OCEAN ACIDIFICATION: AN EMERGING THREAT TO OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS

Our planet’s ocean ecosystems are started affecting by the acidification of water. The rate of acidification of water is at a faster rate than ever in the last 55 years.It is feared that if greenhouse gases continue to go up, sea water acidity could increase by 120 per cent by 2060 – greater than anything experienced in the past 21 million years.The Copenhagen climate conference termed this issue as ‘underwater time-bomb’ that threatens fish stocks, marine life and coastal communities around the world.

Ocean acidification can be simply defined as an ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused as a result of their uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Approximately 79 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere every day, not only as a result of fossil fuel burning but also of deforestation and production of cement . Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, about one third of the CO2 released in the atmosphere by anthropogenic (human-caused) activities has been absorbed by the world’s oceans, which play a key role in moderating climate change.

The Carbon Cycle

The Carbon Cycle is a complex series of processes through which all of the carbon atoms in existence rotate. Carbon exists in the Earth's atmosphere primarily as the gas carbon dioxide (CO2). Although it is a small percentage of the atmosphere (approximately 0.04% on a molar basis, and increasing), it plays a vital role in supporting life.

Carbon is released into the atmosphere in a number of ways like expiration, decay of animals and plants ,production of cement, volcanic eruptions ,combustion of organic materials etc. Burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum products, and natural gas releases carbon that has been stored in the geosphere for millions of years.

Trees convert carbon dioxide into carbohydrates during photosynthesis, releasing oxygen in the process. This process is most prolific in relatively new forests where tree growth is still rapid. Forests store 86% of the planet's above-ground carbon and 73% of the planet's soil carbon. Oceans absorb a great amount of CO2 and carbonic acid is formed. In upper ocean areas of high biological productivity, organisms convert reduced carbon to tissues, or carbonates to hard body parts such as shells and tests. These are, respectively, oxidized (soft-tissue pump) and redissolved (carbonate pump) at lower average levels of the ocean than those at which they formed, resulting in a downward flow of carbon.

Impact Of Ocean Acidification On The Ocean Ecosystems.

Oceans absorb approximately one quarter of the carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other human activities. As more and more carbon dioxide (CO2) has been emitted into the atmosphere, the oceans have absorbed greater amounts at increasingly rapid rates.

Marine calcifiers, such as corals and marine snails, play important roles in nearly all oceanic ecosystems. Ocean acidification makes it more difficult for marine calcifiers to build shells and skeletons and will likely threaten ecosystem dynamics in areas where marine calcifiers play dominant roles in the food web. The effects of elevated greenhouse gas concentrations could cause substantial coral reef loss on tropical and sub-tropical reefs by 2050.It is estimated that by 2100 some 70% of cold water corals, a key refuge and feeding ground for commercial fish species, will be exposed to corrosive waters.

What Can We Do About It?

Combating acidification requires reducing CO2 emissions and improving the health of the oceans. Creating marine protected areas (essentially national parks for the sea) and stopping destructive fishing practices would increase the resiliency of marine ecosystems and help them withstand acidification.

THE BRUTAL BLOODY SLAUGHTER

The massive killing of dolphins and whales takes place in the Faroe islands

annually since 10^th centaury. The Faroe Islands are an island group situated

between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately ha

fway between Scotland and Iceland and belongs to the kingdom of Denmark.

Nearly 1,000s are killed annually during this festival as it is mandatory in their

culture to kill a dolphin or whale to initiate into adulthood. Any one can

participate in this festival. The hunts, called "grindadráp" in Faroese, are non-

commercial and are organized on a community level. The hunters first surround

these creatures with a wide semicircle of boats. The boats then drive them slowly

into a bay or to the bottom of a fjord. Then the islanders hammer a metal gaffs

into the flesh of each whale until the hooks hold. A knife is then used to slash

through the blubber and flesh to the spinal column. Next the main blood vessels

are severed.

Human beings became a threat to the existence of other creatures. Due to

pesticides , heavy metals , plastics, other industrial and agricultural

pollutants ,oil spill ,and collision with boats especially with their propellers

these poor creatures are struggling for survival.

Except human beings all other creatures of this planet live in accordance with

the laws of the Mother Nature .But we turned against her , in all aspects. We

ruined our beautiful planet , our homefor our selfish needs .This dolphin killing

festival is an obvious example of that.

How cruel it is to kill these innocent creatures to prove the adulthood of man!

This doesn’t prove the adulthood, instead it proves the madness of man. Why

can’t they sense the pain of these poor creatures? Who has granted them the right

to take the lives of these fellow creatures, just for an enjoyment? Though the

human population is increasing catastrophically ,people raise voice against

human abortion, a mere killing of few cells. But no one care about this massacre.

It is the stupidity of the man which made them believe that they are the rulers of

this planet.We are not privileged to do anything like this. I strongly believe that

the Mother Nature would no longer tolerate the deeds of human beings and her

wrath would destroy the entire mankind . The evidences are mounting and the

signs are looming .

THE ICE RETREAT

One of the world's most beautiful landscape set to undergo a drastic change in twenty years.

More than 85% of the ice that covered the three peaks of Africa's highest mountain has disappeared in the last 100 years and the rest is melting at such a rate it will be gone by 2030.The disappearance of the ice-cap will alter one of the worlds most arresting images - elephants and giraffs trekking across the shimmering Tanzanian plains with the ice - caped peaks of mountain in the distance.

By using global positioning from satellites, aerial maps and an array of stakes placed on the ice fields, the researchers have been able to confirm that Kilimanjaro's white cap is retreating in extent and volume. The rate of retreat could see the mountain completely ice free within 20 years .

There was about 12.1 square kilometres of ice on the mountain. Since then, there have been five maps, the latest produced from aerial photographs taken on 16 February, 2000. That showed only 2.2 sq km of ice remained on the mountain - so we've lost about 80% of the ice since 1912.

The Furtwangler ice wall on Kilimanjaro has undergone a massive retreat in recent years.Evidence is mounting that human influences on climate are causing glaciers to retreat dramatically around the world, and especially at high elevations in the tropics.

However the situation is getting worse day by day,what we are doing?We are not least concerned about the cry of our Mother Nature , instead we are busy in devising new ways on how to ruin her further .Shame on mankind !