Posted on 01/31/2009 7:56:51 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
More than 150 top marine researchers have voiced their concerns through the "Monaco Declaration", which warns that changes in acidity are accelerating.
The declaration, supported by Prince Albert II of Monaco, builds on findings from an earlier international summit.
It says pH levels are changing 100 times faster than natural variability.
Based on the research priorities identified at The Ocean in a High CO2 World symposium, held in October 2008, the declaration states:
"We scientists who met in Monaco to review what is known about ocean acidification declare that we are deeply concerned by recent, rapid changes in ocean chemistry and their potential, within decades, to severely affect marine organisms, food webs, biodiversity and fisheries."
'The other CO2 problem'
It calls on policymakers to stabilise CO2 emissions "at a safe level to avoid not only dangerous climate change but also dangerous ocean acidification".
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The researchers warn that ocean acidification, which they refer to as "the other CO2 problem", could make most regions of the ocean inhospitable to coral reefs by 2050, if atmospheric CO2 levels continue to increase.
The also say that it could lead to substantial changes in commercial fish stocks, threatening food security for millions of people.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Shouldn’t they all just be evolving? What’s to worry?
If the BBC said it, it must be true. ROFLMAO.
Absolutely no sarcasm here at all. No sir. I kid you not.
This is ridiculous. 0.1 pH units since revolutionary times? Anyone who works with this measurement must have trouble keeping a straight face.
The sky is falling, the sky is falling.
quick! somebody post the ohhhh nooozzz guys!
What ever happened to acid rain?
The sky is falling! The sky is falling! I mean, the ocean is wet! The ocean is wet!! We’re all gonna DIE!!
Maybe they need to get the third world countries and the oriental countries to stop dumping their crap into the ocean without suitable treatment.
Liberals are insane.
All rain is acid. It’s supposed to be that way.
Or tell them to start dumping soap, lye, and caustic. That’ll counter act the acid.
How bout we air lift millions of tons of rolaids to the ocean?
HA! That was my first thought, “The sky is falling!”, but upon further reflection my response is - I thought they had Prince Albert in a can?
Correct! But remember how they tried to scare us with that one too?
We just ignored until their faces turned purple and they went away.
Atmospheric CO2. 380 ppm. .038%. Doesn’t sound high to me. But then, I’m not using it to extort the population.
i still have a copy of the 1970 ramparts magazine
that on the cover warns of all our oceans dying in a decade or so.
Actually, I do not care anymore, well since Nov 4th,
Carbonate system. Isn’t that how it works? I don’t remember the details. All I remember is that term. I took a college course in water pollution years ago. Learned about...oh wow...stuff. It’s all gone from my memory now.
BOD5
dissolved oxygen content
carbonate buffer
That’s about all that’s left.
Everything we do is part of nature. We are part of nature. By definition what we do is natural. They’re all idiots. They try and separate us from everything else at the same time telling us we’ve evolved from apes - who are still, appparently, part of nature.
...I thought that was part of the cycle... or are we going to hear how trees and green-plants are DOOMED because of increased CO2?
Just fishing for more fame and grant money.
Weather scientists are eating high off the hog with all the grant money supporting the global warming scam. Why shouldn’t oceanographers get into the business too?
This is amusing, too, since some weather scientists have suggested that we should act to bury MORE carbon dioxide in the oceans, to help combat global warming.
Will this work?
LOL!
Well, just pass a law requiring the oceans to stop absorbing.
***i still have a copy of the 1970 ramparts magazine***
You actually paid good money for that rag? Ever read Scallions?
no.
i thought the ramparts mag was so ridiculous that i bought it as a joke to show my roommates in college.
Hey, you lost me at “I took a college course”.
Agree completely. And I shake my head knowing how difficult it is to get an accurate pH measurement in water as variability range with many meters is +-0.1 units and it takes some time for readings to stabilize.
Somebody let him out of the can?
Perhaps all these alarmists will stop exhaling and reduce the amount of CO2.
Ha...some damn facts....thanks....CD.
It says pH levels are changing 100 times faster than natural variability.
Didn’t Prince sing,”Acid Rain”?
Warmer temps should increase the number of diatoms and other such critters that are busily working to make the next aeon’s 100’ thick layer of compacted CaCO^3.
