Carbon Dioxide Threatens Reefs, Report Says

[HowardCath]

December 14, 2007
National Briefing | Science and Health

Carbon Dioxide Threatens Reefs, Report Says
By KENNETH CHANG

Carbon dioxide in the air is turning the oceans acidic, and without a reduction in emissions, coral reefs may die away by the end of the century, researchers warn in Friday’s issue of the journal Science. Carbon dioxide dissolves into ocean water, changes to carbonic acid, and carbonic acid dissolves the calcium carbonate in the skeletons of corals. Laboratory experiments have shown that corals possess some ability to adapt to warmer waters but no ability to adapt to the higher acidity. “Unless we reverse our actions very quickly, by the end of the century, reefs could be a thing of the past,” said Ken Caldeira, a scientist at the Carnegie Institution’s department of global ecology and an author of the Science paper.

Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company

 

[BlueWaterFarm]

edit..

 

[NeveSSL]

Very interesting.

I saw the other day on one of the nature channels a feature on the Great Barrier reef. They were talking about one way that corals deal with higher temps is to secrete a substance that helps cause clouds!

I thought that was kinda crazy!

Brandon

 

[crumbletop]

That doesn't sound quite right. Perhaps it is true, but I find it hard to believe the "acid" dissolves the coral skeleton from live corals. Does the article talk about the pH, alk, and Ca levels? Have they been fluctuating? In our aquariums the corals seem to do fine at a wide array of pHs, and with our small volumes of water and well sealed houses, the pH does fluctuate widely in most of our setups.

 

[Siffy]

Something doesn't have to be true or make sense to be published these days. And if you're a big enough hypocrite, you win a Nobel Prize. I wouldn't trust a thing written in the NY Times these days.

 

[HowardCath]

I don't know any details other than this NY Times description of the article that was published in Science. Thought I'd pass it along for the sake of discussion among those who certainly know more than I. I'll just sit back and listen in.

 

[boggs32]

this is not good to read

 

[crumbletop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11406552#post11406552 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HowardCath
I don't know any details other than this NY Times description of the article that was published in Science. Thought I'd pass it along for the sake of discussion among those who certainly know more than I. I'll just sit back and listen in.

No problem, Howard. It may be an actual problem. I was just trying to make sense of it based on my own limited knowledge. Dr. Shimek will be talking about the state of the world's reefs and maybe he'll have some info about this.