This beautiful pteropod, or sea butterfly, was spotted during a dive in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary!

Pteropods are tiny creatures, only about an inch in size, but their utility as an indicator species for ocean acidification is huge. When we burn fossil fuels like oil and gas, we release carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. Some of that rampant carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean, where it changes the ocean’s chemistry and makes the water more acidic.

These changes in ocean chemistry are making it harder for pteropods to build their shells. By tracking pteropod populations and keeping an eye on the health of their shells, we can gain information about the rate of ocean acidification and better analyze how chemical changes in the ocean will impact other shelled organisms and whole ecosystems over time.

📸: Evan Barba

Understanding Climate Change: A Simple Guide

Introduction:Causes of Climate Change:Greenhouse Gases:Deforestation:Effects of Climate Change:Rising Temperatures: Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels: Extreme Weather Events: Ocean Acidification: Mitigating Climate Change:Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Reforestation: Energy Efficiency:Sustainable Practices: Accountability: Conclusion: Introduction: Climate change is a term we often hear in…

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Understanding Climate Change: A Simple Guide

Introduction:Causes of Climate Change:Greenhouse Gases:Deforestation:Effects of Climate Change:Rising Temperatures: Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels: Extreme Weather Events: Ocean Acidification: Mitigating Climate Change:Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Reforestation: Energy Efficiency:Sustainable Practices: Accountability: Conclusion: Introduction: Climate change is a term we often hear in…

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Are you curious about the importance of carbon dioxide in water? Look no further than the KWS5000 Carbon Dioxide in Water sensor  from KC Sensor! This innovative device allows you to measure carbon dioxide levels in water with precision and ease. Carbon dioxide plays a critical role in many processes, including photosynthesis and the acidity of water. It's important to understand and monitor carbon dioxide levels in water to ensure that the ecosystem is healthy and functioning properly. With the KWS5000, you can accurately measure carbon dioxide in water to help maintain a balanced environment.

What changes are you facing now ? 🤔 ☀️🔥🏜️🌋🏔️❄️🌬️🌪️🌀🌊🌧️ #globaltemperaturerise #warmingoceans #shrinkingicesheets #glacialretreat #decreasedsnowcover #sealevelrise #decliningarcticseaice #extremeevents #oceanacidification #ecosystem #climatechange #wildfires #drought #flood #climateaction #risks #global #climatecrisis #disaster #nature #climateaction (at Climate Change) https://www.instagram.com/p/COoHNEZnDy9/?igshid=cqyvkuxwj5fj

Ocean Acidification

So, we’ve all heard of climate change, and if you haven’t, get your head out of your ass, it’s happening. Climate change is based off of earth’s rising climate, due to the excess amount of Carbon Dioxide (a greenhouse gas) present in the atmosphere. The extra carbon comes from anthropogenic (human) activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Ocean acidification, or as I like to call it; climate change’s evil twin, refers to the lowering pH of the ocean.

Before industrialization, the ocean’s pH was 8.2, and it’s now at 8.1 and is expected to drop to 7.95 very soon. But whats the big deal?!!! That’s only like a 0.1-0.15 difference! Except, a drop of 0.1 units on the pH scale represents a 26% increase of acidity.

Okayyyy? But how is that a problem?! Well I’ll tell you! 

The ocean is the largest carbon reservoir. It absorbs much of this excess carbon through the oceanic biological pump. So this is creating lots of extra carbon in the ocean. When there’s extra carbon in the ocean, these carbons will start to bond. This is going to make bicarbonate ions, leaving less carbonate ions.

I still don’t see the problem. Well shush! If you’d just let me GET THERE!

Marine calcifiers, such as coral reefs, oysters, mussels, sea urchins, clams, etc. NEED carbonate ions to make their skeletons and shells. This is where I like to primarily focus on coral reefs. Coral bleaching is when a coral expels symbiotic algae from their bodies as a result of stress. This stress can be caused by things like, oh I don’t know, INCREASING OCEAN TEMPERATURES and INCREASING ACIDITY! So when you see these bleached corals, it is the result of these factors. Not only that, but their growth is stunted! From the studies that I’ve personally read up on, this affects the thickness of their branches. But this isn’t just a problem for the coral, it’s a problem for the organisms that depend on these habitats!

