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Friday, June 22, 2012

Ocean systems in peril (Al Jazeera English)

"[In] the Caribbean, a place where just a few decades ago coral was abundant, 80 per cent of the reefs have died.

"Oceanographer Carol Turley from the Plymouth Marine Lab in the UK has projected that by 2040, most of the Arctic Ocean will be too acidic for shell- forming species, including most plankton, and significant areas of the Southern Ocean (Antarctic Ocean) will also be affected.

"The effect causes the polar-regions' cold waters to allow more CO2 to be absorbed at an accelerated rate, which turns the oceans more acidic sooner.

"According to Turley, the oceans have not seen a rapid change like this in 60 million years."

Full article: Ocean systems in peril.