Natural acidified marine systems: Lessons and predictions.

ABSTRACT

Natural acidified marine systems (ASs) are environments with relatively low pH levels due to natural causes such as volcanic activity, geochemical reactions, and biological processes. These systems act as natural laboratories for the study of the effects of ocean acidification, allowing for the observation of long-term ecological and evolutionary responses. Understanding these systems is crucial for predicting the effects of anthropogenic ocean acidification (OA) on marine ecosystems. There are 23 ASs in which scientific research has shown significant parallelisms in their results worldwide, such as the disappearance of calcareous organisms and the loss of species with key ecological functions under OA conditions. Future research should emphasize continuous collaboration among teams, as well as public access to oceanographic and biological data along with the monitoring of environmental variables at each AS. To preserve these areas, it is imperative to employ non-destructive methods and protect them as human heritage sites.