In the middle of this century, the earth can run out of coral

Amazing coral reefs will surely die if the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere goes up at the current rate, absorbed into the sea and makes sea water become acidic like acid.

Over the past few decades, corals have been under increasing pressure from warming seawater, destructive fishing and disease. A recent study found that corals in the Pacific are disappearing faster than we thought.

The study, which will be published at the American Geophysical Association's tomorrow meeting, points to another factor that is destroying this underwater ecological stronghold: carbon dioxide.

Bleached coral in the great coral reef, Australia.(Photo: Brisbanetimes)

CO2 comes from burning petroleum or coal, firewood, some of which is absorbed into the oceans."Approximately one-third of CO ₂ goes into the atmosphere absorbed by the ocean , " said team member Ken Caldeira from the Carnegie Institution in Washington. "This process slows down the greenhouse effect, but is a major cause of marine pollution."

When CO ₂ enters water, it produces carbonic acid, the acid used to make a sizzling sound for bottled water. This acid also makes some minerals more soluble in seawater, especially aragonite - minerals that corals and many other marine organisms use to make skeleton frames.

Caldeira and colleagues tested computer models of ocean chemistry based on changes in CO ₂ concentrations, from 280 ppm to 5,000 ppm. They found that, if the current emissions trend remains the same, 98% of the seas with coral today will become too acidic for corals to survive, by the middle of the century.

The biggest threat threatens the great coral reef - the largest living structure on earth and a symbol of Australia, followed by coral in the Caribbean Sea.

Researchers warn that carbon dioxide emissions must be cut immediately and slowly to slow down this ocean acidification process, before taking into account the other effects of the greenhouse effect.

Thuan An