The accelerated increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) levels since the Industrial Revolution, caused by human burning of fossil fuels, is altering marine inorganic carbon chemistry through a process termed “ocean acidification” (Caldeira and Wickett, 2003). The rising atmospheric CO2 increases the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) in ocean surface waters, leading to a number of chemical changes including increased hydrogen ion concentrations (lower pH, more acidic) and reduced carbonate ion concentrations. These changes have important implications for marine organisms, affecting physiological processes such as calcification, photosynthesis, and neurophysiological pathways. In turn, changes in the physiology of individuals can alter the dynamics of their populations and ultimately affect entire ecosystems.
Iglesias-Rodriguez M. D., Fabricius K. E. McElhany P., 2016. Ecological effects of ocean acidification. In Solan M. & Whiteley N. (Eds), Stressors in the marine environment, Oxford University Press, pp. 195-212. Book chapter.
