Increased acidity in the atmosphere is disrupting the ecological balance of the oceans, according to new research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Increased acidity in the atmosphere is disrupting the ecological balance of the oceans, according to new research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA).
The first study to look at acidity’s impact on nutrient transport to the ocean demonstrates that the way nutrients are delivered affects the productivity of the ocean and its ability to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
The research, ‘Changing atmospheric acidity as a modulator of nutrient deposition and ocean biogeochemistry’, is published today in Science Advances. The analysis was carried out by an international team of experts, sponsored by the United Nations Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP).
Prof Alex Baker, professor of marine and atmospheric chemistry in UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences, is the lead author. He said: “Human emissions of pollutants have caused significant changes to the acidity of the atmosphere, leading to well-known environmental impacts such as acid rain.
Read more at: University of East Anglia
Photo Credit: Michelleraponi via Pixabay
