The ocean acidification has been spreading to the west coast of the United States and will continue to worsen. A study from Oregon State University has discovered this alarming acidified ocean in the West Coast has affected the marine organism.
Acidified Ocean in the West Coast of United States is found to be persistent, according to three years of research from the Oregon State University team of researchers. The team has discovered that highly acidified water is spread in the critical nearshore habitat of the West Coast.
The team has published the research on the acidified ocean in the West Coast in the journal Scientific Reports. Lead author of the report is a marine ecologist at Oregon State University, Francis Chan. The report is titled "Persistent Spatial Structuring Of Coastal Ocean Acidification In The California Current System" and revealing the alarming fact of the acidified ocean in the West Coast of America.
"The threat of ocean acidification is global and though it sometimes seems far away, it is happening here right now," Chan said and later explaining the condition of acidified ocean in the West Coast. "The West Coast is very vulnerable."
The acidification of ocean water has been a serious ecological problem, which caused the increase of carbon dioxide uptake by the ocean from the atmosphere. This increase of carbon dioxide has shifted the pH of the ocean to become acidic. In North America, the acidified ocean in the West Coast has a negative impact on many organisms, which are sensitive to the change of pH level.
In the research of acidified ocean in the West Coast, they found the California Current System had a severe impact. Moreover, the acidification has caused planktonic pteropods and snails to suffer a severe dissolution of shells. Similar to the North America, ocean acidification also affected the Arctic Ocean, which alarmed many ecologists as many acidified water spot are found in the Arctic as can be seen in the footage below:
