Coral Reefs Unlikely to Survive in Acid Oceans

Ask any scuba diver or snorkeler what the most beautiful thing in the ocean is, and you're likely to hear it's seeing a coral reef. Coral reefs have existed for centuries. They are the home to numerous species of fish and plants. Unfortunately, researchers have discovered that their ability to survive is being threatened.

In a recent press release, researchers advised that the carbon emissions that occur because of human activities are heating up more than the globe. Carbon emissions are also involved in changing the chemical makeup of the oceans around the globe.

Not only do these coral reefs support a multitude of marine plants and animals, they are also central to the economies of many communities that exist in coastal areas.

According to the scientists at Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology, if you have ever wanted to see a coral reef in person, you should visit one soon. If carbon dioxide emission trends continue along the path that they have been taking in the past, within the next century coral reefs will be a thing of the past.

Scientists expect that nearly all, or 98 percent, of the coral reefs that are alive today will not survive. Why? Carbon dioxide emissions contribute to changing the chemistry of the water, including the water surrounding coral reefs.

The water that is currently able to support the life of a coral reef will become too acidic. The reefs will not be able to survive in this acidic water.

The oceans around the world help absorb approximately 1/3rd of the carbon dioxide that is put into the atmosphere. This does help slow the progression of greenhouse warming, but the sacrifice is polluting the oceans in exchange.

When the ocean absorbs the carbon dioxide, the acids cause minerals to dissolve. These minerals are important because the coral reefs use them to sustain themselves and grow their skeleton structures that support the diversity of plant and marine animals that are dependent on the reefs.

"Before the industrial revolution, over 98% of warm water coral reefs were bathed with open ocean waters 3.5 times supersaturated with aragonite, meaning that corals could easily extract it to build reefs. But if atmospheric CO2 stabilizes at 550 ppm -- and even that would take concerted international effort to achieve -- no existing coral reef will remain in such an environment," said Long Cao, a Chemical oceanographer.

Indeed, if the current rate of carbon dioxide emissions continues, one of the first casualties will be Australia's Great Barrier Reef. This reef is the largest organic structure in the ocean anywhere in the world.

Scientists have said that changes need to be made now to assure the survival of coral reefs.

Sources:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-12/ci-cru121007.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reef
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Barrier_Reef