Scientists From Woods Hole, NASA Testify To Congress On Ocean Acidification - AFP

[hatrack]

Increased carbon levels in ocean water could have devastating impacts on marine life, scientists testified Thursday at a congressional hearing. Although most of the concern about carbon emissions has focused on the atmosphere and resulting temperature changes, accumulation of carbon dioxide in the ocean also could have disturbing outcomes, experts said at the hearing, which examined legislation that would create a program to study how the ocean responds to increased carbon levels.

Ocean surface waters quickly absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, so as carbon concentrations rise in the skies, they also skyrocket in the watery depths that cover almost 70 percent of the planet. As carbon dioxide increases in oceans, the acidity of the water also rises, and this change could affect a wide variety of organisms, said Scott Doney, senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a non-profit research institute based in Woods Hole, Mass.

"Greater acidity slows the growth or even dissolves ocean plant and animal shells built from calcium carbonate," Doney told representatives in the House Committee on Energy and the Environment. "Acidification thus threatens a wide range of marine organisms, from microscopic plankton and shellfish to massive coral reefs."

If small organisms, like phytoplankton, are knocked out by acidity, the ripples would be far-reaching, said David Adamec, head of ocean sciences at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. "If the amount of phytoplankton is reduced, you reduce the amount of photosynthesis going on in the ocean," Adamec told United Press International. "Those little guys are responsible for half of the oxygen you're breathing right now."

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Analysis_Acidic_oceans_may_snarl_food_web_999.html

[opihimoimoi]

1. Do the Pubs Care??? Really Care? We Humans are so fucked in our Greed and Ignorance

Its deplorable and pathetic

[phantom power]

2. I wonder if any members of Congress said "oh fuck."

Because if nobody said that, they probably didn't get it.

[pscot]

4. Senator Maria Cantwell and Rep. Jay Inslee

held local hearings on the subject last week, trying to raise public consciousness. There are a few who get it, and they need to be encouraged. Send 'em an attaboy.

[kestrel91316]

3. I don't understand why they're so concerned about this......

after all, the oceans acidify like this all the time, right? It's a natural cycle, right???

Oops.