Deadly Acidi Zone in Oceans and marine life

A Mysterious, Deadly Zone in the Ocean is Growing:

It creates conditions so acidic that it dissolves shells and skeletons, and it could make up half of the global ocean by the end of the century.

The deep ocean harbors an expanding acidic zone where high pressure and low temperature create conditions that dissolve calcium carbonate, a crucial material for marine animals' shells.

This area, which is known as the carbonate compensation depth (or CCD), is growing due to rising carbon dioxide levels in the ocean, which is making the water more acidic. This phenomenon, coupled with ocean acidification at the surface, is shrinking the habitable space for marine life from both the top and the bottom, making it difficult for creatures to survive under such harsh acidic conditions. Recent studies have revealed that the CCD serves as a biological boundary, creating distinct habitats above and below it.

Above the CCD, organisms with calcified shells or skeletons like soft corals, brittle stars, and mussels, thrive, while below it, sea anemones, sea cucumbers, and octopuses are more abundant.

The under-saturated, more acidic habitat below the CCD currently limits life in 54.4 million square miles of the ocean and could expand by another 13.5 million square miles with a 980-foot rise.

The expansion of this acidic zone will have varying impacts on different regions and countries, with island nations being the most affected. It's remarkable that nearly half of the deep sea is already acidic, and this proportion could increase to half by the end of the century.

The rising acidity of our oceans serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need to combat climate change and its devastating impact on marine ecosystems.