Examples of climate change impacts on marine ecosystems

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🌡️ Rising Sea Temperatures: Cause coral bleaching and shift species distributions.
• 🌊 Ocean Acidification: Increased $CO_2$ absorption lowers pH, harming shell-forming organisms. The chemical equation is: $CO_2 + H_2O \rightleftharpoons H_2CO_3 \rightleftharpoons H^+ + HCO_3^- \rightleftharpoons 2H^+ + CO_3^{2-}$
• 🧊 Melting Ice Caps: Contribute to sea-level rise and disrupt ocean currents.
• 🌪️ Increased Storm Intensity: Damages coastal habitats and disrupts marine life.
• 🐠 Habitat Loss: Warmer waters and acidification lead to the destruction of crucial habitats like coral reefs and seagrass beds.
• ⬆️ Sea Level Rise: Inundates coastal wetlands and increases erosion.
• 🦠 Disease Outbreaks: Warmer waters can promote the spread of diseases among marine populations.

🧪 Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following is a direct impact of rising sea temperatures on marine ecosystems?
   1. A) Increased biodiversity
   2. B) Coral bleaching
   3. C) Decreased storm intensity
   4. D) Enhanced shell formation
2. Ocean acidification primarily affects which group of marine organisms?
   1. A) Jellyfish
   2. B) Sharks
   3. C) Shell-forming organisms
   4. D) Sea turtles
3. Melting ice caps contribute to which of the following?
   1. A) Decreased sea levels
   2. B) Disrupted ocean currents
   3. C) Increased ocean pH
   4. D) Enhanced coral growth
4. How does increased storm intensity impact marine ecosystems?
   1. A) It promotes the growth of seagrass beds.
   2. B) It damages coastal habitats.
   3. C) It reduces erosion.
   4. D) It decreases water temperature.
5. Which of the following is a consequence of habitat loss in marine ecosystems?
   1. A) Increased fish populations
   2. B) Decreased disease outbreaks
   3. C) Reduced biodiversity
   4. D) Enhanced water quality
6. Sea-level rise primarily affects which type of coastal habitat?
   1. A) Rocky cliffs
   2. B) Sandy beaches
   3. C) Coastal wetlands
   4. D) Deep-sea trenches
7. Warmer waters can promote which of the following in marine populations?
   1. A) Increased resilience to disease
   2. B) Decreased metabolic rates
   3. C) Spread of diseases
   4. D) Enhanced reproductive success