Navigation Links
Coral reefs unlikely to survive in acid oceans
Date:12/14/2007

Stanford, CA Carbon emissions from human activities are not just heating up the globe, they are changing the oceans chemistry. This could soon be fatal to coral reefs, which are havens for marine biodiversity and underpin the economies of many coastal communities. Scientists from the Carnegie Institutions Department of Global Ecology have calculated that if current carbon dioxide emission trends continue, by mid-century 98% of present-day reef habitats will be bathed in water too acidic for reef growth. Among the first victims will be Australias Great Barrier Reef, the worlds largest organic structure.

Chemical oceanographers Ken Caldeira and Long Cao are presenting their results in a multi-author paper in the December 14 issue of Science* and at the annual meeting of American Geophysical Union in San Francisco on the same date. The work is based on computer simulations of ocean chemistry under levels of atmospheric CO2 ranging from 280 parts per million (pre-industrial levels) to 5000 ppm. Present levels are 380 ppm and rapidly rising due to accelerating emissions from human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels.

About a third of the carbon dioxide put into the atmosphere is absorbed by the oceans, says Caldeira, which helps slow greenhouse warming, but is a major pollutant of the oceans. The absorbed CO2 produces carbonic acid, the same acid that gives soft drinks their fizz, making certain minerals called carbonate minerals dissolve more readily in seawater. This is especially true for aragonite, the mineral used by corals and many other marine organisms to grow their skeletons.

Before the industrial revolution, over 98% of warm water coral reefs were bathed with open ocean waters 3.5 times supersaturated with aragonite, meaning that corals could easily extract it to build reefs, says Cao. But if atmospheric CO2 stabilizes at 550 ppm -- and even that would take concerted international effort to achieve -- no
'/>"/>

Contact: Ken Caldeira
kcaldeira@stanford.edu
650-704-7212
Carnegie Institution  
Source:Eurekalert

