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Introduction / Abiotic factors
Ecosystems are vast crazy things. They have many factors that make them stable and usable as a habitat. Some abiotic factors of the average ecosystem consist of lakes/rivers, rocks, dirt, and air. -
The Burning of Fossil Fuels
Humans began to burn fossil fuels in the year 1860. Fossil fuels, as we know them, are used to create power and heat. The most common fossil fuels we use are coals and oil. Ever since we started using fossil fuels global warming rates and carbon dioxide in the air have been growing at a rapid rate. -
Dissolved C02 and Lower pH
Due to the increase in carbon dioxide it's also been dissolving into our oceans. Carbon dioxide, when dissolved into water, causes a decrease in pH. The higher the pH level is, the less acidic that liquid is. Due to the overwhelming amount of C02 being dissolved in our ocean the pH level has dropped considerably from around an average of 8.1 (a weak base) to 7.6 (powerful neutral) and if we keep on this path the pH is going to go under 7 and become acidic. -
Increased Carbon Dioxide
When we burn fossil fuels they produce carbon dioxide in the air. Although plants inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen the amount of fossil fuels being used now is faster than a plant can inhale and exhale. In the past nine years (since 2010) we have gone up about 10 billion tons of C02, putting us at around 390 billion tons of C02 in the atmosphere. -
Ocean acidification damaging corals
The acidity from the pH level drop is causing corals, and other calcifiers, to die. This is because the acidification weakens their shells. When calcifier shells are weakened it stunts their growth and causes them to die. -
Summary
In conclusion, we as a species are directly affecting an animal's habitat causing them to die. This is related to our story about coyotes in the city as we are directly ruining an animals natural habitat. We are killing calcifiers and ruining the marine habitat in the same way we are building into coyote habitats and ruining their lives.
