Ocean Acidification: Calcifying Marine Organisms

Raw oysters on ice. Oyster, shellfish, seafood, food safety. 2009 Annual Research Report photo by Tyler Jones

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration leads to ocean acidification and threatens coastal and marine ecosystems and organisms. This 4-page fact sheet written by Joseph Henry, Joshua Patterson, and Lisa Krimsky and published by the UF/IFAS School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences explores the impacts of ocean acidification on calcification, the process corals, bivalves, echinoderms, and planktonic organisms use to build their shells and skeletons. Understanding how ocean acidification affects calcification is important for scientists seeking to determine the real-world implications and impacts of ocean acidification on some of the most important species in the marine environment.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa220