a m~ & By Sterling Gates tee aer mu arc (Climate change is not only heating up the planet, but the ‘oceans as well. Since 1910, Australia’s ocean temperature hhas risen 0.68 degrees Celsius. Terao le Been ee eee RANI ud How the Great Barrier Reef ST Td ‘The more Carbon that is released into the atmosphere, the lower the pH (a measure of acidity) will become. Ocean acidification occurs when carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean, thus lowering its pH. This is affecting the coral reefs by making them not able to produce zooxanthellae. P = Atmospheric CO, (ppmv) BF — senwete 500, oni — Senwatar pH b - b - fo ao me we we ew le Year httpufwww.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/WhattistOcean+Acification’3 + _httpifocean.siedu/acean acidification "Uhttps/wwn.pmelnoaa. gov/e02/story/WhatsisrOcean+Acidfcation’F rama Perl eT) in 2014, 6870 million metric tons of Carbon Dioxide were released into the atmosphere. Having vast amounts of greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere traps energy in, thus heating our planet. hps:/vew.nasa.gov/toplcs/eart/features/2011-temps. html https:/waew.ep2.gov/ghgemissions/sources greenhouse-gas emissions Pee sre ced Coral bleaching is when warmer oceans make the coral release an algae called zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae is the coral's main source of food. When this algae is released due to coral bleaching, having the coral turn white and leaving it eventually to die. 7 5 : hig /wrw abe ne au/nens20160607 rama imager choatack-cchne arretbaret is reef/7484454 a 5 a SSN Teg A The Great Barrier Reef died due to the ocean's temperature around Australia rising, causing coral bleaching to occur. With more fossil fuels being released into the atmosphere, the carbon is making the pH lower, making it harder for the coral to regrow. » F