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The Royal Society is launching an independent study to bring
together the scientific information on the potential effects
on marine life, of increasing acidity of the surface oceans.
Caused by increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations,
a recent study suggested that the projected increases in carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere may drive ocean pH values to change
more rapidly than at any time over the last 25 million years.
Currently, the impact of this rising ocean acidity on marine
life is largely unknown. However it could particularly affect
corals and sea creatures with hard shells by decreasing the
availability of calcium carbonate in the water. It may also
affect the growth and reproduction rates of fish, as well
as the plankton populations that they rely on for food, and
could have potentially serious consequences for marine food
webs.
The study has been launched with a call for evidence to inform
the study:
Click
here for full details and how to submit your response (PDF
122kb)
Responses received by 15 September 2004 will be incorporated
into the earliest stage of our discussions while responses
received by 18 October 2004 will inform the later stages of
the study. The IMarEST would be grateful if evidence sent
to the Royal Society from IMarEST members was also forwarded
to Bev Mackenzie (technical@imarest.org) so that we can monitor
the success of calls for evidence and papers placed on this
site.
A working group of international experts, chaired by Professor
John Raven FRS FRSE will consider the evidence collected and
guide the production of the report.
The Royal Society aims to publish the report by early 2005.
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