Ancient Ocean Acidification Intimates Long Recovery from Climate Change
Thursday, July 22, 2010 - 16:21
in Earth & Climate
Single-cell life-forms thrive throughout the world's oceans--and have for hundreds of millions of years. Tiny varieties known as calcareous nanoplankton build exuberant, microscopic shells --resembling wagon wheels, fishlike scales, even overlapping oval shields decorated with craggy explosions at their centers--known as "coccoliths". The ability to form these shells rests on the amount of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) dissolved in the seawater--and that amount depends on the concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). [More] Climate Change - Ocean acidification - Environment - Calcium carbonate - Carbon dioxide