Reference no: EM132449862
Documentary: "The Acid Test- The Global Challenge of Ocean Acidification"
Instructions: View the National Resource Defense Council video, The Acid Test and answer the questions below. Answer in complete sentences on your own paper.
1. What impacts of ocean acidification are affecting the commercial fishing industry?
Ocean acidification is putting at risk all ocean life, especially commercially important fish and shellfish. Depleting food source for these creatures as well as the depletion of the molecules used by some creatures to create their structure puts all life in the ocean at risk of potential extinction. This means that the commercial fishing industry could potentially become nonexistent.
2. How does the increasing acidity of the ocean environment negatively impact organisms that create shells?
The rising acidity in the ocean environment depletes the molecules that the organisms use in order to create their shells. This causes the organisms to work harder in order to build their shells which takes up energy that would otherwise be used to hunt and mate. Eventually, the organisms can no longer compete ecologically.
3. How much of atmospheric carbon dioxide has been estimated to have been absorbed by the ocean?
About 25% of the atmospheric carbon dioxide has been estimated to have been absorbed by the ocean.
4. How are changes to fish ecosystems expected to affect the behaviors of humans?
Changes to fish ecosystems could lead humans to stop relying on the ocean for food sources and income.
5. In what timeframe might we lose significant portions of coral reefs, according to the comments of OveHoegh-Guldberg?
We might lose significant portions of coral reefs within 20 to 30 years.
6. What percentage of ocean life is estimated to inhabit a coral reef?
7. What actions must humans take to avert the changes that are taking places in the global oceans now? How do these changes compare to those required to defend ourselves against global climate change?}
8. When has this magnitude of species change occurred before in the history of the Earth due to rising ocean CO2 levels?
9. How is the high CO2 situation we're experiencing now different than the same problem that occurred about 100 million years ago?
The high CO2 situation we are experiencing now is different due to the fact that we have reached high CO2 levels within a couple of decades, which puts a lot of strain in the oceans. 100 million years ago, the rising levels of CO2 occurred over millions on years. It has a gradual change instead of a drastic change that is occurring now.
10. How is time the enemy of humankind in this situation? Over how much time have humans created this atmospheric and oceanic problem?
11. List several positive actions humans are taking to minimize the effects of this problem?
Increase marine protected areas world wide
Sustainable fishing practices
Reducing nutrient pollution around coastal zones
12. What is the single, bottom line change that humans must make to avert these problems to the Earth?
The single, bottom line change that humans must take to avert these problems to the Earth is to reduce the emission of CO2.