2

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Coral reef fish harbor an unexpectedly high biodiversity of parasites
2. Why do so many species live in tropical forests and coral reefs?
3. Coral reefs will be permanently damaged without urgent action
4. TAU professor finds global warming is melting soft coral
5. New south Florida nursery to focus on staghorn corals
6. Wildlife Conservation Society study finds seasonal seas save corals with tough love
7. Its official: The carbon crisis is lethal for coral reefs
8. Immediate action needed to save corals from climate change
9. Tropical crab invades Georgia oyster reefs -- but the long-term impact cant be predicted
10. Giant panda can survive
11. Device helps patients survive, regain function til transplant
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
Related Image:
Coral reefs unlikely to survive in acid oceans
(Date:6/18/2013)... awarded a $394,300 grant from the Tarrant Regional ... in the new facilities of the 150-mile Integrated ... professor of civil engineering, will investigate the best ... water in an effort to eliminate biological growths ... monochloramine is widely practiced throughout the United States. ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... D.C. June 18, 2013 Joshua Obar, Ph.D., ... has been honored with a 2013 ICAAC Young Investigator ... regulation of immunological memory responses to infection. , ... University in 2001 and went on to complete his ... 2006. He performed his Ph.D. thesis research in ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... team of internationally recognized feline experts including veterinarians and ... University of Lincoln, U.K. and Dr Ilona Rodan, Director ... the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) and the ... for veterinarians, owners and those working with cats on ... cat. The new guidelines appear in the Journal ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):UT Arlington research to benefit quality, flow in 150-mile Integrated Pipeline 2The American Society for Microbiology honors Joshua Obar 2Feline behavior experts release guidelines to improve the welfare of cats 2
... no good evidence supporting a harmful effect of exercise on ... according to a review of studies published in this month,s ... is an extremely popular leisure-time activity in many countries throughout ... the modern lifestyle. It is widely promoted in as being ...
... the Food and Drug Administration is reconsidering the use ... offers further evidence to support a University of Houston ... may be in order. Richard A. ... College of Pharmacy (UHCOP), has been investigating whether beta-2 ...
... have reported the first clinical evidence that gene therapy ... milestone for this promising treatment which has endured a ... the journal Human Gene Therapy the findings ... rheumatoid arthritis conducted in Germany and led by an ...
Cached Biology News:New asthma research opposes current drug treatment, says UH prof 2New asthma research opposes current drug treatment, says UH prof 3New asthma research opposes current drug treatment, says UH prof 4Gene therapy demonstrates benefit in patients with rheumatoid arthritis 2Gene therapy demonstrates benefit in patients with rheumatoid arthritis 3
(Date:6/18/2013)... Clara, CA (PRWEB) June 18, 2013 ... to standard size SEMs but have limited performance and ... lower resolution. Full size SEMs would normally provide better ... more knowledge to operate and have a higher cost ... address the gap between these two types of ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... 17, 2013) A million electric cars could be on ... with the help of research by the United States Department ... Waterloo. , Professor Zhongwei Chen is part of a team ... non-precious materials to replace the expensive platinum catalysts in fuel ... of fuel cells in vehicles is the cost of the ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... -- China Cord Blood Corporation (NYSE: CO ... cord blood collection, laboratory testing, hematopoietic stem cell processing, ... unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and full ... Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2013 Highlights ... 2013 increased by 33.3% to RMB133.0 million ($21.4 million) ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... In support of Swiss contributions to ... of Switzerland in New York is pleased to welcome ... PlanetSolar , to Manhattan. PlanetSolar is in New ... tour with scientists on board from the University of ... exclusively on energy from the sun and eliminates the ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Nanounity Introduces the Pemtron Range of Compact Scanning Electron Microscopes 2Nanounity Introduces the Pemtron Range of Compact Scanning Electron Microscopes 3US and Canadian researchers drive towards cheaper fuel cells for electric cars 2China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 2China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 3China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 4China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 5China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 6China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 7China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 8China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 9China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 10China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 11China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 12China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 13Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the World’s Largest Solar Boat, Arrives in New York City 2Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the World’s Largest Solar Boat, Arrives in New York City 3Switzerland’s MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the World’s Largest Solar Boat, Arrives in New York City 4
... July 24 The Global Probiotics Council,(GPC), a ... Yakult Honsha,Co., Ltd., announced the two awardees who ... Research (YIGPRO) today. The program was,created to identify ... to,the advancement of probiotics and gut microbiota research ...
... Poniard,Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARD ), a biopharmaceutical ... hold a conference call to discuss,the Company,s second ... update on the clinical development plan for picoplatin, ... and chief,executive officer, Ronald A. Martell, president and ...
... Cara Therapeutics, Inc.,announced today that it had ... its original $24 million Series C financing ... led by new investor, Devon Park Bioventures, ... participating,in the round included; Ascent Biomedical Ventures, ...
Cached Biology Technology:Global Probiotics Council Announces First Awardees for New Young Investigator Grant for Probiotics Research 2Global Probiotics Council Announces First Awardees for New Young Investigator Grant for Probiotics Research 3Global Probiotics Council Announces First Awardees for New Young Investigator Grant for Probiotics Research 4Poniard Pharmaceuticals to Host Second Quarter 2008 Financial Results Conference Call on July 31 2Cara Therapeutics Secures $12.3 Million in Series C Extension Financing 2
Normal Bovine Serum; U.S. sourced, ideal for those who seek an uncompromising quality. Low Hemoglobin levels; U.S. sourced, ideal for those who seek an uncompromising quality. Low Hemoglobin lev...
12(S)-HETE-d8 is used as an internal standard for the quantification of 12(S)-HETE by stable isotope dilution mass spectrometry....
5(S)-HETE-d8 is used as an internal standard for the quantification of 5(S)-HETE by stable isotope dilution mass spectrometry....
12(S)-HETE-d8 is used as an internal standard for the quantification of 12(S)-HETE by stable isotope dilution mass spectrometry....
Biology Products: