Climate Live: Ana Faria
in response to schools
in response to schools
The conference “Climate Live: Biodiversity” was held on the 6th of April, 2016 at Escola Secundária Carolina Michaelis (High School), in Porto, and had the participation of dozens of schools all over the country, using live streaming. During the break, we received live several questions to put to the speakers after their interventions. Ana Faria was one of the speakers invited to the event and she explained to basic and secondary education students, the effects of ocean acidification, a consequence of climate change in the behaviour and growth of marine animals, especially fish.
Here are the answers to the questions posed by the “junior journalists” of the schools participating in the conference:
Here are the answers to the questions posed by the “junior journalists” of the schools participating in the conference:
High School Diogo de Macedo (Vila Nova de Gaia): Which marine species in Portugal are most affected by climate change?
The most affected marine species off our coast will be, similar to what happens in other regions of the planet, the species that depend on calcium carbonate [see glossary 1] to form their skeletons, such as corals [2], the bivalve [3], crustaceans [4], among others. In the acidification process, carbon dioxide molecules (1) react with water molecules (2), forming carbonic acid (3). When this carbonic acid dissociates, it releases hydrogen ions (4) and bicarbonate ions (5). The hydrogen ions, in turn, will bind to the carbonate ion which exists in water and is used by calcareous bodies to form their skeletons, forming more bicarbonate. Carbonate unavailability in seawater due to the phenomenon of acidification is, therefore, a serious threat to these marine organisms. The shells and other calcareous structures of adult organisms end up being corroded [5], and the larval stages of development fail to calcify their shells. |
Legend of chemical formulas:
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High School André de Gouveia (Évora): Why the change of behaviour in marine animals before acidification?
It is still unclear, among the scientific community, the reason why the organisms exposed to acidification conditions display a behavioural change. However, several studies suggest that deregulation occurs at the level of a neurotransmitter [6] in the brain, the GABA. In an acidic environment, the activity of this neurotransmitter is altered, and this deregulation appears to be responsible for the behavioural changes.
Portuguese School of Mozambique – Centre for Education and the English Language: How can one measure the acidity of the oceans?
In a simpler way, the acidity of the oceans may be measured using the pH scale [7], which measures the concentration of hydrogen ions in the medium. Several devices measure the pH with high precision. However, in the acidification works, we are also interested in measuring the so-called partial pressure of carbon dioxide. The acidification is due to an increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere, which in turn is absorbed by the oceans, thereby increasing carbon dioxide pressure in water. The carbon dioxide pressure is obtained indirectly by measuring the pH parameters, alkalinity, temperature and salinity.
School EB 2,3 de Álvaro Velho (Barreiro): Do adult fish use the same type of orientation as larvae?
Yes, adult fish also display a series of behaviours that allow them to know their way around the environment they inhabit.
Inter-School Group of Boa Água (Sesimbra): What can we, as 8th-grade students, do to prevent climate change?
It is up to each of us to contribute to a better world, through small gestures in our day-to-day:
- Choosing to walk, cycle or take the public transport to school or to work, for example, significantly reduces our ecological footprint. If each of us uses a private vehicle to go to work, we are emitting more CO2 into the atmosphere than if we choose to take public transport, cycle or walk;
- Efficiently using electricity in our homes also saves our environment (and money at the end of the month!): Do not leave lights on unnecessarily, use efficient lamps, avoid using equipment that consumes a lot of energy (such as the washing machine);
- Reducing the use of plastic products, such as cups, plates, cutlery, because most plastics are petroleum-based and therefore contribute to increased burning of fossil fuels;
- Recycle! It is the simplest measure we can adopt in our homes. By recycling, we prevent the production of new materials that involve the combustion of fossil fuels and the consequent emission of gases into the atmosphere.
Colégio Júlio Dinis (Porto): If currently climate change is happening very quickly, how can technological development contribute to promoting or mitigating its effects?
Technological development can contribute a lot to alleviate the effects of climate change. The option of using clean energy instead of fossil energy is the way forward to decrease the emission of gases into the atmosphere. Proof of its importance is the fact that we are observing an increasing financing of technological projects in the areas of climate action throughout the world.
High School Dr. Joaquim Gomes Ferreira Alves (Vila Nova de Gaia): Why don´t awareness actions go beyond schools more often, considering that the main responsible entities are accessible there?
That is a very pertinent question, which does not have an easy answer! Make no mistake: environmental awareness actions should begin precisely in schools, and the sooner the better! Children and young people of today will be the future decision and policy makers of tomorrow, those who may have the power to effectively change anything. What is happening today is that economic power remains stronger and influences political and decisive power. Until we have top-place people strong enough to say no to the oil industry, which generates so much money, it will not be easy to reverse the global trend. But to have environmentally conscious people at the top, we need to educate from birth! Hence the importance of all environmental awareness activities taking place in schools. It is in your hands, today's young people to internalise the importance of protecting our planet and grow with this environmental responsibility.
