Question
scientists have observed that shells of some marine animals have thinner shells than several decades ago. how could this trend be related to increased greenhouse gases?
Higher carbon levels mean the marine animals have less materials to build shells.
Atmospheric greenhouse gases eventually circulate to the oceans making the water more acidic and this makes it harder for animals to build shells
Fossil fuel spills in the ocean prevent marine animals building shells
Higher carbon levels mean the marine animals have less materials to build shells.
Atmospheric greenhouse gases eventually circulate to the oceans making the water more acidic and this makes it harder for animals to build shells
Fossil fuel spills in the ocean prevent marine animals building shells
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The trend of thinner shells in some marine animals can be linked to increased greenhouse gases primarily through the following mechanism:
**Atmospheric greenhouse gases eventually circulate to the oceans, making the water more acidic, and this makes it harder for animals to build shells.**
When carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere dissolves in ocean water, it undergoes a series of chemical reactions that lead to ocean acidification. Specifically, CO2 reacts with water to form carbonic acid, which then dissociates into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions. The increase in hydrogen ions lowers the pH of the seawater, making it more acidic.
Ocean acidification negatively affects marine organisms that rely on calcium carbonate to form their shells and skeletons, such as mollusks, corals, and some plankton. The lower pH makes it more difficult for these organisms to obtain the carbonate ions needed for shell formation. As a result, these animals may experience thinner shells or may not be able to form shells at all, leading to potential impacts on their survival and the ecosystems in which they live.
The other options provided—such as higher carbon levels meaning marine animals have less material to build shells and fossil fuel spills preventing shell formation—are not accurate in the context of this trend. The primary concern is indeed the effect of ocean acidification due to increased levels of atmospheric CO2.
**Atmospheric greenhouse gases eventually circulate to the oceans, making the water more acidic, and this makes it harder for animals to build shells.**
When carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere dissolves in ocean water, it undergoes a series of chemical reactions that lead to ocean acidification. Specifically, CO2 reacts with water to form carbonic acid, which then dissociates into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions. The increase in hydrogen ions lowers the pH of the seawater, making it more acidic.
Ocean acidification negatively affects marine organisms that rely on calcium carbonate to form their shells and skeletons, such as mollusks, corals, and some plankton. The lower pH makes it more difficult for these organisms to obtain the carbonate ions needed for shell formation. As a result, these animals may experience thinner shells or may not be able to form shells at all, leading to potential impacts on their survival and the ecosystems in which they live.
The other options provided—such as higher carbon levels meaning marine animals have less material to build shells and fossil fuel spills preventing shell formation—are not accurate in the context of this trend. The primary concern is indeed the effect of ocean acidification due to increased levels of atmospheric CO2.