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Marine Species Face Extinction Risk, Courtesy Carbon Emissions

by VR Sreeraman on Mar 4 2012 4:42 PM

Carbon emissions have put marine species at risk of ecological catastrophe.

 Marine Species Face Extinction Risk, Courtesy Carbon Emissions
Carbon emissions have put marine species at risk of ecological catastrophe. The oceans are acidifying at a faster rate, due to carbon emissions, threatening the survival of the species.
When seawater becomes too acid, corals and shrimp-like plankton at the bottom of the food chain cannot survive.

The knock-on effects can lead to widespread mass extinction of marine species - and is believed to have done in the past.

In the last 100 years atmospheric carbon dioxide has risen to about 30 percent above pre-industrial levels.

New research has shown that even during periods of past mass extinctions the ocean acidity rate nowhere near matched what it is is today.

Source-IANS


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