From the British Antarctic Survey and the University of East Anglia comes one of those press releases where I just have to wonder if this won’t eventually go the way of the “global warming causes mutated frogs” claim that turned out to be a parasite and not global warming. After all, it is well known that ships ballast can transport invasive species to places they normally would not migrate to, so with eco-tourism in Antarctica being all the rage now, I wonder if the issue isn’t somehow related to the snails being more susceptible due to some such influence? After all, how did they survive climate shifts (with changes to ocean pH) for millions of years if nature so poorly equipped them? I’m just not convinced that a slight shift (-0.11) to the ocean pH being more neutral than basic is the cause of this. The oceans are still basic at ~8.069, not acidic. To be acidic they’d have to be less than 7.0 See table.
On the plus side, they avoided that ridiculous “canary in the coal mine” meme in this PR.
First evidence of ocean acidification affecting live marine creatures in the Southern Ocean
The shells of marine snails – known as pteropods – living in the seas around Antarctica are being dissolved by ocean acidification according to a new study published this week in the journal Nature Geoscience. These tiny animals are a valuable food source for fish and birds and play an important role in the oceanic carbon cycle*.
During a science cruise in 2008, researchers from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the University of East Anglia (UEA), in collaboration with colleagues from the US Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), discovered severe dissolution of the shells of living pteropods in Southern Ocean waters.
The team examined an area of upwelling, where winds cause cold water to be pushed upwards from the deep to the surface of the ocean. Upwelled water is usually more corrosive to a particular type of calcium carbonate (aragonite) that pteropods use to build their shells. The team found that as a result of the additional influence of ocean acidification, this corrosive water severely dissolved the shells of pteropods.
Above: before and after images.
Ocean acidification is caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere emitted as a result of fossil fuel burning. A number of laboratory experiments have demonstrated the potential effect of ocean acidification on marine organisms. However, to date, there has been little evidence of such impacts occurring to live specimens in their natural environment. The finding supports predictions that the impact of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and food webs may be significant.
Lead author, Dr Nina Bednaršek, formerly of BAS and UEA, and now of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says:
“We know that the seawater becomes more corrosive to aragonite shells below a certain depth – called the ‘saturation horizon’ – which occurs at around 1000m depth. However, at one of our sampling sites, we discovered that this point was reached at 200m depth, through a combination of natural upwelling and ocean acidification. Marine snails – pteropods – live in this top layer of the ocean. The corrosive properties of the water caused shells of live animals to be severely dissolved and this demonstrates how vulnerable pteropods are. Ocean acidification, resulting from the addition of human-induced carbon dioxide, contributed to this dissolution. ”
Co-author and science cruise leader, Dr Geraint Tarling from BAS, says:
“Although the upwelling sites are natural phenomena that occur throughout the Southern Ocean, instances where they bring the ‘saturation horizon’ above 200m will become more frequent as ocean acidification intensifies in the coming years. As one of only a few oceanic creatures that build their shells out of aragonite in the polar regions, pteropods are an important food source for fish and birds as well as a good indicator of ecosystem health. The tiny snails do not necessarily die as a result of their shells dissolving, however it may increase their vulnerability to predation and infection consequently having an impact to other parts of the food web.”
Co-author, Dr Dorothee Bakker from the University of East Anglia, says:
“Climate models project a continued intensification in Southern Ocean winds throughout the 21st century if atmospheric carbon dioxide continues to increase. In turn, this will increase wind-driven upwelling and potentially make instances of deep water – which is under-saturated in aragonite – penetrating into the upper ocean more frequent. Current predictions are for the ‘saturation horizon’ for aragonite to reach the upper surface layers of the Southern Ocean by 2050 in winter and by 2100 year round. ”
This research was funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the European Union Marie Curie Early Stage Training Network.
Extensive dissolution of live pteropods in the Southern Ocean by N. Bednaršek, G. A. Tarling, D. C. E. Bakker, S. Fielding, E. M. Jones, H. J. Venables, P. Ward, A.Kuzirian, B. Lézé, R. A. Feely, and E. H. Murphy is published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Abstract:
The carbonate chemistry of the surface ocean is rapidly changing with ocean acidification, a result of human activities1. In the upper layers of the Southern Ocean, aragonite—a
metastable form of calcium carbonate with rapid dissolution kinetics—may become undersaturated by 2050 (ref. 2). Aragonite undersaturation is likely to affect aragonite-shelled organisms, which can dominate surface water communities in polar regions3. Here we present analyses of specimens of the pteropod Limacina helicina antarctica that were extracted live from the Southern Ocean early in 2008. We sampled from the top 200m of the water column, where aragonite saturation levels are around 1 as upwelled deep water is mixed with surface water containing anthropogenic CO2. Comparing the shell structure with samples from aragonite-supersaturated regions elsewhere under a scanning electron microscope, we found severe levels of shell dissolution in the undersaturated region but not elsewhere. According to laboratory incubations of intact samples with a range of aragonite saturation levels, eight days of incubation in aragonite saturation levels of 0.94–1.12 produced equivalent levels of dissolution. As deep-water upwelling and CO2 absorption by surface waters is likely to increase as a result of human activities2,4, we conclude that upper ocean regions where aragonite-shelled organisms are affected by dissolution are likely to expand.