Corals house hundred and sometimes thousands of species. They provide shelter, food and protection to these species. If coral growth is stunted, and the corals are bleaching, these organisms lose their homes.

Not to mention that I’ve also recently read up on the direct effects ocean acidification has made on the fish. Some sensory abilities are fucked, like auditory, olfactory and visual functions. Studies have highlighted that fish are losing the ability to sniff out predator and prey, they’re losing the ability to locate settlement areas, and their ability to mate is affected!

THIS IS SERIOUS! I’d be more than happy to look through more research anyone suggests or try to answer questions to the best of my ability when it comes to this stuff. If there’s something you don’t understand, I’ll try to explain further. 

When you realise the Earth is so much more than simply your environment, you’ll be moved to protect her in the same way as you would yourself. This is the kind of awareness, the kind of awakening that we need, and the future of the planet depends on whether we’re able to cultivate this insight or not. The Earth and all species on Earth are in real danger. #saveearth #climatechange #oceanacidification #waterpollution #wastedisposal #covid19 #lossofbiodiversity #pollution #Deforestation #ozonelayerdepletion #natureresoursedepletion #acidrain #urbansprawl #geneticengginering #globalwarming #coronah https://www.instagram.com/p/B9ttQplAvX7/?igshid=mqolfja7xvw0

Book of the Day November 29th -- Apocalyptic Science Fiction

Free on Kindle Unlimited: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelves/book.php?id=383959

Ocean Acidification and the Apocalypse by John Arfstrom

This book has received a perfect 5/5 on Amazon!!

This short apocalyptic sci-fi book can be easily be read in one sitting. It is a perfect read to have on hand for the long weekend!

It is available for only $2.99 or you can read it for free with Kindle Unlimited! Come and get your copy today:

https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelves/book.php?id=383959

Image by @jim_abernethy World Ocean Day // A beautiful leatherback turtle begins life at sea, faced with many world problems caused by our species that we can fix! On our planets World Ocean Day, I believe we need to reflect on the heart of our planet, our ocean, the issues facing it and lastly take action immediately to start repairing the damage we have caused. If we all make changes individually, I believe we can alter the course of our planet into a sustainable direction! Here is a partial list of the most serious issues, our oceans, our planet and all earthlings face from my perspective! OCEAN ISSUES 1. Overfishing 2. Globalwarming & Ocean Acidification 3. Plastic Pollution 4. Ocean & Land Dead Zones 5. Coral reef and ecosystem collapse 6. Toxic chemicals OCEAN SOLUTIONS 1. Vegetarian and Vegan lifestyle would help solve many of these issues as well as your health by just this one change! 2. Switching to nondestructive energies now and get off coal energy forever! 3. Ban one time use plastics worldwide & clean our oceans! 4. Ban destructive chemicals worldwide! 5. Marine Protected Areas are the key to helping our oceans recover! Support all efforts for MPA's! 6. Elect Environmental Politicians committed to fixing our planet man made issues! Will you be a part of the solution? Will you make the necessary changes for the future of our oceans, fellow earthlings and our planet? @jim_abernethy @wildlifevoiceinc @sealegacy #TurningTheTide #globalwarming #worldproblems #oceanacidification #vegan #marineprotectedzones #stopthepoison #oceandeadzones #Banonetimeuseplastics #alternativeenergy (at Palm Beach County, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/BydUD1CBMWN/?igshid=hgkd2imsbetc

It’s Earth Day. Apologizing to a whale is not going to cut it. We need comprehensive environmental legislation (Green New Deal or Better!) to keep this planet habitable. NOW is the time to avoid imminent ecological apocalypse: #climatechange #massextinction #oceanacidification #habitatloss #plasticarmaggedon #greennewdeal #cleanair #cleanwater #cleanenergy #nonukes #hugatree #kissawhale #earthday #planetearth #dontfuckitup (at Planet Earth) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwkW_OWloeD/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ilrtec9v6dyp

New Release: Ocean Acidification Resource Collection

What is Ocean Acidification?

