Coral Reefs

Due to ocean acidifaction, corals cannot obtain the calcium carbonate that they need

in order to build and support their stony skeletons. This will slow down the coral building process, thus making coral reefs more likely to fall victim to things such as bioerosion where reef dwellers break down the corals for food or shelter. Coral reefs already work very hard to grow at a faster rate than they are eroded, and ocean acidification may make it impossible for the reefs to be sustained. Coral reefs are home to a great variety of ocean creatures, and if we do not make efforts to protect them, ocean biodiversity and aesthetics will continue to worsen.

 

Pteropods

Tiny sea snails called pteropods are primary food sources to whales and other top predators, making them a critical part of the marine food web. In order for a pteropod to produce its shell, it needs calcium carbonate which becomes harder and harder to find as the ocean water becomes increasingly acidic. Pteropod shells are expected to dissolve if the current rate of acidifcation continues. The collapse of the pteropod population would have disastrous ripple effects for the most diverse marine ecosystems.

 

Sea Urchins & Sea Stars

Sea urchins and sea stars are both important to a healthy coral reef ecosystem, and are both in danger if current acidification trends continue. Sea urchins graze and feed on encroaching sea algae that may be harmful to corals, while sea stars are burrowers and have an important place in the marine food web, serving as prey to numerous animals, including flatfish. In acidified conditions, sea urchins grow slower and have weaker protective shells than they do in healthy conditions, which means that they are more vulnerable to predators and less likely to survive than they would be in normal conditions. Adult sea stars lose muscle mass in acidic water, which will reduce their chances of survival, and sea star larvae cannot survive in acidic water, which will cause severe reductions in their propulation.

 

Other Marine Species

Ocean acidification also affects marine species that do not rely on calcification in order to survive. Squid are very important in the marine food web, serving as prey to beaked and sperm whales. They also provide humans an economic service, benefiting California with over $25 million in revenues per year. As ocean acidity increases, squid lose oxygen in their bloodstream causing them to swim slower and decreasing their chances of survival. Clownfish behavior becomes more risky in acidic conditions. Studies have shown that five to nine times more fish die in increasingly acidic waters due to this risky behavior. Jelly fish and algae are both species that flourish in acidic conditions, but both of these are thought of as nuiscance species.

​