The paper is available here: ftp://ftp.nerc-bas.ac.uk/pub/photo/PR-2012-13-Tarling/ngeo1635_GT%20edits.pdf
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And of course they can compare their findings to surveys that were carried out when CO₂ was only 280ppm. What do you mean, they can’t?
“Ocean acidification is caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere emitted as a result of fossil fuel burning.”
Wrong in several ways, and irrelevant.
If the *upwelling* is destroying the shells, then it is important to examine the cause of the *upwelling* itself. This is due to the Archimedes effect – the upwelling water is less dense. This could be due to many reasons – lower salinity and higher temperatures being the principal suspects.
The next question is why the water that is upwelling is dissolving the shells that formed in the cool surface waters (where the shells formed in the first place). If the upwelling water (coming from an area – the ocean floor – that is not accessible to atmospheric CO2) is more acidic than the high-CO2 surface water, then the question becomes “Where is the deep water acidity coming from?”
May I suggest geothermal vents such as black smokers, and other ocean floor volcanic activity?
Hold on a minute there, I’m confused. HOW does global warming cause the Southern Ocean Wind to intensify? It was my casual understanding that the temperature difference between the polar regions and the tropics decreases as the planet gets warmer? If I’m correct about that why do models show an increase in wind as the result of less temperature difference?
Note that wiki says the shells of these beasts are 2-9 microns thick. Not very structural, maybe vestigial.
“Although the upwelling sites are natural phenomena that occur throughout the Southern Ocean, instances where they bring the ‘saturation horizon’ above 200m will become more frequent as ocean acidification intensifies in the coming years.”
Aha! The giveaway sentence! The saturation horizon rising up to less than 200m depth is a natural phenomenon which occurs throughout the Southern Ocean. The assertion that CO2 dissolving in the surface of the ocean will increase the frequency of this phenomenon is made without any evidence whatsoever. Indeed, it is difficult to understand how a gas dissolving at the surface of a very large body of water could have any bearing on what happens 3000 feet below the surface!
Wow, they are being acidified and dissolving at 8.0. I wonder how fast they would dissolve in that very acidic in comparison environment of pure H2O at 7.0 on the scale? Yup prbably melt right before our eyes, you know that water is dangerous stuff.
Argonite likes to collect in the shallows from deep water updrafts, e.g. in the Bahamas where it is mined via dredging. http://aragonitesource.com/
“Co-author and science cruise leader”
Sorry, just can’t get the “Love Boat” theme out of my head now.
I love the idea that all these earnest worthy self righteous researchers might themselves be spreading the problem while they solemnly lecture the rest of us….
Pteropod shell game. The global warming pea is now under the ocean acidification shell.
mmmm….one instance of upwelling at 200m out of how many ? How many other instances have there been before. Ah ha now I see….”Climate models project an intensification…” Thats when I stopped reading.
I know this is a press release. I must repeat that to myself. But:
“Ocean acidification is caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere emitted as a result of fossil fuel burning. A number of laboratory experiments have demonstrated the potential effect of ocean acidification on marine organisms. However, to date, there has been little evidence of such impacts occurring to live specimens in their natural environment. The finding supports predictions that the impact of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and food webs may be significant.”
This is a statement of “fact”??? The first sentence is so far-flung as to get entangled in the moons of Jupiter. Absolutely no foundation in fact whatsoever. Corrosive upwelling?? How did all that “acid” make it down to the nutrient rich depths..? By passing through a huge natural buffer? Now back to the assertion that “there has been little evidence”. Well, that’s true. What with things like carbonate compensation depths and the small issue of the ocean’s basic pH…
Reading this stuff is really agonizing. There are no real ‘findings’ just speculation that corroded shells are proof of model results. A “potential effect” is undemonstratable, you sillies.
So, on the basis of 20 samples of tiny snails taken from a single site, from a total of 55 samples taken from a total of 6 sites along a 600-mile-plus route, all taken in February, 2008, plus a dash of climate modeling, they leap to the conclusion that burning fossil fuels is increasing “acidification” of the oceans (to be slightly less basic), that this increased acidification will become more prevalent at shallower depths (where the snails tend to live), that winds (that apparently aggravate this prevalence) will intensify as atmospheric CO2 increases, which is the one and only reason that this species of snail has weak shells?
tadchem says:
If the *upwelling* is destroying the shells, then it is important to examine the cause of the *upwelling* itself. This is due to the Archimedes effect – the upwelling water is less dense. This could be due to many reasons – lower salinity and higher temperatures being the principal suspects.
