Comments on: Leaving Our Geological Mark http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2010/02/15/leaving-our-geological-mark/ A blog about life, past and future. Written by DISCOVER contributing editor and columnist Carl Zimmer. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:00:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Lab Lemming http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2010/02/15/leaving-our-geological-mark/comment-page-1/#comment-28925 Lab Lemming Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:16:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=2353#comment-28925 Let them eat <a href="http://www.nature.com/climate/2010/1001/full/climate.2010.130.html" rel="nofollow">lobster</a>. Let them eat lobster.

]]> By: CW http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2010/02/15/leaving-our-geological-mark/comment-page-1/#comment-28904 CW Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:36:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=2353#comment-28904 No chance of aquatic life being to adapt to the lower pH, eh? <strong>[CZ: That's a good question, actually. There are some studies on organisms that live in naturally low-pH habitats, and they show adaptations to the environment not seen elsewhere. But it's not clear that other species could adapt in a matter of decades to the current change in pH in the ocean, which is the timescale that matters for survival. And the fossil record indicates some big extinctions in connection with ocean acidity, so that doesn't bode well either.]</strong> No chance of aquatic life being to adapt to the lower pH, eh?

[CZ: That's a good question, actually. There are some studies on organisms that live in naturally low-pH habitats, and they show adaptations to the environment not seen elsewhere. But it's not clear that other species could adapt in a matter of decades to the current change in pH in the ocean, which is the timescale that matters for survival. And the fossil record indicates some big extinctions in connection with ocean acidity, so that doesn't bode well either.]

]]> By: ERD http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2010/02/15/leaving-our-geological-mark/comment-page-1/#comment-28903 ERD Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:32:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=2353#comment-28903 Just a small point. Decreasing pH is not equivalent to increasing acidity. Acidity is typically defined as negative alkalinity. CO2 absorption into the ocean does not change alkalinity. It does, in fact, lower pH (with profound consequences), but acidification viz a viz CO2 is a misnomer. <strong>[CZ: Fair enough, but bear in mind that all the papers on this topic use the phrase "ocean acidification."]</strong> Just a small point. Decreasing pH is not equivalent to increasing acidity. Acidity is typically defined as negative alkalinity. CO2 absorption into the ocean does not change alkalinity. It does, in fact, lower pH (with profound consequences), but acidification viz a viz CO2 is a misnomer.

[CZ: Fair enough, but bear in mind that all the papers on this topic use the phrase "ocean acidification."]

]]> By: khan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2010/02/15/leaving-our-geological-mark/comment-page-1/#comment-28900 khan Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:49:48 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=2353#comment-28900 Reminds me of a phrase: "Crapping in your own nest." Reminds me of a phrase: “Crapping in your own nest.”

]]> By: Bookmarks for February 16th from 02:09 to 06:52 — arghh.net http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2010/02/15/leaving-our-geological-mark/comment-page-1/#comment-28899 Bookmarks for February 16th from 02:09 to 06:52 — arghh.net Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:29:52 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/?p=2353#comment-28899 [...] Leaving Our Geological Mark | The Loom | Discover Magazine – What mark will we leave on the Earth that will survive millions of years? It may be ocean acidification. [...] [...] Leaving Our Geological Mark | The Loom | Discover Magazine – What mark will we leave on the Earth that will survive millions of years? It may be ocean acidification. [...]

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