New study says ocean chemistry changing rapidly

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID AP Science Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - A new study says that carbon dioxide absorbed from the air is causing ocean chemistry to change faster than it has in hundreds of thousands of years.

The National Research Council reports that, as the oceans get more acidic, coral reefs can be damaged and the change also threatens other sea life from fish to shellfish.

While most concern about carbon dioxide and other gases released into the air by industrial processes has focused on rising temperatures, scientists have also become increasingly alarmed by its potential impact on the oceans.