How will greenhouse gas affect the ocean?

Answer 1

The main direct effect of greenhouse gas on the ocean is increased acidity. As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rise, more carbon dioxide is dissolved in the surface waters of the oceans. Dissolved carbon dioxide is carbonic acid, and increased levels have been detected in the water. This is believed to be responsible for coral bleaching. There is very little interchange between the warmer waters close to the surface and the deep ocean waters, but over a period of thousands of years, the dissolved carbon dioxide will eventually move to the lower waters, enabling the oceans to remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Indirectly, because greenhouse gases raise the temperature of the earth, the ocean also warms and expands. This has been partly responsible for rising sea levels, although the melting of the ice caps and glaciers also plays a part.

Answer 2

Greenhouse gases are causing the ocean to absorb more heat, leading to warmer sea surface temperatures and changes in ocean currents. This can disrupt marine ecosystems, causing coral bleaching, habitat loss for marine life, and shifts in species distribution. Additionally, the increased carbon dioxide levels are making the ocean more acidic, threatening marine organisms that rely on calcium carbonate to build their shells and skeletons.