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To what extent do rising atmospheric CO2 levels impact ocean pH levels in…
To what extent do rising atmospheric CO2 levels impact ocean pH levels in the great barrier reef?
Introduction
We have seen a dramatic increase in
atmospheric CO2 since the industrial revolution
There is a connection between said increase in
atmospheric CO2 and the acidity of our oceans
CO2 forms carbonic acid when it enters the ocean
causing and increase in pH (more acidic)
Results
We can see from the graphs that as atmospheric CO2 levels increase the ocean becomes more acidific
However the relationship isn't directly proportional, CO2
is rising at a faster rate the the ocean acidification
There are large seasonal variations
in theatmospheric CO2 levels
Can introduce uncertainties in the line of best fit
Discussion
Chemical buffering capacity
Impacts
Economical
Due to the environmental degradation there is
a decrease in tourism to the great barrier reef
Research
As awareness is brought to this issue more research
and funding is allotted to helping recover the area
Environmental
Impacts on the oceanic ecosystems inlcude:
coral bleaching, habitat loss, and loss of biodiversity
Assumtions/limitations
The data is analysed only from 2010-2020, a
large timeframe could yield different results
The data is for the great barrier reef as a whole
but pH levels can easily vary by region
Conclusion
Ocean acidity in the great barrier reef has increased
by 0.12% while CO2 levels have increased by 5.2%
More acidic pH is damaging to marine wildlife in the area