2020 Volume 20 Issue 1 Pages 41-50
Present increases of the atmospheric anthropogenic carbon dioxide is now quickly causing ocean warming and ocean acidification. Decrease of seawater pH causes the decline of calcium carbonate saturation, which is expected to critically affect the coral reef ecosystem. In this study, I will review the impacts of ocean acidification on the coral reef organisms and discuss the potential future study direction. Particularly, here I will present recent results about the effect of ocean acidification on the calcification mechanisms of corals and their intra- and interspecies variation in sensitivity to ocean acidification. Additionally, effects on other reef organisms such as sea urchins and seagrass/seaweeds will be presented and potential impacts of ocean acidification on species interactions and on reef ecosystem level will be discussed.