Antarctic marine wildlife is under threat, study finds

[Judi Lynn]

25 November 2012 Last updated at 18:13
Antarctic marine wildlife is under threat, study finds

Marine snails in seas around Antarctica are being affected by ocean acidification, scientists have found.

An international team of researchers found that the snails' shells are being corroded.

Experts says the findings are significant for predicting the future impact of ocean acidification on marine life.

The results of the study are published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

The marine snails, called "pteropods", are an important link in the oceanic food chain as well as a good indicator of ecosystem health.

"They are a major grazer of phytoplankton and... a key prey item of a number of higher predators - larger plankton, fish, seabirds, whales," said Dr Geraint Tarling, Head of Ocean Ecosystems at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and co-author of the report.

The study was a combined project involving researchers from the BAS, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the University of East Anglia's school of Environmental Sciences.

Ocean acidification is a result of burning fossil fuels: some of the additional carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is absorbed into oceans.

More:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/20461646

[Judi Lynn]

1. Rising CO2 ‘eating’ shells of sea butterflies

Rising CO2 ‘eating’ shells of sea butterflies
By Agence France-Presse
Sunday, November 25, 2012 15:39 EST

PARIS — Rising acidity is eating away the shells of tiny snails, known as “sea butterflies”, that live in the seas around Antarctica, leaving them vulnerable to predators and disease, scientists said Sunday.

The study presents rare evidence of living creatures suffering the results of ocean acidification caused by rising carbon dioxide levels from fossil fuel burning, the British Antarctic Survey said in a statement.

“The finding supports predictions that the impact of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and food webs may be significant.”

The tiny snail, named for two wing-like appendices, does not necessarily die as a result of losing its shell, but it becomes an easier target for fish and bird predators, as well as infection.

More:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/11/25/rising-co2-eating-shells-of-sea-butterflies/