Atmospheric CO2 stabilization and ocean acidification

We use a coupled climate/carbon-cycle model to examine the consequences of stabilizing atmospheric CO2 at different levels for ocean chemistry. Our simulations show the potential for major damage to at least some ocean ecosystems at atmospheric CO2 stabilization levels as low as 450 ppm. Before the industrial revolution, more than 98% of corals reefs were surrounded by waters that were >3.5 times saturated with respect to their skeleton materials ( aragonite). If atmospheric CO2 is stabilized at 450 ppm only 8% of existing coral reefs will be surrounded by water with this saturation level. Also at this CO2 level 7% of the ocean South of 60 degrees S will become undersaturated with respect to aragonite, and parts of the high latitude ocean will experience a decrease in pH by more than 0.2 units. Results presented here provide an independent and additional basis for choosing targets of atmospheric CO2 stabilization levels. Citation: Cao, L., and K. Caldeira ( 2008), Atmospheric CO2 stabilization and ocean acidification, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L19609, doi: 10.1029/2008GL035072.