CLIMATE CHANGE AND OCEAN ACIDIFICATION - Marine Pollution: What Everyone Needs to Know - page 181

summer temperatures up to 10°C higher than corals else-
where and have recovered from extreme temperature events in
10 years or less. Their heat-tolerance suggests that other coral
populations might also be able to adapt to increasing tempera-
tures. Recovery from bleaching events is faster when there are
enough herbivorous fishes on the reef to keep algae in check.
Researchers found that because of overfishing, densities of her-
bivores on Red Sea reefs near Saudi Arabia were far lower than
other Red Sea reefs, which can explain the very slow recovery
of these reefs. Some corals can adapt to acidification. Scientists
have found that corals near the island of Palau are able to thrive
in highly acidic water. So it is possible that other corals in other
areas will be capable of adapting to acidification as well.
What economic effects could result from Ocean Acidification?
Ocean acidification may impact tourism and fisheries and the
jobs and revenue that depend on them. Regions that depend
heavily on coral reef tourism or coral reef based fisheries will
have severe impacts from OA, which could decrease rev-
enue if the quality of reefs or fish harvests decline. It is also
important to realize that changes in shellfish harvests, coral
reef-associated industries, or tourism will affect other busi-
nesses and communities that depend on the affected industry.
This could really amplify the overall economic effects of ocean
acidification. Commercial fisheries, especially for shellfish,
can be severely affected. Vulnerability of different countries to
decreases in mollusk harvests will depend on their nutritional
and economic dependence on mollusks. Countries with low
adaptability, high dependence on mollusks, and rapidly grow-
ing populations will be the most vulnerable.
What can we do to mitigate effects of ocean acidification?
Reduction of CO 2 emissions and increased sequestering of
carbon are approaches that are being considered. While there