Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidification is a recently confirmed up-and-coming problem that is linked to global climate change. Sometimes referred to as "the other carbon problem," ocean acidification results from the ocean acting as a chemical sink for CO2 in the atmosphere. When the CO2 dissolves into the water, it undergoes a chemical reaction and becomes carbonic acid, and this is argued to be detrimental for any and all organisms in the ocean that create shells or skeletons out of calcium carbonate. Similarly to the increase in carbon in the atmosphere over the past several decades, there has been an increase in carbon in the ocean as well, and the imminent problem acidification poses is the threat of collapsing food chains and ecosystems as corals and other base organisms fail to thrive in an altered environment.

The following articles are examined for their viewpoints on the issue of ocean acidification. Types of media included range from videos, to news articles, to fact sheets and brochures, and are evaluated for scientific balance and logical reasoning.

Monday, July 4, 2011

"Fact Sheet: The Ocean in a High CO2 World"

A fact sheet from www.ocean-acidification.net.

The author's viewpoint is that the burning of fossil fuels is the cause of global climate change, and ultimately, ocean acidification. The author goes on to state several scientific facts, with many numbers and percent values, but does not cite specific references to back up specific factual claims. The tone of the piece is neutral, with no personal opinion attached, and use of cautious words such as "may," "likelihood," and "potential" are more common than words that indicate absolute certainty. A range of aspects of the issue are discussed - from scientific to economic and political topics, the author gives a holistic look at the problem, and potential ways of solving it.

The viewpoint is less than scientifically balanced from a credibility perspective, as the only references given are more secondary source writings, rather than any primary research. Given, it is likely that the piece was written for a lay audience that would benefit more from secondary sources, but it is still important to cite evidence in order to be scientifically balanced and credible. The author references some sponsors, including an organization under UNESCO, which is highly regarded internationally for knowing up-to-date scientific information. As a piece written with credible information, it is reasonably scientifically balanced, as it covers several areas of concern.

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