Water’s a bit odd in that it is most dense at 4 Celsius. Does this effect still hold for salt water.
The next question is why the water that is upwelling is dissolving the shells that formed in the cool surface waters (where the shells formed in the first place). If the upwelling water (coming from an area – the ocean floor – that is not accessible to atmospheric CO2) is more acidic than the high-CO2 surface water, then the question becomes “Where is the deep water acidity coming from?”
There’s nothing in the original article to indicate that they have done so much as dangle a pH meter over the side of a boat. Never mind carrying out a detailed chemical analysis of the water. Especially to compare it with water in which the animals thrive.
May I suggest geothermal vents such as black smokers, and other ocean floor volcanic activity?
Especially given that release of strong acids is commonly associated with vulcanism.
Ah! The magic “May” is used as ‘Proof” by implication.
Grant money seekers will make up any story to gain the gelt/gelder/gold/geld…….
Frankly they need gelding!
Translation, coulda,woulda we don’t have a clue. But be very,very worried. Lets see, yes all living at expense of taxpayer and attempting to create(manufacture) another alarm to justify their parasitism.Interesting that follow the money, keeps returning to our employees attacking us.
Your opinion of your government and its minions will never be higher than it is right now.
tadchem says:
November 26, 2012 at 10:44 am
…. The next question is why the water that is upwelling is dissolving the shells that formed in the cool surface waters (where the shells formed in the first place). If the upwelling water (coming from an area – the ocean floor – that is not accessible to atmospheric CO2) is more acidic than the high-CO2 surface water, then the question becomes “Where is the deep water acidity coming from?”
May I suggest geothermal vents such as black smokers, and other ocean floor volcanic activity?
________________________________
Yes and if I recall The life-forms that support the food chain at deep-sea hydrothermal vents also participate in the formation of the minerals that make up the sulfide chimney structures…. The bacteria oxidate the sulfur and hydrogen sulfide to sulfur acid.
Scientists Locate Apparent Hydrothermal Vents off Antarctica
Maybe they should be looking for vents instead of blaming CO2.
Logic fail. Upwelled water is deep water brought to the surface. This means it’s “old water” that hasn’t been near the surface since the beginning of the recent rise in CO2 (last 100 years). It’s less basic than surface waters because of increased CO2 from deep water biological processes and possibly volcanic input. Shoddy work.
Mike M says:
November 26, 2012 at 10:45 am
Hold on a minute there, I’m confused. HOW does global warming cause the Southern Ocean Wind to intensify?….
_______________________
It is not warming. The lies and data fiddling are coming back to bite.
Looks like they chipped the shell or found one in poor condition, then took the pic. False assumptions abound like ocean acidification. In 1930, the ocean PH was 7.9. The ocean is alkaline. Human caused CO2 emissions. Is that different than non human caused CO2? The current rise in CO2 is more likely a natural rise from the MWP 1,000 yrs ago. NOAA’s involvement = corrupt manipulated data. I don’t believe any of this.
Amazing that these grant slurping embezzlers calling themselves scientists can keep the gravy train rolling.
So this means snails can build shells only during those short geologic periods in which atmospheric is at or near a minimum? I wonder how all the others survived throughout geologic time?
…atmospheric CO2 is at…
(sorry for the omission)
The British Antarctic Survey was once a well respected research organisation, but the AGW brigade have brainwashed them into spouting drivel.
On the lighter side, this is yet another gem that I can relate to people with regard to the rubbish we are told about “Climate Change”, the others are deaf fish and invasion by aliens who regard us as a threat to the galaxy for abusing our own planet!
Anthony, could we please have an archive on WUWT devoted to the most crazy claims of AGW “scientists”? There could be an annual prize for the most bizarre piece of “research” based on votes by WUWT readers.
In the CAGW business ‘timing’ is everything. It’s a fundamental law of PR and the Warmists play the PR game brilliantly. The intense activity of people like Mc Kibben every time there’s a storm is a good example of this technique.
In the Warmist PR calendar this is the time of the year we start talking about Antarctica. (Summer)
Oh dear…from the Warmist perspective the news aint too good from down there; lots of ice and very cold. Warmish Brethren in Australia and South Africa haven’t had much to cheer them either(this being the coolest winter in a generation in many parts).
So the poor Scien…sorry Activists need to come up with something appropriate and scary that fits in with the narrative. Ocean Acidification anyone?
Thanks…that will do nicely.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/121125/challenges-face-un-climate-summit-qatar
Challenges face UN climate summit in Qatar