Australia, March 11: Increase in Carbon dioxide emanations have resulted in an increase in the acidification of oceans. This in turn has brought about an adverse impact on some sea creatures as their ability to create shells has been marred.

The continuing decline in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by their uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is termed as Ocean acidification. Foraminifera work as transportation agents by trapping carbon dioxide and moving it to the ocean depths.

A team led by Andrew D. Moy and William R. Howard of the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Center in Hobart, Tasmania conducted a study in the Southern Ocean and found that the present day shells were lighter vis-a-vis shells of the same species of periods prior to the industrial age.

Howard described the impact of the presence of Foraminifera. He said, "Their presence and production helps facilitate the sinking of organic matter from the surface layers of the ocean into the deep ocean. That translates into the transfer of carbon from the atmosphere into the deep ocean. If these organisms are not calcifying as much it may translate into a reduction in the carbon transfer from the atmosphere."

The results of the study reveal that shell weights of modern-day foraminifera have shrunk by a good 30 to 35 percent. “We actually think the shells are thinner,” Dr. Howard observed. The findings of the research may be considered as an early-warning signal of the fact that marine life is being unfavorably impacted by rising acidity of the oceans.

Referring to the limited work done in the field, Howard said, "The big challenge will be how we scale up this kind of change to understand what it means for the ecosystem. And to be honest, we don't know yet." A century ago Oceans had a pH of 8.2. Now oceans are just under 8.1. This change of 0.1 represents a 30 percent increase in the acidity of the oceans.

The results of the study have been published in Nature Geoscience and the key authors are scheduled to present a paper at University of Copenhagen's International Scientific Congress on Climate Change.