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Acid Rain Has a Disproportionate Impact on Coastal WatersAcid Rain Has a Disproportionate Impact on Coastal Waters
Research Suggests Sulfur, Nitrogen Emissions Play a Role in Changing Chemistry Near the Coast
| Quote: | The release of sulfur and nitrogen into the atmosphere by power plants and agricultural activities plays a minor role in making the ocean more acidic on a global scale, but the impact is greatly amplified in the shallower waters of the coastal ocean, according to new research by atmospheric and marine chemists.
Ocean “acidification” occurs when chemical compounds such as carbon dioxide, sulfur, or nitrogen mix with seawater, a process which lowers the pH and reduces the storage of carbon.
Ocean acidification hampers the ability of marine organisms—such as sea urchins, corals, and certain types of plankton—to harness calcium carbonate for making hard outer shells or “exoskeletons.” These organisms provide essential food and habitat to other species, so their demise could affect entire ocean ecosystems. |
http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=7...;tid=282&cid=31286&ct=162
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