'Ocean Acidification' Has Breached 'Planetary Boundary' Five Years Ago, Researchers Claim

Another boundary to protect our planet from further harm appears to have been breached by humans. The planetary boundary in question is ocean acidification, according to Live Science. New findings suggest that the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in oceans has reached such high levels that it is now believed to be in the "danger zone." Insights regarding this breach have been detailed in the journal Global Change Biology. The findings indicate that oceans reached the "danger zone" in terms of acidification around five years ago.

Experts believe the primary reason behind this increased concentration of carbon dioxide is industrial activities such as the burning of fossil fuels. Moreover, the breach concerns experts as it could lead to harmful consequences for marine ecosystems and human coastal communities. Planetary boundaries are the "natural limits" of global systems associated with aspects like wildlife diversity, climate, and water, according to The Guardian. The boundaries are confines that a system should maintain to be considered healthy. If the limit is breached, then it implies that the system is damaged and should be monitored immediately. 

For the boundary of "ocean acidification," the limit has been determined as the concentration of calcium carbonate in seawater being lower than 20% of the preindustrial levels. Before the study, six of the nine planetary boundaries were deemed to have already been breached. Researchers associated with the UK's Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) are now claiming that the ocean acidification boundary has also been broken. PML's Professor Steve Widdicombe, also a co-chair of the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network, claims that the situation is so dangerous that oceans have become a "ticking time bomb" for marine ecosystems and coastal economies, which needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. 

For their analysis, the team evaluated the physical and chemical data of ice cores, insights gathered through advanced computer models, and studies conducted on marine life. The process provided scientists with data related to the marine ecosystem of over 150 years. Examinations revealed that by 2020, most regions in the ocean were exhibiting values close to the planetary boundary of ocean acidification, while some had even crossed it.

The deeper the scientists went for their readings, the worse the "acidification." Researchers claimed that 200 meters below the water surface, 60% of the ocean had breached the planetary boundary of ocean acidification. PML's Professor Helen Findlay, also a biological oceanographer, believes this finding implies that the effects of ocean acidification could be worse than previously thought, as deep waters are home to a wide variety of plants and animals, possibly even more than on the surface. Experts believe the dropping pH levels and other consequences of this breach could alter underwater ecosystems forever, rendering them in a state where they would be unable to support countless species. 

Even if the beings survive, for many of them, such as mussels, corals, and oysters, the quality of life would be hampered severely. The team believes that decreasing emission levels, along with focused conservation efforts, are the best ways to tackle this change. However, the transformation needs to be immediate. "This report makes it clear: we are running out of time and what we do–or fail to do–now is already determining our future," Jessie Turner, director of the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification, who was not involved in the study, shared.