CO2

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Oceanic acidification is the most recent phenomenon to endanger coral reefs.

Research conducted by the Florida Aquatic Life Organisation (FALCO) is
shedding new light on why and how extreme acidity levels occur and the
consequent effects on life forms which inhabit these reefs Christopher Hamilton,
chief researcher on the project, spent the majority of 2010 submerged beneath the
ocean in the world's only fully functioning underwater laboratory. Constructed
from a revolutionary alloy and resembling a holiday caravan in appearance, the 15-
metre long “Silver Whale' housed a laboratory and testing facilities for its three
rotating occupants, all leading experts in marine biology. The project was the
culmination of almost a decade of planning and represented an unrivalled
opportunity to collate primary data regarding the effects of acidity levels in waters
surrounding a reef.
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The research study confirmed the beliefs of Hamilton and other marine biologists:
that general increments in acidity pH levels during nighttime hours and the
opposite decrease during the daytime are a natural occurrence. Photosynthesizing
algae absorb the vast majority of daytime carbon dioxide (CO2) produced through
the respiration of animals and microorganisms. Thus, in the evening and at night
this equilibrium is removed and CO2 and acidity levels increase. What Hamilton
and his team found more startling were several unexpected discoveries which may
prove more significant for the marine biology community at large. The first
discovery confirmed the suspicions of countless academics and environmentalists:
Hamilton's crew recorded noteworthy pH changes in test samples not only from the
reef but also the adjacent sand. Assistant researcher and marine biology student
Sarah Brown comments that 'this is a startling discovery and clearly demonstrates
the escalating impact CO2 is having upon the marine environment'. Hamilton
attributes this development to the CO2 production capacity of sponge organisms
which inhabit the reel and the surrounding area. Although these latest experiments
did not include these creatures within their spectrum of test subjects, previous
studies carried out by Hamilton and his colleagues in 2004 measured sponge
water-pumping rates of up to an impressive 100,000 times their body volume per
day. This substantial CO2 production is further exacerbated by other parasitic
microorganisms housed within these sponges.
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Experiments centred on dye-release within the reef revealed a thin layer of water
directly above the sediment showing clearly that the reef does not, as other
scientists claimed, integrate itself for prolonged periods with the overlying water.
Therefore, tentative report findings suggest that sponge and organism-generated
CO2 may be diffusing at a sufficient rate to acidify the water. According to
Hamilton, 'if this is true then it could provide one explanation for the continual
decrease in worldwide coral reefs.' Acidification of this layer caused by escalating
sponge generation appears to be a logical conclusion when their astonishing levels
of CO2 capability are taken into consideration. Without rigorously tested scientific
evidence, Hamilton's assertion remains open to scepticism yet his report implies
that this minute water layer may actually be the key to finally understanding
oceanic acidification warning that 'If this top living layer of coral does not reassert
itself, then the reefs will eventually disintegrate.'
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Augmented levels of acid will undoubtedly continue to exacerbate the plight of the
coral reefs and their inhabiting organisms. Reefs are home to a large variety of
organisms, such as molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms. A considerable
proportion of these feed directly on coral, while others graze on algae which reside
on the reef. In addition, there is the wealth of fish and even mammals living around
the coral reefs that rely upon these life forms as a source of sustenance. For
thousands of years there has been a natural equilibrium and so the depletion of the
reefs as a viable food source for smaller creatures will have a subsequent effect
throughout the food cycle. One of the findings in Hamilton's research - which he
attributes to reef depletion - details the plummeting range of marine life already
around his test area in comparison to previous studies 20 years ago. According to
the report a 23 percent drop was noted in the amount of local fish alone and he
cites statistically rigorous evidence to support his conclusion that these figures are
not just incidental, they are caused by receding reefs.' Rising acidification levels
cause the polyps in the reef to be eaten away by predators, devastated by disease,
or simply become so stressed that they die. The resulting destruction of a viable
food source will cause the creatures which dwell on the reefs to vanish from the
area and eventually become extinct. General consensus around the world is that
coral reefs are receding at an alarmingly rapid rate but because reef habitats are
exceptionally complex and worldwide reef monitoring and mapping efforts only
began in the late 1990s, scientists simply lack sufficient information to keep track
of their destruction. Unfortunately, at this rate they may soon be beyond repair.
The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), the largest coral reef
monitoring organisation in the world, reported at the 15th International Coral Reef
Symposium that 42 percent have already been lost and at least another 40 percent
could disappear within the next 20 years. Hamilton is convinced his research
laboratory has a unique role to play in addressing this issue and welcomes
international experts in the hope that they will set up their own similar aqua
observatory laboratories.

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Oceanic acidification is the most recent phenomenon to endanger coral reefs.

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