Versauerung der Ozeane reduziert Artenvielfalt in Korallenriffen

Versauerung der Ozeane führt zu Korallensterben

Natürliche Kohlendioxid-Quellen im Meer demonstrieren mögliche Folgen steigender Treibhausgas-Konzentrationen in der Atmosphäre

31. Mai 2011

Kohlendioxid in der Atmosphäre trägt maßgeblich zur Klimaerwärmung bei. Klimaforscher vom Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) schätzen, dass sich bei ungebremster Entwicklung die Kohlendioxid-Konzentration in der Atmosphäre bis zum Jahr 2100 verdoppeln wird. Das Gas verändert aber auch die Lebensbedingungen in den Ozeanen. Denn die Meere werden etwa ein Drittel des zusätzlichen Kohlendioxids aufnehmen. Dadurch wird der pH-Wert von 8,1 auf 7,8 fallen. Natürliche Kohlendioxid-Quellen in Papua Neuguinea geben Wissenschaftlern nun die einmalige Gelegenheit, die Veränderungen tropischer Korallenriffe zu untersuchen, wenn der vom Menschen verursachte Kohlendioxid-Ausstoß weiter ansteigt

Vollständiger Bericht: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft

Ocean Acidification Will Likely Reduce Diversity, Resiliency in Coral Reef Ecosystems

ScienceDaily (May 29, 2011) — A new study from University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science scientists Chris Langdon, Remy Okazaki and Nancy Muehllehner and colleagues from the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Germany concludes that ocean acidification, along with increased ocean temperatures, will likely severely reduce the diversity and resilience of coral reef ecosystems within this century.

A new study of Papua New Guinea's "champagne reefs" in Nature Climate Change by the University of Miami, the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Germany concludes that ocean acidification, along with increased ocean temperatures, will likely severely reduce the diversity and resilience of coral reef ecosystems within this century. These reefs provide sobering illustrations of how coral reefs may look in 100 years if ocean acidification conditions continue to worsen. (Credit: Katharina Fabricius/Australian Institute of Marine Science)

• Artikel in ScienceDaily

Mining to blame for islands to sink beneath waves

By Sivaramakrishnan Parameswaran BBC Tamil Service

Turtles are among the animals making use of the gulf's plentiful food and shelter

Two small islands in South Asia's first marine biosphere reserve have sunk into the sea primarily as a result of coral reef mining, experts say.

The islets were in a group in the Gulf of Mannar, between India and Sri Lanka.

The Indo-Pacific region is considered to contain some of the world's richest marine biological resources.

The group's 21 islands and islets are protected as part of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, covering an area of nearly 560 sq km (216 sq miles).

Fishermen had indiscriminately and illegally mined invaluable coral reefs around the islets of Poomarichan and Villanguchalli for many decades, said S Balaji, chief conservator of forests and wildlife for that region of Tamil Nadu state.

Full article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13383182