shells. Local: Willapa Bay is the top oyster-producing estuary in the U.S., but oysters from this area have not reproduced in the wild since Scientists have linked the die-offs to the upwelling of carbon dioxide-rich waters on the west coast 3 Juvenile oysters are particularly sensitive to changes in ocean chemistry, and the lower pH of waters in that region cause the oysters to die before they are able to form protective shells. Ethical : From coral reefs to oysters, negative impacts from ocean acidification will be increasingly evident. There are three main ethical threats: Direct species extinctions that occur due to calcium carbonate breakdown. Destabilization of the oceanic food chain due to extinctions. Loss of food and economic security for island and coastal countries. Ethical : From coral reefs to oysters, negative impacts from ocean acidification will be increasingly evident. There are three main ethical threats: Direct species extinctions that occur due to calcium carbonate breakdown. Destabilization of the oceanic food chain due to extinctions. Loss of food and economic security for island and coastal countries. Economic: Around 100 million people are dependent on revenue generated from tourism In all, it is estimated that coral reefs provide around $30 billion annually to the world’s economy. The coral reefs of Hawaii are estimated to bring the island state $360 million a year. Australia’s revenue due to tourism is $32 billion If the reefs disappear, Hawaii and Australia’s tourism and fishing industries may suffer greatly. Economic: Around 100 million people are dependent on revenue generated from tourism In all, it is estimated that coral reefs provide around $30 billion annually to the world’s economy. The coral reefs of Hawaii are estimated to bring the island state $360 million a year. Australia’s revenue due to tourism is $32 billion If the reefs disappear, Hawaii and Australia’s tourism and fishing industries may suffer greatly. Coral bleaching occurs when excess absorbed CO2 changes the temperature and chemistry of the ocean. When this happens, coral are unable to provide their inhabiting zooxanthellae with nutrients for photosynthesis. Then, the zooxanthellae are expelled, and the coral becomes brittle and “bleached”, and die. bleaching-likely-in-caribbean.html