User:WRICE00/Ocean acidification in the Arctic Ocean

Possible Stuff to Add

• Discuss 'Carbon Cycle' under 'Causes' section
• How does ocean acidification work - process
  • Ways to reduce acidification/minimize acidification
• Talk about ocean acidification affects on economy and communities

Article Draft

Lead

There is often more ocean acidification occurring in the oceans in polar regions, such as the Arctic Ocean, than oceans closer to the equator. This is because colder water can hold more gases, therefore allowing for more carbon dioxide to be dissolved into the Arctic Ocean and acidifying the water. There has also been a general trend seen in the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide showing Arctic regions to hold more CO₂ than other regions in the world. Methods to reduce ocean acidifcation in the Arctic Ocean include reducing global dependency on fossil fuels, employing enhanced chemical weathering as a geoengineering strategy, and possibly fertilizing oceanic waters with iron. This issue in the Arctic Ocean negatively affects economies and communities whom rely on the ocean to sustain their way of life.

Article body

The rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere in recent years has had a severe impact on ocean acidification, particularly in the Arctic Ocean. The levels of atmospheric CO₂ tend to be higher in arctic regions compared to the global average due to more landmass and a higher rate of human activity in the northern hemisphere. Additionally, the colder climate throughout the course of a year significantly reduces the amount of CO₂ taken up by land plants during photosynthesis, thereby increasing CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere even further. In this positive feedback loop, drastic reduction in sea-ice causes a drop in ocean pH due to greater uptake of CO₂ and freshwater inputs as a result of sea-ice meltwater. As a result, this leads to a higher sink of CO₂ that is able to be dissolved into the Arctic Ocean waters and cause acidification. It has been estimated that about one-third of the current increase in atmospheric CO₂ has been absorbed into the oceans.

Since the carbon cycle is tightly connected to the issue of ocean acidification, the most effective method for minimizing the effects of ocean acidification is to slow climate change. Anthropogenic inputs of CO₂ can be reduced through methods such as limiting the use of fossil fuels and employing renewable energies. This will ultimately lower the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere and reduce the amount dissolved into the oceans. More intrusive methods to mitigate acidification involve a technique called enhanced weathering where powdered minerals like silicate are applied to the land or ocean surface. The powdered minerals enable accelerated dissolution, releasing cations, converting CO₂ to bicarbonate and increasing the pH of the oceans. Other mitigation methods, like ocean iron fertilization, still need more experimentation and evaluation in order to be deemed effective. Ocean iron fertilization in particular has been shown to increase acidification in the deep ocean while only slightly reducing acidification at the surface.

Ocean acidification not only has impacts on aquatic life, but also on human communities and the overall livelihood of people living near these waters. For example, as a result of crustaceans being unable to produce their shells and skeletons due to reduced amounts of carbonate ions, populations such as crabs have significantly decreased in some areas in the Northern hemisphere. This has resulted in numerous fisheries in these areas to close down as a result of multi-million dollar losses. In addition, an uptick in ocean acidification has caused a swift increase in toxic algal bloom, which are known to produce a neurotoxin called domoic acid that can accumulate inside the bodies of certain shellfish. If ingested by humans this toxin can cause severe health issues, which has forced many additional fisheries to close down.

Bibliography

This is where you will compile the bibliography for your Wikipedia assignment. Add the name and/or notes about what each source covers, then use the "Cite" button to generate the citation for that source.

• Emergent constraint on Arctic Ocean acidification in the twenty-first century (2020)
  • States the Arctic Ocean is the most susceptible to acidification in the figure. Gives a value for the anthropogenic carbon inventory of the ocean at the end of the 21st century. Discusses models. Very recent article so might have good stuff.
• Rising Arctic Ocean temperatures cause gas hydrate destabilization and ocean acidification
  • Specifically discusses how warming of the ocean can cause release of methane hydrates stored in sediments along continental perimeters. Says how release of methane into the ocean will warm incoming to the Atlantic. Concludes how this release of methane would be insignificant on global warming in the timeframe we are concerned with.
• Impact of rapid sea-ice reduction in the Arctic Ocean on the rate of ocean acidification
  • Focuses on interaction of sea-ice on acidification. Claims that melting of sea-ice in the arctic ocean increases rate of acidification in the ocean (by lowering pH and aragonite saturation state). I think that as the ice melts it releases large amounts of CO2 that becomes incorporated into the ocean system.
• Impact of ocean acidification on a key Arctic pelagic mollusc (Limacina helicina)
  • Discusses molluscs specifically and how they are affected by acidification. They hold an important spot in the food web and are big cyclers of carbonate and carbon. Due to the chemistry of their shells they are espically susceptible to acidification. Concludes with high amounts of CO2 leads to a decline in these organisms, disrupting the food web, and ultimately negatively altering marine arctic ecosystems.
• Ten Ways States Can Combat Ocean Acidification (and Why They Should)
  • Discusses possible solutions for how ocean acidification can be limited and how environments can try to combat the lowering of pH levels in the oceans worldwide.
• https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/apr/27/arctic-carbon-dioxide-levels#:~:text=CO2%20levels%20are%20typically,higher%20CO2%20levels%20here.
• https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/co2-and-ocean-acidification#:~:text=The%20most%20effective%20way%20to,the%20harm%20to%20marine%20ecosystems.