The impact of human activity on the carbon and water cycles Flashcards
What is happening to the shells of many sea creatures?
They are getting weaker
Why is there a decrease in the PH of the Earth’s oceans?
This is caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
What does the absorbed CO2 in the ocean break down to form?
Carbonic acid and hydrogen ions
What does increased CO2 limit in the oceans?
It limits growth in the oceans
If an acidic ocean has a lower concentration of carbonate ions, what does this limit?
It limits the ability of marine life to create calcium based structures
What percentage of emissions from fossil fuels has the ocean absorbed?
25%
Since the industrial revolution how has the PH of the ocean been affected?
It has decreased by 0.1 from 8.2 to 8.1
How will ocean acidification impacts be amplified?
Due to other factors such as temperatures, destructive cyclones and pollution
If the speed of acidification is slow what may organisms be able to do?
They may be able to adapt to the changes and be more resilient
Which Ocean is likely to be first affected by a change in PH?
The arctic ocean due to its low PH-its cold corals will be threatened
What do reduced Carbonate ions in the ocean mean for some marine life?
Animals like coral expend more energy in building their shells, resulting in thinner more fragile shells
