Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 08/11/2011 - 12:15
Forums
Seafloor Organisms and Changing Ocean Conditions in Antarctic

Hi my name is Lauren Atchison from St. Mark School and i was wondering that what if there was no more (Ca) and no more (C03)?

Thu, 01/26/2012 - 12:15

Nell Herrmann

Hi Lauren,
Thanks for the note! I am leaving for my expedition exactly 2 weeks from today!
Animals that make their shells or skeletons out of CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) include mussels, snails, sea urchins, and many others. As seawater becomes more acidic, carbonate (CO3) becomes less available. This makes which makes it difficult for these animals to form their skeletons or shells and negatively affects the health of the animal in many different ways.
Some small plankton also have CaCO3 in their outer coatings or shells. If these plankton decrease in number, many animals higher on the food chain will be affected negatively too.
Good question!
--Nell