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What are the causes of ocean acidification?
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The primary cause of ocean acidification is the increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. This happens when human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and agricultural practices that release CO2 into the atmosphere. As the amount of atmospheric CO2 increases, more of it dissolves into the oceans, where it reacts with the water molecules and forms carbonic acid, leading to a decrease in the overall pH of the ocean. This decrease in pH is what we refer to as ocean acidification. Other contributors to ocean acidification include nitrogen and sulfur compounds released from land-based sources, as well as chemical runoff from farms and industrial facilities.