Clownfish lost at sea due to rising carbon dioxide levels
The tale of a clownfish that got lost at sea in the 2003 movie Finding Nemo may be a taste of things to come - as rising carbon dioxide levels could leave the fish unable to find their way around, say scientists.Tests on clownfish larvae showed they became disoriented and were unable to find a suitable place to live if they were raised in seawater that had absorbed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The effect is potentially devastating for a wide range of fish populations because many rely on odours in seawater to seek out the right habitats to live in, according to researchers investigating the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on marine life.The world's oceans soak up vast quantities of carbon dioxide released by burning fossil fuels. By absorbing the gas, oceans become more acidic. Global ocean pH has dropped around 0.1 points since preindustrial times. But with increasing...
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