"Arctic Faces Further Threat From Ocean Acidification"

"Acidification is an additional stress on an ecosystem already under pressure from rapid sea ice loss, study warns."

"The Arctic ecosystem, already under pressure from record ice melts, faces another potential threat in the form of rapid acidification of the ocean, according to an international study published on Monday.

Acidification, blamed on the transformation of rising levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the air into carbonic acid in the sea, makes it harder for shellfish and crabs to grow their shells, and might also impair fish reproduction, it said.

Cold water absorbs carbon dioxide more readily than warm water, making the Arctic especially vulnerable. The report said the average acidity of surface ocean waters worldwide was now about 30% higher than at the start of the industrial revolution."

Alister Doyle reports for Reuters May 7, 2013.

SEE ALSO:

"10 Key Findings From a Rapidly Acidifying Arctic Ocean" (Mother Jones)