All marine life will be affected by the increased acidity of the oceans. A decrease in pH will have a twofold effect: not only will the decreased carbonate ion concentration make it harder for shell-producing organisms to produce the necessary crystal structures (calcite and aragonite), but the increased acidity will also dissolve existing shells as shown in the video below.

Many marine ecosystems exist in delicate balance with their surroundings. As you learned in Lesson 5, coral reefs only grow in regions of optimum temperature, nutrient availability and pH. Coral reefs are some of the most productive ecosystems on earth and, if these ecosystems deteriorate, we will lose a great portion of our biodiversity and the economic activities that depend on them.