<div>What is surprisingly often absent from discussions about human CO2 emissions impacts on the biosphere, is that even absent dramatic temperature increases from CO2 radiative forcing, CO2 emissions are increasing ocean acidification, a potentially major environmental problem, as the published science papers referenced below indicate:</div>
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<h1><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.uidahoblogs.com/science/?p=79#respond" target="_blank"><font size="2"><a href="http://www.uidahoblogs.com/science/?p=79#respond">http://www.uidahoblogs.com/<span class="" id="st" name="st">science</span>/?p=79#respond</a></font></a><font size="2"></font></h1>
<h1><font size="2">Ted Moffett</font> <font size="2"><span>says:</span> </font></h1></div>
<div><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.uidahoblogs.com/science/?p=79&cpage=1#comment-22" target="_blank"><font color="#b59771">July 3, 2009 at 1:56 pm</font></a></div>
<p>I enjoyed Mr. Williams’ commentary defining what is a “poison” being a matter of the dose involved, linking this to the EPA ruling on CO2, and CO2’s important role in the biosphere and impact on atmospheric temperature and climate. But I was a bit surprised that given his explicit wording regarding CO2 as a “pollutant,” that he did not mention, unless I missed it, CO2’s role in acidification of the oceans and the impacts on marine organisms.</p>
<p>The hundreds of billions of tons of CO2 humanity has dumped into the atmosphere is increasing the acidity of the oceans (which are doing humanity a great service by removing much of our CO2 emissions), and is predicted to have serious negative impacts on marine organisms that are impaired with increasing acidity. In fact, as the published <span name="st">science</span> articles referenced below indicate, the impacts of CO2 as a “pollutant” increasing ocean acidity impacting marine life may already be occurring. </p>
<p>This environmental problem can damage ecosystems in the oceans in ways that can have wide ranging consequences. This problem alone is enough reason to lower CO2 emissions, even if anthropogenic warming were not occurring; and some of the geo-engineering solutions to climate change (blocking solar radiation with sulfur compounds injected into the upper atmosphere, mimicking the cooling effect of volcanic eruptions), though they can cool the climate, will not solve the problem of CO2 emissions increasing ocean acidity.</p>
<p>NOAA article on results of study of ocean acidification:</p>
<p>International Scientists Find ‘Acidified’ Water on the Continental Shelf from Canada to Mexico </p>
<p><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20080522_oceanacid.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><font color="#b59771">http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20080522_oceanacid.html</font></a></p>
<p>“Acidification of the Earth’s ocean water could have far-reaching impacts on the health of our near-shore environment, and on the sustainability of ecosystems that support human populations through nourishment and jobs,” said Richard W. Spinrad, NOAA assistant administrator for oceanic and atmospheric research. </p>
<p>“Our findings represent the first evidence that a large section of the North American continental shelf is seasonally impacted by ocean acidification,” said Feely. “This means that ocean acidification may be seriously impacting marine life on our continental shelf right now.” </p>
<p>The findings will be published May 22 in the online journal <span name="st">Science</span> Express. “Evidence for Upwelling of Corrosive ‘Acidified’ Water onto the Continental Shelf” was written by Richard A. Feely and Christopher Sabine,<br>
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<p><span name="st">Science</span> journal article on ocean acidification:</p>
<p>Coral Reefs Under Rapid Climate Change and Ocean Acidification</p>
<p><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/318/5857/1737" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><font color="#b59771">http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/318/5857/1737</font></a></p>
<p>From article above:</p>
<p>Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is expected to exceed 500 parts per million and global temperatures to rise by at least 2°C by 2050 to 2100, values that significantly exceed those of at least the past 420,000 years during which most extant marine organisms evolved. </p>
<p>Under conditions expected in the 21st century, global warming and ocean acidification will compromise carbonate accretion, with corals becoming increasingly rare on reef systems. The result will be less diverse reef communities and carbonate reef structures that fail to be maintained. Climate change also exacerbates local stresses from declining water quality and overexploitation of key species, driving reefs increasingly toward the tipping point for functional collapse. This review presents future scenarios for coral reefs that predict increasingly serious consequences for reef-associated fisheries, tourism, coastal protection, and people.<br>
————–<br><span>Ted Moffett, Bachelor Of <span name="st">Science</span>, Philosophy, U of I</span></p>