ocean acidification may be worst in 300 million years
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Ocean acidification may be worst in 300 million years

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Ocean acidification may be worst in 300 million years

Washington - AFP

High levels of pollution may be turning the planet's oceans acidic at a faster rate than at any time in the past 300 million years, with unknown consequences for future sea life, researchers said Thursday. The acidification may be worse than during four major mass extinctions in history when natural pulses of carbon from asteroid impacts and volcanic eruptions caused global temperatures to soar, said the study in the journal Science. An international team of researchers from the United States, Britain, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands examined hundreds of paleoceanographic studies, including fossils wedged in seafloor sediment from millions of years ago. They found only one time in history that came close to what scientists are seeing today in terms of ocean life die-off -- a mysterious period known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum about 56 million years ago. Though the reason for the carbon upsurge back then remains a source of debate, scientists believe that the doubling of harmful emissions drove up global temperatures by about six degrees Celsius and caused big losses of ocean life. Oceans are particularly vulnerable because they soak up excess carbon dioxide from the air which turns the waters more acidic, a state that can kill corals, mollusks and other forms of reef and shell organisms. "We know that life during past ocean acidification events was not wiped out -- new species evolved to replace those that died off," said lead author Barbel Honisch, a paleoceanographer at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. "But if industrial carbon emissions continue at the current pace, we may lose organisms we care about -- coral reefs, oysters, salmon." Honish and colleagues said the current rate of ocean acidification is at least 10 times faster than it was 56 million years ago. "The geological record suggests that the current acidification is potentially unparalleled in at least the last 300 million years of Earth history, and raises the possibility that we are entering an unknown territory of marine ecosystem change," said co-author Andy Ridgwell of Bristol University. The UN Environment Program released a report in 2010 that warned carbon emissions from fossil fuels may bear a greater risk for the marine environment than previously thought. Rising acidity levels have an impact on calcium-based lifeforms, ranging from tiny organisms called ptetropods that are the primary food source, to crabs, fish, lobsters and coral, it said. The UN report called for cuts in human-made CO2 emissions to reduce acidification and support for further work to quantify the risk and identify species that could be most in peril.

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

ocean acidification may be worst in 300 million years ocean acidification may be worst in 300 million years

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

ocean acidification may be worst in 300 million years ocean acidification may be worst in 300 million years

 



GMT 08:12 2017 Tuesday ,28 November

Government launches a campaign to eliminate corruption

GMT 18:43 2018 Thursday ,20 September

Russian PM does not rule out expansion of trade wars

GMT 09:28 2017 Saturday ,30 December

Ski jumping: 40,000 to see Four Hills take leap of faith

GMT 19:31 2017 Sunday ,16 April

Iran to export gas to Iraq

GMT 03:14 2017 Monday ,17 April

Kazakhstan Ambassador hails ties with Oman

GMT 20:57 2017 Wednesday ,20 September

Dubai Customs launches Partners’ Happiness Lab

GMT 18:32 2017 Monday ,30 October

CBE governor directs banks to expand funding

GMT 14:58 2017 Sunday ,19 February

Dhoni removed as Pune captain, Smith to take over

GMT 14:35 2017 Thursday ,19 January

Naidu comes to the defence of 'Dangal' actress Zaira

GMT 18:06 2016 Tuesday ,06 December

HHA launches Geely X7 Sport 4WD in Saudi market
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday