Question

How are land, air, water and living things impacted by too much carbon dioxide?

Answer 1

Answer:

- In terrestrial environments: increasing CO2 levels cause an increased photosynthetic rate

- In aquatic environments: increasing CO2 levels cause an increase in water acidity  

- In both terrestrial and aquatic environments: increasing CO2 levels lead to an overall increase in the average temperature (global warming)

Explanation:

In terrestrial ecosystems, rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels increase the rate of photosynthesis (since CO2 is one of the reactants in photosynthesis), thereby also increasing plant growth. Moreover, in aquatic ecosystems, rising CO2 concentrations increase the levels of this gas dissolved on the surface of the oceans. This increases the acidity of the oceans, thereby modifying habitats and food web structures. The increasing acidity of the oceans also reduces the amounts of carbonate, which difficult for aquatic species (e.g., corals) to form their shells/skeletons. Finally, CO2 is a greenhouse gas that contributes to the increase in the average temperature by absorbing solar radiation that would otherwise have been reflected by the Earth's surface, and this increase in the temperature negatively affects life in both terrestrial and aquatic environments.