Experts such as University of British Columbia marine ecologist Chris Harley suggest that there are knowledge gaps in at least three key areas. The term ocean acidification was coined only in 2003, explains Hall-Spencer it's a research area still in its infancy. If so, that vision is a 30-percent reduction in biodiversity and a significant shift away from corals and large fish, toward organisms such as algae, sea grass, and small marine worms. ![]() Are these naturally acidified waters a glimpse into the future? Vent-dwelling organisms have evolved here for millennia and may indeed provide a look ahead as Earth's oceans grow increasingly acidic because of human action. Plymouth University's Jason Hall-Spencer is examining these unusual waters in detail. Entering the aquamarine fizz, the pH drops to 7.4, and the view is a monochromatic green carpet of seagrass and algae. Outside these vent systems, the pH is a normal 8.2, and the waters are a kaleidoscope of multicolored biodiversity. ![]() Carbon dioxide (CO 2) bubbles up from the seafloor like champagne as divers swim into highly acidified seawater. ![]() The underwater vents near southern Italy's Mount Vesuvius are the closest we have to a time machine on fast-forward to the future.
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