The oceans are our largest carbon sink. Meaning, our oceans absorb excess heat and carbon emissions. This is essential to reducing the impacts of climate change. This is a natural protection against the effects of global heating, comparable to our forests. However, absorbing nearly thirty percent of the carbon dioxide comes at a cost to these magnificent bodies of water. Ocean acidification is greatly affecting the oceans and most notably the coral reefs. Acidification is a reduction in the ocean’s pH and just like temperature rises on Earth, even small changes can have drastic impacts.
One effect of this rising ocean pH is seen in coral reefs. These are the typical frontrunner of climate impacts on the oceans because they so clearly have a before and after depiction. Coral reefs before rising temperatures were as we’d imagine; colorful and booming with life. Now, many coral reefs are bleached white and look empty as it can no longer support its former inhabitants. The coral bleaching is a result from the excess carbon dioxide in the ocean reducing the amount of carbonate ions available. These ions are critical to the coral skeletons. Also, when the waters are too warm the corals release their algae, and this turns them white because the symbiotic algae were the color source in large.
Biodiversity
Even though coral reefs are not seen everywhere, they are supporting a quarter of all ocean life. Twenty-five percent of marine life is a significant chunk and this highlights just how important these underwater cities are. A well-known coral reef is the Great Barrier Reef off Australia. Biodiversity thrives in coral reefs and in a world of shrinking biodiversity, more value should be placed upon coral reefs. The more diverse an ecosystem is, the more resilient it is and in a world of increasing disturbances to natural habitats, resilience is critical.
Even though coral reefs are not seen everywhere, they are supporting a quarter of all ocean life. Twenty-five percent of marine life is a significant chunk and this highlights just how important these underwater cities are. A well-known coral reef is the Great Barrier Reef off Australia. Biodiversity thrives in coral reefs and in a world of shrinking biodiversity, more value should be placed upon coral reefs. The more diverse an ecosystem is, the more resilient it is and in a world of increasing disturbances to natural habitats, resilience is critical.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a Clean Water Act (CWA) that regulates land-based sources of ocean pollution and prevents these costal polluters from further damaging our oceans. This is a difficult and imperfect task as you can imagine because our coastlines are huge and monitoring all coastal polluters is impossible. The EPA does what it can with this monitoring policy. This is enabled by many partnerships at the state and federal level. Some partnerships include National Pollutant Discharge Elimination system that watches sewer and stormwater, the US Army Corps of Engineers to watch for dredged discharge, and the Trash Free Waters programs that reduce coastal trash dumping. It takes a village to protect our waters. These are all of course accompanied by numerous nonprofit organizations; Oceans Harmony, SHEBA, Blue Marine Foundation, Oceana, Ocean Conservancy, etc.
I love that you not only address the problems with carbon sink reservoirs but also the impacts and ways we can help limit the damage being done by global warming. I had never heard of the Clean Water Act before this blog post, and it was very informative to read about, not to mention promising for change in the future.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very organized and informational blog post. The picture showing the before, and after of coral bleaching is really sad.
ReplyDeleteCoral reefs are one of the most biodiverse places in the world. Losing these extremely vulnerable places would be terrible for the ocean ecosystems. It would be terrible for us do to the amount of fish we eat from these ecosystems.
ReplyDeleteIt's heartbreaking to see the cost of carbon dioxide emissions in our coral reefs. The comparison of coral reefs to "underwater cities" is so fitting.
ReplyDeleteI first heard about coral bleaching in an oceanography class I took in high school, the damage that humans have done to these ecosystems is deplorable. On a more positive note, the NOAA has several really amazing coral nursey initiatives that seem to be making a big difference in reef rehabilitation.
ReplyDeleteThe oceans, as vital carbon sinks, are facing severe threats from ocean acidification and coral bleaching, highlighting the urgent need for effective protection measures and collaborative efforts to preserve marine biodiversity and ecosystems.
ReplyDeleteI have known for years that our oceans are becoming acidic and the coral reefs are slowly going away. We definitely need to work on protecting our most important carbon sink for getting increasingly worse in the upcoming years.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that coral reefs supported so much of the ocean 25% as your post stated and it's sad to see how it is in danger and being destroyed by pollution.
ReplyDeleteWe are ruining something so beautiful and so important without batting an eye. Everytime I try to engage online about climate change and the seas being ruined several people claim its all a hoax. How do people not see the truth.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, there has been considerable talk about limiting the EPA's strength when it comes to water regulations. Both the Supreme Court and the Trump administration have been weighing heavily on the issue.
ReplyDeleteI have been doing research on the phytoplankton dying because of the changes in the flow of nutrients on the ocean surface caused by climate change. It's insane how the ocean works so hard to adjust itself based on the atmosphere but can't keep up. It's so sad.
ReplyDeleteIt’s great to see efforts like the EPA's Clean Water Act are in place to help protect our oceans, but it’s clear that more work is needed to tackle the challenges of pollution and warming waters.
ReplyDeleteI really loved the diagram you included about ocean acidification. It explains the process so well! I had no idea that coral reefs were supporting 25% of ocean life! All the more reason to do everything to protect them.
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad. I remember the first time I heard about coral bleaching. I was wondering if it's reversable? If the water cools down and the algae comes back, will the coral live again? I would hope so otherwise how would we save it?
ReplyDeleteI think about ocean acidification quite often. It is disheartening how we continue to abuse the oceans capacity as a carbon sink by continuing to emit greenhouse gases. It is scary to think that newer generations may never get to live in a world with all of the beautiful and beneficial biodiversity and resources that these magnificent bodies of water provide.
ReplyDeleteBefore reading this, I had the understanding that coral reefs are very important to many different species, but I did not think it was 25%. I also never thought of the Clean Water Act helping with the bleaching of coral reefs. I really appreciate that information!
ReplyDeleteOne of the potentially concerning issues with the ocean that is not often addressed is that because they have absorbed so much of the heat and CO2 of global warming (as a sink) if and when greenhouse gas emissions are reduced and the earth starts to slow warming and even cool, as I understand it, the whole system equilibriates the ocean will start giving off heat and CO2.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t know coral reefs support 25% of ocean life! That’s a huge part of marine biodiversity so interesting and a bit sad too.
ReplyDeleteThe oceans play an important role in preventing climate change, but acidification and coral bleaching are serious concerns. Protecting coral reefs and marine biodiversity is critical to our planet's health.
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