Oceans in trouble as acid levels rise

maxpayne_lhp · 07-04-2005, 05:17 AM

Oceans in trouble as acid levels rise

Michael Hopkin

© SPL Corals and plankton are at risk of being destroyed by the rising acidity of the world's oceans as the waters absorb carbon dioxide from the air, British scientists have warned. The only solution, they say, is drastic cuts in carbon dioxide emissions, far beyond those called for by the Kyoto treaty.

Without such measures, dissolved carbon dioxide could increase the acidity of sea water by as much as 0.5 pH units by the end of this century, from 8.2 to around 7.7, they say. Such a change would upset the oceans' chemical balance and kill off some marine life.

"There is no way for us to remove this CO2 from the ocean. It will take many thousands of years for natural processes to remove it," said lead author John Raven of the University of Dundee, at the report's launch in London. As long as we keep putting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, he added, it will keep finding its way into the ocean. As carbon dioxide dissolves in water it forms weak carbonic acid, which can dissolve materials such as shells and coral.

University of Dundee, UK

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, humans have pumped an estimated total of 450 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, around half of which has ended up in the oceans, Raven said. He and his colleagues are calling for no more than 900 billion tonnes to be added during this century - a tall order given the burgeoning industrial development of China and India.

This target would call for huge cuts, with emissions by 2100 reaching half their present levels. This is far in excess of the more modest targets set by the Kyoto treaty, which calls for developed nations to cut their emissions, relative to 1990 levels, by an average of 5% by 2012.

From News@Nature.com
Oiginal HTML document

maxpayne_lhp · 07-04-2005, 05:30 AM

Well I wonder that if the pH rises gradually, can the living blend theselves to such environment? Will the damage be as serious as the scientists predict? What do you think?

**Baby_Baby** · 07-04-2005, 10:08 AM

ya. i think they could adjust. natural selection, of course.

**TheOldSalt** · 07-04-2005, 03:05 PM

Not really.
If the drop is that much, that fast, then the world is doomed. The corals can't calcify efficiently under those conditions, which means the reefs will die, and then the oceans, and then the world.

**Baby_Baby** · 07-04-2005, 05:10 PM

okay. thanks for the great news, OS. ha ha

**Osiris** · 07-04-2005, 06:48 PM

hmm well there goes my day

**TheOldSalt** · 07-04-2005, 11:11 PM

Cheer up! The good news is that you got to live your life near the pinnacle of human civilization. By the time the whole world goes down the crapper, you'll be dead. Your grandchildren are screwed, of course, but that that's their problem. We could of course save the planet by killing half the people on it, but somehow I doubt that anyone will think of that in time.

maxpayne_lhp · 07-04-2005, 11:38 PM

Yup poor little children

I'd better live a single life. lol jk...
Well whatever will be, will be.

**Baby_Baby** · 07-05-2005, 09:03 AM

um.....OS.......you have a very crazy imagination........ha ha

maxpayne_lhp · 07-05-2005, 10:57 AM

lol well until I find a nice, fish-loving girl... Hmmm that should take me a while.

guppyart · 07-05-2005, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxpayne_lhp

lol well until I find a nice, fish-loving girl... Hmmm that should take me a while.

yep you and me both what is it with all the girls that like fish don't seem to like us guys its wierd

maxpayne_lhp · 07-05-2005, 11:17 AM

Well some "oldies" (Ouch fish_doc is about to reply) told that many girls don't like fish and the ones that like are all taken

Hmm off-topic lol

**Baby_Baby** · 07-05-2005, 11:21 AM

you guys think its just the fact that you like fish? ha ha ha JK

guppyart · 07-05-2005, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baby_Baby

you guys think its just the fact that you like fish? ha ha ha JK

she is making fun of us max I say we get her.

**Baby_Baby** · 07-05-2005, 11:32 AM

I say: BRING IT ON!!!!

guppyart · 07-05-2005, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baby_Baby

I say: BRING IT ON!!!!

being how you have forgotten I am 6,7" and I am 210 pounds I am not a little boy anymore. I work out to so bring it on.

**Baby_Baby** · 07-05-2005, 11:42 AM

being you forgot that i'm a girl and that already makes me better than you i say:BRING IT ON, BUBBA!

guppyart · 07-05-2005, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baby_Baby

being you forgot that i'm a girl and that already makes me better than you i say:BRING IT ON, BUBBA!

ya you would win cause I will never hit a girl so I lose right aways.
So now I will go hide in my corner and wimper and hope you don't beat me.

**Baby_Baby** · 07-05-2005, 11:47 AM

ha ha! save the drama for your mama!!! ha ha

guppyart · 07-05-2005, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baby_Baby

ha ha! save the drama for your mama!!! ha ha

you may think I am kidding but I will never hit a girl I just think its wrong.

