Ocean Acidification : Our biggest challenges for the ocean and for the planet are problems of perception.
Ocean acidification implies a reduction in the ocean’s pH levels over a long period of time, which is caused primarily due to the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The pH of seawater in present-day is highly variable, and a single organism can manage in the fluctuations of different pH levels during its lifetime. One of the main problems with ocean acidification is the change’s sustained nature. The rapid pace of acidification might influence the extent to which calcifying organisms will be able to adapt.
Ocean acidification can have a negative effect on the marine ecosystem, which causes the shells and skeletons of organisms made with calcium carbonate to dissolve. Animals that produce calcium carbonate structures have to spend extra energy to repair their damaged shells or thicken them to survive.
The shellfish’s ability to build their shells will be impacted. Also, lower pH levels will have an effect on the metabolism of several organisms.