Vulnerability of the Bay of Bengal to Ocean Acidification.

Fossil-fuel combustion releases carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, leading to a warmer climate. Increasing atmospheric CO2 is changing the global ocean’s chemistry, as one-fourth of the anthropogenic CO2 is absorbed by the ocean. In addition, ocean absorbs CO2 from the respiration and breakdown of dead organic matter. When CO2 dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid, decreasing both ocean pH and the concentration of the carbonate ion. The historical trends analysis showed an increasing water temperature with a decreasing pH levels over the period which may lead substantial effect on the biodiversity of the Bay of Bengal. The Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries (IMSF) in Chittagong University have been contributed in research and data generation from the coastal and marine ecosystems of Bangladesh. In addition, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority and Coast Guard have been significantly contributed in hydrographical data collection and monitoring of the shelf water of Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal. Ocean acidification could affect marine