Ocean Acidification , Article by Sanvi G

 

Ocean Acidification (Climate Change, And Its Effects On Our Planet)

 Article by Sanvi G

At this point, it’s no secret that humans are harming the environment, whether we want to admit it or not. Every day, we contribute to the amount of damage done to the environment. There are a number of natural landmarks and regions that have been greatly affected by our negligence. An example of this is the acidification of the waters in Tokyo Bay. Many organisms live in this environment, and all of them are endangered because of our actions.

 

Carbon dioxide coming into contact with water causes the PH of the water to go down. This causes a massive spike in the acidity of the water. This greatly affects marine life. Aside from marine life, our economy also is affected because of the fishing industry. The seafood industry is greatly suffering because of the dwindling marine life population. We need to solve this issue to save the animals, and to prevent our economy from suffering. While some may think that the ocean can heal itself and that we don’t need to change anything, the reality is that the ocean can’t heal off all the damage we do to it. Humans need to change their ways for the sake of the environment. 

Tokyo Bay is home to many different marine species. They all play a part in contributing to the health of the ocean. When the water of the ocean becomes acidic, the animals living in the water begin developing abnormalities. One of the most important effects, however, are the effects of ocean acidification on coral reefs. They aren’t able to produce enough calcium carbonate to sustain the population. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary stated “Ocean acidification slows the rate at which coral reefs generate calcium carbonate, thus slowing the growth of coral skeletons.” In turn, other animals and organisms that depend on the coral aren’t able to thrive as they should. This causes an overall loss in biodiversity and a decrease in population. Humans are a major cause of carbon production, and due to this, animals are suffering great casualties. This is one reason why we need to take more care of our environment. 

Aside from the harm done to the environment, the economy greatly suffers as a result of ocean acidification. Ocean acidification can cause defects in marine ecosystems. It can also cause deformities in the structure of an organism. This can lead to reproductive problems, causing more and more of the population to be born flawed. The disease/infection in the long run leads to a decrease in healthy babies, leading to a decrease in the amount of seafood that is consumable. On top of this, a lower supply leads to a higher cost, meaning that many people can no longer afford to have seafood as part of their diet. 

Japan is one of the most heavily reliant on seafood as part of their diet, so this problem affects them the most. Aside from one country alone, the global economy also suffers substantial losses due to the lack of seafood. It was stated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency that “a falling supply of shellfish is estimated to lead to consumer losses of roughly $480 million per year by the end of the century.” This quote clearly shows to what extent our economy will suffer if you don’t fix this problem. This is another reason why we need to take more care of our environment.

There is a lot of controversy regarding whether we should do something to help our planet. Some argue that the ocean has some natural resilience and can heal the damages we do to it. This could not be further from the truth, as the damages we do to the ocean far outweigh its chances of stabilizing itself. If we don’t do something about this issue now, then even the chance that we have now will go to waste. The ocean provides so much for us, and yet we continue to neglect it.

 To those who think that nothing has to be done, think about a rubber band. If you stretch it a little, it’ll come back to its original shape. However, if you keep stretching it, it won’t retain its shape. Eventually, the rubber band will break entirely. The ocean is like a rubber band. If a little pressure is applied on it, it’ll go back to normal. If we continue to harm our ocean, it’ll be unfixable, just like the rubber band. This is why the argument that the ocean will heal itself isn’t an accurate argument.

The oceans are irreplaceable, and nothing mankind can make could ever compare to the ocean. We need to take more care of the ocean and watch what we, humanity, have done to the ecosystem. Through our carelessness, the ocean has lost so many species of animals. They can never be brought back. Even now, many species are endangered due to the actions of humans. We need to protect our oceans for marine life, and to protect our economy. While few may think that it’s not necessary to protect the oceans because it can heal itself off, the truth is that it’s simply unable to do so. If we all work together, maybe we can bring a change. Maybe we can atone for the atrocities humanity has committed against the ocean.

I wrote the articles out in MLA citation. Would that work?

“Coral bleaching and ocean acidification are two climate-related impacts to coral reefs.” Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary,

              www.floridakeys.noaa.gov/corals/climatethreat.html. Accessed Feb 1 2023. 

“Effects of Ocean and Coastal Acidification on Ecosystems.” United States Environmental Protection Agency,

https://www.epa.gov/ocean-acidification/effects-ocean-and-coastal-acidification-ecosystms#:~:text=Economists%20predict%20that%20unchecked%20acidification,the%20end%20of%20the%20century. Accessed Feb 1 2023.