Editing Great Barrier Reef (section)

=== Ocean Acidification ===
A threat for the Great Barrier Reef is the rising levels of [[ocean acidification]]. Ocean acidification occurs when excess atmospheric carbon dioxide gets absorbed into the ocean. This causes a decrease in the pH and this alters the chemistry of the ocean's water. This reduces the amount of aragonite, a key mineral for coral to grow, in the water. The Great Barrier Reef is predicted to lose aragonite at a rate of about 0.1 per decade this century.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mongin |first1=Mathieu |last2=Baird |first2=Mark E. |last3=Tilbrook |first3=Bronte |last4=Matear |first4=Richard J. |last5=Lenton |first5=Andrew |last6=Herzfeld |first6=Mike |last7=Wild-Allen |first7=Karen |last8=Skerratt |first8=Jenny |last9=Margvelashvili |first9=Nugzar |last10=Robson |first10=Barbara J. |last11=Duarte |first11=Carlos M. |last12=Gustafsson |first12=Malin S. M. |last13=Ralph |first13=Peter J. |last14=Steven |first14=Andrew D. L. |date=2016-02-23 |title=The exposure of the Great Barrier Reef to ocean acidification |journal=Nature Communications |language=en |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=10732 |doi=10.1038/ncomms10732 |issn=2041-1723 |pmc=4766391 |pmid=26907171}}</ref> The acidic water breaks down the materials that coral and shell building creatures need to grow.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ocean Acidification |url=https://marinesanctuary.org/blog/ocean-acidification/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAuou6BhDhARIsAIfgrn7QdHftg_yzHTz5Q93PsscrmoBqw1Q4--RBjLhDb3Tj4Ik8eKPrKX8aAtcFEALw_wcB |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=National Marine Sanctuary Foundation |language=en-US}}</ref>