Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) - Mauna Loa or Keeling curve
Atmospheric concentration of CO2 is steadily rising, and oceans directly assimilate CO2. As ocean concentration of CO2 increases, the oceans automatically become more acidic. This, in turn, may have severe impacts on coral reefs and other biocalcifying organisms. There is little debate on the effect as this is a straight-forward chemical process, but the implications for marine life, that may be severe due to many very PH-sensitive relationships in marine ecosystems, are still unknown.
Year: 2008
From collection: In Dead Water - Climate Change, Pollution, Over-harvest, and Invasive Species in the World's Fishing Grounds
Cartographer: Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal