Del océano al verso. Las caracolas de Pablo Neruda

The oceans are essential for life and weather on planet Earth. In fact, they cover more than 70% of the planet’s surface and they concentrate most of the water on Earth. One of the many properties of this element is its great ability to absorb and retain heat. 31 Thanks to this quality the sea can soften the heat excess produced by the rise in the planet’s temperature. The sea also has the ability of absorbing the carbon dioxide produced in its surface, most of which comes from the combustion of fossil fuels. The CO 2 dissolves in water and is used by phytoplankton, algae and other organisms, turning it into oxygen through photosynthesis. Even if until now the oceans have been able to mitigate the effects of global warming, the excess of CO 2 acidifies the sea, a process with negative consequences for its ecosystems. 32 The acidification of the oceans has a direct impact on the organisms that inhabit them, molluscs among them. Since their structure is mainly made out of calcium, acid erodes their shells, weakening them. As a consequence, many young specimens can’t reach adulthood because they are incapable of forming hard structures for their survival. 33 Also, since there is less available calcium in their environment, it’s harder and harder to form and solidify their shells. This causes a loss in biodiversity, a fact that, in turn, affects the food chains associatedwith every species, debilitating the balance of marine ecosystems. [31] Alicia Hoffmann y Juan Armesto. Ecología del agua (Corporación Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, 2014). [32] Laura Farías, coord. Océano y Cambio Climático. 50 preguntas y respuestas. (Comité Científico COP25, 2019). [33] Cristian Vargas. "Upper environmental pCO 2 drives sensitivity to ocean acidification in marine invertebrates". Nature Climate Change 200-207 (2022). 118 universidad de chile