Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Assessing the Impacts of Global Warming on Marine Life

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Sep 5 2011 (IPS) - The Brazilian non-governmental organization Proyecto Coral Vivo (Live Coral Project) is carrying out a research program called Marine Mesocosms to study the impacts of global warming on sea life. Tanks filled with water and marine species, mainly those found in coral reefs, serve as the laboratories where the researchers simulate different scenarios of changes in temperature and acidity, in order to assess the impacts on the various species.

"United Nations studies predict that ocean temperatures will rise by up to four degrees Celsius by the end of the century. An increase of just one degree can cause the algae living inside the coral to produce substances that are toxic for their hosts," research coordinator Clovis Castro told Tierramérica.

"Increased acidity is also harmful for corals. It can dissolve their calcareous skeletons, leading to their death as well as the death of all the fauna associated with coral reefs. The experiments we are conducting make it possible to more effectively study these impacts," Castro added.