Water notes
Phytoplankton being affected by Ocean Acidification
By Sophie Gámez Reyes, Miguel Ángel Jahén Martínez and Andrea Peña Palomino
Keywords: Biodiversity, carbon footprint, phytoplankton, ocean acidification, diatoms, dwindling, krill.
How does this affect our future?
To begin with, water is very important in the daily life of any person, regardless of age, ethnicity or gender. So we all need water and have the right to it. But how important is water in our lives?
Easy, it is more than vital in many aspects, for example, we need it to live (that is, we take it); In addition to the fact that we use it when cooking, indirectly to dress (as the article of clothing we wear was made), we need it to water the plants so we can have oxygen, animals use it to live just like us. , and in this case we will focus on marine life.
Marine life includes its fauna, that is, fish, shrimp, and flora, such as algae, among others; and what happens with these things? that we consume some of these, that is to say that in these cases our problem, which is the acidity in the water, influences the system of the fish or shrimp, which would affect us when consuming it.
In order to understand how ocean acidification affects phytoplankton we must understand two basic concepts:
What is phytoplankton?
Phytoplankton is essential for the balance of marine ecosystems. These organisms are responsible for carrying out half of the total photosynthesis carried out by all photosynthetic organisms throughout the planet. They are characterized by being able to feed autotrophic through solar capture during the photosynthesis process and by living dispersed in water.
Although they are so fundamental for the planet, they have caused certain problems since, due to their excess abundance, they have displaced other plant and animal species, contaminated waters and ecosystems, and even caused the death of other organisms due to the excess of phytoplankton in the upper layers of the seas.
Most phytoplankton organisms are microscopic, some can be seen in some algae such as sargassum; other examples of phytoplankton are diatoms, dinoflagellates, green algae and brown algae.
What is ocean acidification?
Ocean acidification is the reduction of pH in the seawater around the world. The pH in the ocean decreases as a consequence of it absorbing a large amount of carbon dioxide. The more carbon dioxide there is in the atmosphere, the more carbon dioxide the ocean absorbs. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (approximately in 1750) about one-third to one-half of the CO2 released into the atmosphere by vehicles, agricultural and industrial processes has been absorbed into the ocean. So, in the years between then and now the acidity of our oceans has increased by 30%. This is alarming given that scientists estimate that the pace of ocean acidification since the Industrial Revolution has been 100 times faster than at any other point in the last 650 000 years.
The concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide between 1000 and 1900 CE were between 275 and 290 parts per million by volume (ppmv) and in 2010 the average CO2 in the atmosphere was 390 ppmv. Climatologists calculate that the concentration will increase by 2100 to between 413 and 750 ppmv, depending on the greenhouse emissions created between now and then.
The ocean’s acidification also poses a risk to marine life. When CO2 is absorbed by seawater chemical reactions happen which cause an increase in hydrogen ions, this causes the acidification and it means carbonate ions are scarcer. Carbonate ions is a material that is used abundantly by sea creatures (such as oysters, clams, corals, sea urchins and plankton) when creating their shells or other structures that need it. But these changes also affect many other organisms. The more acidic the water, the harder it is for some fish to detect predators and this whole unbalance means the food chain is also at risk.
Ocean acidification affects all of us, we depend on the ocean to get food and it is a significant portion of the world’s economy as well as some people’s only income and only way to feed their families.
The most efficient way to limit ocean acidification is to severely reduce greenhouse and carbon emissions, work harder than ever to implement changes in our society and to make sure that we are doing everything we can in order to meet our sustainable goals and create a sustainable society.
How is phytoplankton being affected by ocean acidification?
The increased acidity of seawater is diminishing the capacity of Antarctic phytoplankton to construct robust cell membranes, resulting in their diminished size and decreased efficacy in carbon sequestration. This phenomenon could manifest before the conclusion of the century if current trends in seawater acidification persist.