The ocean absorbs the extra carbon dioxide we emit into the atmosphere when we burn fossil fuels, like coal, oil, and methane gas, and that changes the chemistry of the ocean. We call this “ocean acidification.” The change in chemistry is reducing the amount of calcium carbonate in the ocean. Just as humans need calcium to build their bones, sea creatures need calcium carbonate to build strong skeletons and shells. Ocean acidification changes the chemistry of the ocean and causes “osteoporosis of the sea,” which prevents animals at the bottom of the food chain from building and maintaining the protective shells they need to survive.

Explore this new collection of NOAA videos, lesson plans, webinars, web stories, virtual reality, and much more.

episode_11__biosphere_2___rainforests_and_oceans_in_the_desert___fossel_fuel_90_percent_waste_reduction_in_1_year__everythings_connected

Detail of anthropocène, serie of embroidered installations (wip) Lithophyllon ranjithi, endangered due to pollution, climate change, residential and commercial development, shipping lanes, fishing and harvesting, recreational human intrusions and disturbance, invasive species and diseases www.iucnredlist.org #embroidery #broderie #lithophyllon #coral #corail #endangeredspecies #especesmenacees #pollution #habitatloss #climatechange #bleaching #oceanacidification #rechauffementclimatique #anthropoceneDMJ #anthropocene #wip https://www.instagram.com/p/BtY9gUkA81a/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1a5q2i7igwdmf

#Repost @maryciencia (@get_repost) ・・・ El Panel intergubernamental de expertos de cambio climático lanzó un reporte especial, estos son los principales puntos #GlobalWarming #ClimateChange #OceanAcidification #Science #cambioclimatico #cambioclimáticohoy https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo9JGo7n4JPY20EcSE22XOCbmCmpd80aTZ1BD00/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ap8h4h6ernri

Have you ever dreamt of spreading your wings and flying like a... snail? 🐌 . That's right! At some point in their evolution sea butterflies decided that ocean bottom is too crowded and have chosen freedom! 🦋😅 . These incredible snails have evolved their foot (on normal snail it's that slimy part that they use for movement) into light and gentle wings, allowing them to actively cruise through the open water, alongside other pelagic animals! 🐋🐬🐟 . But how do they feed themselves, spending the whole life away from the solid bottom? Well, they use a brilliantly devised mucous web! With this slightly gross apparatus they can catch tiny crustaceans or sinking particles from above! 🍤🥗 . It's important to mention that sea butterflies are tiny - only 10-15mm across. Which means their delicate shells are especially susceptible to increasing ocean acidification. Calcium carbonate, crucial in the construction of any shell, doesn't bound in highly acidic water, leaving snails essentially homeless. This is yet another example of negative changes of the ocean impacting even the smallest, the least popularized creatures... 😕 . 👉 Follow @freshnsaltyeco to get a clue in the blue! . . . #clueintheblue #freshnsaltylty #seabutterfly #butterfly #butterfliesofinstagram #flylikeabird #oceanacidification #snailsofinstagram #seasnail #snails #snailshell #lifefindsaway #animaldrawing #cartoonartist #marinelifeillustration #oceanawareness #oceandecade #conservationthrougheducation #fishillustration #marinescience #mindblown #oceaneducation #oceanoptimism #sciart #scienceandart #scienceillustration #seacreatures #sealifeart #savethereef #savethesea https://www.instagram.com/p/CUcqFHLqFdb/?utm_medium=tumblr

Help Connor the #Microactivist and his #phenomenal #action based #organization to find the #perfect #title for #newbook which will #inspire and #empower multiple #generations of old and new on how to #thrivewithnature and specifically how to reverse #oceanacidification remove #plastics from our #oceans and restore a once thriving #regenerative #ecosystem from the shore line to the #intertidalzone to the uncharted depths of the #marianatrench! #themicroactivist #microactivist (at Los Angeles, California)