The U.S. National Academy of Sciences has released its report to Congress regarding acidification in the ocean, as it pertains to climate change. The recommended strategy addresses effects of rising levels of carbon dioxide ( pCO2 ) in the atmosphere and ocean. Such changes affect the health of corals and coral reefs in the Caribbean and elsewhere.
Key Findings include:
- A global network of chemical and biological observations is needed to monitor changes in ocean conditions attributable to acidification.
- Changes in seawater chemistry are expected to affect marine organisms that use carbonate to build shells or skeletons.
- Ocean chemistry is changing at an unprecedented rate and magnitude due to human-made carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere.