The impact of carbon dioxide emissions extends beyond atmospheric alteration. Over 40% of human-emitted CO2 is assimilated by the oceans. While mitigating atmospheric CO2 levels is commendable, the concomitant rise in seawater acidity poses significant ramifications. Many investigations have understandably focused on the effects of seawater acidification on calcifying organisms, yet the vulnerability of non-calcifying species remains a crucial area of inquiry.
Phytoplankton harness photosynthesis to convert atmospheric carbon into cellular carbon, playing a pivotal role in carbon sequestration and sustaining marine food chains. Heightened acidity translates to diminished silicate levels, leading to a proliferation of smaller diatom species and a reduction in silica production. Diatoms utilize dissolved silica to fortify their cell walls, facilitating rapid sinking and augmenting the transfer of carbon to the ocean floor, where it may endure for millennia.
Diatoms play a pivotal role in the global carbon cycle, prompting our team to investigate the potential impact of climate-induced ocean acidification on this intricate process.
As seawater acidity intensifies, diatom communities increasingly comprise smaller species, resulting in diminished silica production. This reduction in silica content impedes the rapid sinking of diatoms, slowing their descent to the seabed and hampering the effective sequestration of carbon away from the atmosphere.
The dwindling marine diversity exacerbates the repercussions of reduced silica production, with profound implications for oceanic biology and chemistry. Many affected species serve as vital components of the Antarctic krill diet, integral to the central Antarctic marine food web. The diminished sinking of diatoms disrupts silicon cycling and carbon burial, crucial processes for maintaining atmospheric equilibrium amidst rising CO2 levels.
In an era where oceanic carbon absorption is indispensable for sustaining atmospheric stability, any depletion in this mechanism will only compound CO2 pollution, accentuating environmental challenges.
Ocean acidification hurts the marine ecosystems and environment therefore also affecting our society, economy and future.
This problem has been and has been caused by us for many years and we must now work together to stop it advancing and help reverse it.
In conclusion, we are students of Prepa Tec, campus Cuernavaca, Mexico, so we try to reduce the carbon footprint in many ways, for example we try to use the 3R (well, they are 7, but the most known are reduce, reuse, and recycle). We separate the trash, try to reduce the use of plastic bottles, we take care of the water, and so on.
The repercussions of this environmental challenge demands immediate attention and collective action, it’s important that we acknowledge our responsibility in causing this issue and take proactive measures to curb its progression, by fostering global collaboration, promoting innovative solutions and implementing sustainable practices we can work to mitigate the impacts of ocean acidification and restore the delicate balance of our oceans.
From home we can help by doing actions such as trying to use public transportation, carpooling bicycles or walking whenever possible, reducing our consumption of plastics, participating in initiatives to clean up ecosystems, promoting the conservation of marine ecosystems and sharing information about this in order to reduce our carbon footprint, since this is a topic that was discovered only a few years ago and therefore is not widely known. In this way we can help protect our oceans and our planet.
Our commitment to solving this crisis will not only help diverse marine life but also preserve the well-being of our communities, the stability of our economies, and the vitality of our shared future.
References
Morel, F. (2024). Effects of ocean acidification on marine phytoplankton. Carbon Mitigation Initiative. Recovered from https://cmi.princeton.edu/
Nielsen, D. A. (26 de Agosto, 2019). Acid oceans are shrinking plankton, fuelling faster climate change. The Conversation. Recovered from https://theconversation.com/
NOAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (06 de junio, 2024). What is ocean acidification? Recovered from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov
Rafferty, J. P. (2 de agosto, 2011). Ocean acidification. Definition, causes, effects, chemistry, & facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. Recovered from https://www.britannica.com/
Roldan, L. F. (22 de enero, 2020). Qué es el fitoplancton. ecologiaverde.com. Recovered from https://www.ecologiaverde.com/
Union of Concerned Scientists. (30 de enero, 2019). CO2 and ocean acidification. Causes, impacts, solutions. Recovered from https://www.ucsusa.org/