07-04-2005, 05:17 AM	#1
maxpayne_lhp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: West Michigan Age: 20 Posts: 2,174	Oceans in trouble as acid levels rise Oceans in trouble as acid levels rise Michael Hopkin © SPL Corals and plankton are at risk of being destroyed by the rising acidity of the world's oceans as the waters absorb carbon dioxide from the air, British scientists have warned. The only solution, they say, is drastic cuts in carbon dioxide emissions, far beyond those called for by the Kyoto treaty. Without such measures, dissolved carbon dioxide could increase the acidity of sea water by as much as 0.5 pH units by the end of this century, from 8.2 to around 7.7, they say. Such a change would upset the oceans' chemical balance and kill off some marine life. "There is no way for us to remove this CO2 from the ocean. It will take many thousands of years for natural processes to remove it," said lead author John Raven of the University of Dundee, at the report's launch in London. As long as we keep putting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, he added, it will keep finding its way into the ocean. As carbon dioxide dissolves in water it forms weak carbonic acid, which can dissolve materials such as shells and coral. University of Dundee, UK Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, humans have pumped an estimated total of 450 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, around half of which has ended up in the oceans, Raven said. He and his colleagues are calling for no more than 900 billion tonnes to be added during this century - a tall order given the burgeoning industrial development of China and India. This target would call for huge cuts, with emissions by 2100 reaching half their present levels. This is far in excess of the more modest targets set by the Kyoto treaty, which calls for developed nations to cut their emissions, relative to 1990 levels, by an average of 5% by 2012. From News@Nature.com Oiginal HTML document __________________ ~Nam Nguyen~

07-04-2005, 05:30 AM	#2
maxpayne_lhp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: West Michigan Age: 20 Posts: 2,174	Well I wonder that if the pH rises gradually, can the living blend theselves to such environment? Will the damage be as serious as the scientists predict? What do you think? __________________ ~Nam Nguyen~

07-04-2005, 10:08 AM	#3
Baby_Baby Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tulsa Posts: 3,806 Blog Entries: 1	ya. i think they could adjust. natural selection, of course. __________________ "By avoiding the very thing you despise the most, by trying to be "different" by striving to be so "unique", you've become the sole and center of all that you held so high on the pedestal of disgusting mortality deemed society."

07-04-2005, 05:10 PM	#5
Baby_Baby Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tulsa Posts: 3,806 Blog Entries: 1	okay. thanks for the great news, OS. ha ha __________________ "By avoiding the very thing you despise the most, by trying to be "different" by striving to be so "unique", you've become the sole and center of all that you held so high on the pedestal of disgusting mortality deemed society."

07-04-2005, 06:48 PM	#6
Osiris Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 25 Posts: 3,816	hmm well there goes my day __________________ Reality is for people who can't handle Science-Fiction

Members currently in the Chat:0
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07-04-2005, 03:05 PM	#4
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,471	Not really. If the drop is that much, that fast, then the world is doomed. The corals can't calcify efficiently under those conditions, which means the reefs will die, and then the oceans, and then the world.

07-04-2005, 11:11 PM	#7
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,471	Cheer up! The good news is that you got to live your life near the pinnacle of human civilization. By the time the whole world goes down the crapper, you'll be dead. Your grandchildren are screwed, of course, but that that's their problem. We could of course save the planet by killing half the people on it, but somehow I doubt that anyone will think of that in time.

07-04-2005, 11:38 PM	#8
maxpayne_lhp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: West Michigan Age: 20 Posts: 2,174	Yup poor little children I'd better live a single life. lol jk... Well whatever will be, will be. __________________ ~Nam Nguyen~

07-05-2005, 09:03 AM	#9
Baby_Baby Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tulsa Posts: 3,806 Blog Entries: 1	um.....OS.......you have a very crazy imagination........ha ha __________________ "By avoiding the very thing you despise the most, by trying to be "different" by striving to be so "unique", you've become the sole and center of all that you held so high on the pedestal of disgusting mortality deemed society."

07-05-2005, 10:57 AM	#10
maxpayne_lhp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: West Michigan Age: 20 Posts: 2,174	lol well until I find a nice, fish-loving girl... Hmmm that should take me a while. __________________ ~Nam Nguyen~

07-05-2005, 11:17 AM	#12
maxpayne_lhp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: West Michigan Age: 20 Posts: 2,174	Well some "oldies" (Ouch fish_doc is about to reply) told that many girls don't like fish and the ones that like are all taken Hmm off-topic lol __________________ ~Nam Nguyen~ Last edited by maxpayne_lhp; 07-05-2005 at 11:19 AM.

07-05-2005, 11:21 AM	#13
Baby_Baby Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tulsa Posts: 3,806 Blog Entries: 1	you guys think its just the fact that you like fish? ha ha ha JK __________________ "By avoiding the very thing you despise the most, by trying to be "different" by striving to be so "unique", you've become the sole and center of all that you held so high on the pedestal of disgusting mortality deemed society."

07-05-2005, 11:32 AM	#15
Baby_Baby Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tulsa Posts: 3,806 Blog Entries: 1	I say: BRING IT ON!!!! __________________ "By avoiding the very thing you despise the most, by trying to be "different" by striving to be so "unique", you've become the sole and center of all that you held so high on the pedestal of disgusting mortality deemed society."

07-05-2005, 11:42 AM	#17
Baby_Baby Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tulsa Posts: 3,806 Blog Entries: 1	being you forgot that i'm a girl and that already makes me better than you i say:BRING IT ON, BUBBA! __________________ "By avoiding the very thing you despise the most, by trying to be "different" by striving to be so "unique", you've become the sole and center of all that you held so high on the pedestal of disgusting mortality deemed society."

07-05-2005, 11:47 AM	#19
Baby_Baby Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tulsa Posts: 3,806 Blog Entries: 1	ha ha! save the drama for your mama!!! ha ha __________________ "By avoiding the very thing you despise the most, by trying to be "different" by striving to be so "unique", you've become the sole and center of all that you held so high on the pedestal of disgusting mortality deemed society."

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