Chapter 6- The Sea Around Us

In chapter 6, The Sea Around Us,Kolbert further discusses the effect of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels on the Earth’s oceans. Kolbert travels to Castello Aragonese a tiny island which sends streams of gas bubbling out of vents in the sea floor; the gas is CO2 when CO2 dissolves in water it forms an acid. Kolbert visits Ischia to see an acidified bay which Jason Hall-Spencer and Maria Cristina Buia showed her the vents. Near the vents, there is missing organisms that would usually cover the vents. Kolbert further discusses the increase in carbon. Since the industrial revolution there has been increased use of fossil fuels by humans which inturn raises CO2 levels. If current trends continue there will increase in global temperature, glaciers will be gone leaving coastal cities and islands submerged. Gases like carbon dioxide gets absorbed by the ocean which dissolves in the ocean and is released. Which left me questioning how does carbon dioxide affect the ocean?

Humans are constantly adding CO2 into the atmosphere which pH of ocean’s surface waters have dropped which leads to more acidic water. Hall-Spencer gathered a group to conduct a survey of pH levels  around the island and what was living in each of the different pH zones. The results showed that many organisms vanished  in pH 7.8 zone. The results were alarming because following  experiments confirmed the danger of rising CO2 levels. Although some organisms will thrive in acidified ocean others will not be fine and will be more susceptible to extinction. Which raises the question why is acidified ocean so dangerous?

Ocean acidification increases toxic algae which impacts photosynthesis and later major compounds for many organisms. As well ocean acidification affects calcification  which many calcifiers will be hit hard by the plummeting pH levels. Humans are constantly pumping CO2 into the air which is being absorbed by the ocean. The concept of this chapter connects to humans altering natural systems because the use of fossil fuels is  lowering the pH of the ocean and many marine life has become its victim. On page 120 it states, “Depending on how tightly organisms are able to regulate their internal chemistry, acidification may affect such basic processes as metabolism, enzyme activity, and protein function. Because it will change the makeup of microbial communities, it will alter the availability of key nutrients, like iron and nitrogen.”(120) The rapid changes occurring in the ocean will affect many organisms and their internal chemistry. Such changes don’t allow species enough time to adapt to their environment. Human beings have to lower the use of fossil fuels but also protect endangered organisms that will die off by the changing pH levels.