OCEANS (CONT)

greenhouse gases during the coming decades, all calcareous organisms - planktons, sea shells, coral - at all latitudes are potentially threatened.

Surprisingly, the first studies on these subjects are extremely recent. "We've only known since 1998 that the biology of certain organisms responds negatively to this acidification of the oceans," Mr. Gattuso indicates. "We long thought that the ocean's "buffer power" was such that its pH would not change significantly."

Research on oceanic acidification produces more questions than answers today. In the United States, it is still virtually non-existent. For once, Europe has reacted more quickly. It will inscribe oceanic acidification as a separate research subject in its 7th Program Framework for Research and Development.

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