Good Lord! Dang near EVERY liquid falls somewhere on the scale!
I imagine any good technician, using pre Industrial Age titration techniques and equipment easily could get that accuracy; BUT, I want to know a lot more about the sampling methods, depths, locations, sample storage, and other factors, because them boys certainly did NOT measure pH back then.
A pre Industrial Age chemist would not have had the theoretical knowlege base to DO such a titration at that time.
The concept of pH was first introduced by Danish chemist Søren Peder Lauritz Sørensen at the Carlsberg Laboratory in 1909. Sørensen suggested the notation "PH" for convenience, standing for "power of hydrogen",[2] using the cologarithm of the concentration of hydrogen ions in solution, p[H
Here’s some related Chemistry 101. Excuse the lousy graphics. By the way I’m a global warming skeptic.
In addition to sodium chloride, the oceans have dissolved calcium and magnesium carbonates and bicarbonates. Calcium and magnesium bicarbonates are highly soluble, while calcium and magnesium carbonates virtually insoluble (very low solubility) and are the main constituents of coral reefs. The bicarbonate ion undergoes the following reversible decompostion reaction in which two bicarbonate ions react to form one carbonate ion, one carbon dioxide molecule, and two water molecules:
2HCO3(-) ==> CO3(2-) + CO2 + 2H2O
Since this reaction is reversible, bicarbonates (left side of the reaction) tend to decompse to form carbonates and carbon dioxide, while the constituents of the right, i.e., carbonate ions, carbon dioxide molecules, and water, tend to combine to form a bicarbonate ion
“Mass action” theory predicts that a reduction in the concentration of ONE of the dissolved constituents on the left side of the reaction equation (for example, carbon dioxide) will cause bicarbonate to decompose at a higher rate, increasing the concentration of the other constituent (carbonate). What is most important here is changes in dissolved carbon dioxide.
1. Effect of temperature: When ocean temperatures increase, some carbon dioxide (CO2) escapes into the atmosphere, lowering the concentration of dissolved CO2 in the water. As a result the rate of decomposition of the bicarbonate ion increases in an “attempt” to restore equilibrium (Le Chatalier’s principal). The resulting increase in the concentration of carbonate ion (CO3) (2-) which combines with dissolved calcium ion and precipitates as calcium carbonate. Cooling causes the above reaction to reverse (the water dissolves more atmospheric carbon dioxide which reacts with water and calcium carbonate to form soluble bicarbonate (dissolution of limestone).
2. Effect of atmospheric pressure: Reduced pressure produces the same decomposition reaction (shown above) due to the escape of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. An everyday manifestation of this is a water pipe leak, where calcium cabonate scale (hardness scale) forms around a pinhole leak or a leaky threaded joint.
3. The addition of acid combines with carbonate ions to form bicarbonate. By definition, acids provide hydrogen ions (H+).
H(+) + CO3(2-) ===> HCO3(-)
This basically explains why outdoor marble statues (calcium/magnesium carbonate) are being destroyed in polluted European cities.
How can nonsense like this get published in any credible scientific journal? They are putting out a ridiculous concept like a global mean pH of the worlds vast oceans and claim to make these kind of measurements? The peer review process is corrupted by environmentalism.
Looks like the ecotards are unleashing the heavy intellectual artillery.
Well, I don’t much care what happens to european marble statues. But our poor american back roads are gonna lose their gravel!
Country roads, take me home, to a place, I belong! West virginia....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfvnyNyMFrQ
It’s a good thing mr denver ain’t around to whitness the destruction.
Note that every reference is to either an environmental group or a UN agency.
This was expected. That is why Dr. Idso wrote this.
http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/originals/co2_coral_warming.html
Boiling drives out dissolved gases.
“Boiling drives out dissolved gases.”
Should the oceans boil, the relative saturation of the sea will be the least of our problems!
That is an outstanding presentation of the issues....very well crafted.
Once again these studies are mostly done by government agencies. I have a friend at USGS who talks about this stuff all the time. We are told to beleive this but we don’t get the scientific breakdowns that they all quote. Just like BO being a citizen, I will beleive the government when they show the proof.
No doubt, but at least we wouldn't have to hear all of this fear-mongering perpetrated by ignorant politicians and their ill-trained "greens". My mother taught me to eat my "greens", not listen to them.
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