Ocean acidification could disrupt marine food chains
Source: Reuters
Ocean acidification could disrupt marine food chains
By Jim Drury
CAMBRIDGE, England | Sun Aug 5, 2012 7:18pm EDT
(Reuters) - Ocean acidification caused by climate change is making it harder for creatures from clams to sea urchins to grow their shells, and the trend is likely to be felt most in polar regions, scientists said on Monday.
A thinning of the protective cases of mussels, oysters, lobsters and crabs is likely to disrupt marine food chains by making the creatures more vulnerable to predators, which could reduce human sources of seafood.
"The results suggest that increased acidity is affecting the size and weight of shells and skeletons, and the trend is widespread across marine species," the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) said in a statement of the findings.
Human emissions of greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, and some of that carbon dioxide ends up in the oceans, where it dissolves to form acid.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/05/us-climate-acidification-idUSBRE8740SB20120805
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