USF Research: Arctic Ocean Becoming More Acidic
Research by USF geologists studying the acidification of the Arctic Ocean caused by greater than normal ice melting is being touted as further evidence of global warming that could change whether plants and animals thrive and survive.
“Lower pH levels make water more acidic and lab studies have shown that more acidic water decreases calcification rates in many calcifying organisms, reducing their ability to build shells or skeletons,” according to a news release issued by the USGS and USF. “These changes, in species ranging from corals to shrimp, have the potential to impact species up and down the food web.”
Read the complete study.
