Ecological responses to ocean acdification and global warming

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Global climate change has far-reaching consequences for marine species and ecosystems, many of which are ecologically, economically, and culturally valuable in Canada. Of particular concern is the threat of ocean acidification, which is occurring as a result of excess carbon dioxide emissions being absorbed by the oceans. The decrease in seawater pH that is expected in the near future has not occurred for many millions of years, and massive ecological change is expected during this century. Documented effects of acidification include impairment of larval development, reductions in growth, dissolution of shells and skeletons, and direct mortality. Although effects of increasing carbon dioxide / decreasing pH on individual performance are increasingly well documented, we do not yet understand how ocean acidification will affect entire communities and ecosystems. Put simply, we cannot currently predict how climate change will affect the things that people care about the most, like harvestable population size and biodiversity.