Climate Change and the Reef
This greenhouse gas, produced largely by burning fossil fuels, is a major contributor to climate change.
What is carbon dioxide?
Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel these tiny organisms that live in their tissues, turning the coral white.
What are microscopic algae?
Ocean acidification began to accelerate with this historical event involving increased fossil fuel use.
What is the Industrial Revolution?
This type of marine animal, including oysters and clams, builds shells that are especially vulnerable to acidification.
What are shell-building organisms (or calcifiers)?
This natural wonder, one of the richest ecosystems in the world, is severely threatened by climate change.
What is the Great Barrier Reef?
A more acidic ocean makes it harder for corals to build these essential structures, crucial for reef health.
What are skeletons?
The current average surface ocean pH is about this, down from 8.2 before the Industrial Revolution.
what is 8.1?
Acidification reduces these essential ions, the primary building blocks for the shells and skeletons of marine calcifiers.
What are carbonate ions?
Rising greenhouse gases trap this in our atmosphere, causing global warming.
What is Heat?
Marine heatwaves have caused this many mass bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef in seven years.
What is four?
The pH scale is logarithmic, so a drop from 8.2 to 8.1 represents this percentage increase in ocean acidity.
what is 26%?
Known as a “keystone species,” these coral structures provide habitats and protect coastlines but are at risk due to ocean acidification.
What are coral reefs?
Since the late 18th century, oceans have absorbed about this percentage of carbon dioxide produced by humans.
What is 30%?
Ocean acidification impacts this protective function that coral reefs provide to coastlines.
What is protection from storms?
Scientists use these natural records, such as ice cores and coral samples, to infer past ocean pH and CO2 levels.
What are proxies?
Acidification has shown to increase mortality rates of larvae in these species, which are crucial for human fisheries.
What are commercially important fish and shellfish?