It is still unclear, among the scientific community, the reason why the organisms exposed to acidification conditions display a behavioural change. However, several studies suggest that deregulation occurs at the level of a neurotransmitter [6] in the brain, the GABA. In an acidic environment, the activity of this neurotransmitter is altered, and this deregulation appears to be responsible for the behavioural changes.
Portuguese School of Mozambique – Centre for Education and the English Language: How can one measure the acidity of the oceans?
In a simpler way, the acidity of the oceans may be measured using the pH scale [7], which measures the concentration of hydrogen ions in the medium. Several devices measure the pH with high precision. However, in the acidification works, we are also interested in measuring the so-called partial pressure of carbon dioxide. The acidification is due to an increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere, which in turn is absorbed by the oceans, thereby increasing carbon dioxide pressure in water. The carbon dioxide pressure is obtained indirectly by measuring the pH parameters, alkalinity, temperature and salinity.
School EB 2,3 de Álvaro Velho (Barreiro): Do adult fish use the same type of orientation as larvae?
Yes, adult fish also display a series of behaviours that allow them to know their way around the environment they inhabit.
Inter-School Group of Boa Água (Sesimbra): What can we, as 8th-grade students, do to prevent climate change?
It is up to each of us to contribute to a better world, through small gestures in our day-to-day:
- Choosing to walk, cycle or take the public transport to school or to work, for example, significantly reduces our ecological footprint. If each of us uses a private vehicle to go to work, we are emitting more CO2 into the atmosphere than if we choose to take public transport, cycle or walk;
- Efficiently using electricity in our homes also saves our environment (and money at the end of the month!): Do not leave lights on unnecessarily, use efficient lamps, avoid using equipment that consumes a lot of energy (such as the washing machine);
- Reducing the use of plastic products, such as cups, plates, cutlery, because most plastics are petroleum-based and therefore contribute to increased burning of fossil fuels;
- Recycle! It is the simplest measure we can adopt in our homes. By recycling, we prevent the production of new materials that involve the combustion of fossil fuels and the consequent emission of gases into the atmosphere.
Colégio Júlio Dinis (Porto): If currently climate change is happening very quickly, how can technological development contribute to promoting or mitigating its effects?
Technological development can contribute a lot to alleviate the effects of climate change. The option of using clean energy instead of fossil energy is the way forward to decrease the emission of gases into the atmosphere. Proof of its importance is the fact that we are observing an increasing financing of technological projects in the areas of climate action throughout the world.
High School Dr. Joaquim Gomes Ferreira Alves (Vila Nova de Gaia): Why don´t awareness actions go beyond schools more often, considering that the main responsible entities are accessible there?
That is a very pertinent question, which does not have an easy answer! Make no mistake: environmental awareness actions should begin precisely in schools, and the sooner the better! Children and young people of today will be the future decision and policy makers of tomorrow, those who may have the power to effectively change anything. What is happening today is that economic power remains stronger and influences political and decisive power. Until we have top-place people strong enough to say no to the oil industry, which generates so much money, it will not be easy to reverse the global trend. But to have environmentally conscious people at the top, we need to educate from birth! Hence the importance of all environmental awareness activities taking place in schools. It is in your hands, today's young people to internalise the importance of protecting our planet and grow with this environmental responsibility.
Glossary:
[1] Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound which, in nature, is present as aragonite and calcite minerals. The shells we see on the beach, for example, are stiff structures that served as external skeletons to the soft body of the molluscs that gave rise to them. These structures are made precisely of the minerals calcite and aragonite.
[2] Corals are animals of the phylum Cnidaria and class Anthozoa. They can be considered as a “distant cousins” of anemones. They often live in colonies and have the ability to produce a rigid skeleton of calcium carbonate. Ocean acidification hampers the construction of this skeleton, thus limiting the growth of coral reefs. [3] Bivalves are organisms whose soft body is protected by a rigid shell consisting of two valves (two parts). Mussels and clams are some examples of bivalves. [4] Crustaceans are marine invertebrate organisms such as crabs, lobsters and shrimps. [5] Corrosion is the destruction or deterioration of a material due to chemical or electrochemical reaction with the environment where it is. [6] A neurotransmitter is a kind of messenger in our brain responsible for various feelings, such as sadness, joy or excitement. In the case of GABA or glutamate, it is known that it reduces the activity of neurotransmitters to which it binds, causing a disruption. Therefore, the fish may lose some capabilities when affected by ocean acidification. [7] The pH scale is a logarithmic scale that measures the concentration of hydrogen ions in solution. This scale is aimed at determining the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a substance. For example, the water in the oceans is currently with a pH of about 8.1, and it is expected that this will become more acidic in the coming years, reaching the value of 7.7. |
Text (glossary) by: Renata Silva and Margarida Marques, with scientific review by Ana Faria.