Ocean Acidification Notes 1. 2. 3.
_____________ is an important part of ocean chemistry The ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the ________________ ____________ activities release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere Too much carbon dioxide in the ________ has the potential to _________ marine organisms and ecosystems
The ocean is a carbon __________ The ocean absorbs __________ from the atmosphere Physical and biological processes move some of the carbon to the deep ocean where it is stored The capture and storage of carbon is known as ___________ _______________. How much CO can the ocean absorb? 2
The total amount of any gas seawater can absorb depends on ____________ and _____________________ __________________ is a measure of the dissolved salt content of water Carbon dioxide in the ocean • •
When dissolved in water, carbon dioxide forms ___________ ______that primarily dissociates into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions Some of the excess hydrogen ions combine with carbonate, __________ carbonate availability to marine organisms.
Carbonate is used by marine organisms like this _____________ (marine snail) to create the compound ____________________ ____________ Calcium carbonate is the material that composes the __________ and exoskeletons of many marine organisms Remember your pH scale +
+
pH= -log[H ], so the _______ the pH, the _______ H Acidic (high, H+) Basic (low,H+) Humans affect the amount of CO in the ocean 2
Transportation, industry and things we do at home, like use electricity, have contributed to rising ________ emissions to the atmosphere, which are then _____________ by the ocean Ocean pH levels are decreasing • Data from scientists show that average ocean pH has ____________ between the 1700s (pre-industry) and the 2000s
•
Observations at monitoring _____________ across the ocean have shown this decreasing trend
Wrap-up: How is marine life affected? As you saw in the exercise, ____________ is broken down in acidic solution How is marine life affected? Sensitive ecosystems like coral reefs may decline due to change in ______ and slower construction of ___________ exoskeletons. How is marine life affected? _______________ abundance of small shelled organisms may cause problems for those larger species that prey upon them for _________.