Such complicated interactions would not have emerged from studies of individual organisms, said Christopher Harley of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, "That's the stroke of genius of this paper." "I think the ecological observations are quite important, also for future projections," agreed Peter Brewer of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Moss Landing, Calif., who was not involved in the study. "For example, the study indicates which species may be most affected in a low-pH/high-CO2 world." But how does Wootton explain why his measured pH changes are so much larger than what models have predicted? "That's something that, frankly, is a big mystery and presumably will spark some thought or explanation of what might be going on," said Brewer. Richard Zeebe of the University of Hawaii at Manoa pointed out that Wootten's study was on a coastal site, not in the open ocean, so "one needs to be cautious about extrapolating the pH findings to other locations." The part of the ocean that Wootton studied also experiences a great deal of upwelling, so it's not completely suprising to find changes in acidity. But, Brewer said, "I think the changes are bigger than we expected." The unexpected scale of the pH changes suggest that scientists may be in for more surprises as global warming continues to alter ocean environments. "If I look at how the wider scale of impacts may occur," Brewer added, "it is clear that we are in for big changes that are not yet well understood." Related Links: Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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