Final answer:
Acidification is the process of becoming more acidic (pH below 7), predominantly caused by phenomena such as acid rain, which affects both biodiversity and abiotic systems. Basification refers to the increase in pH (above 7). Both processes can significantly impact biological functions, such as enzyme activity, and lead to broad ecological consequences, particularly in aquatic ecosystems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Acidification and Basification
Acidification refers to the process of a solution becoming more acidic, which is typically characterized by a lowering of pH below 7 (on the pH scale). This can be seen in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Sources of acidification include the burning of fossil fuels, leading to acid rain, which occurs when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react with water to form sulfurous, sulfuric, and nitric acids. This phenomenon has negative effects on aquatic life, plant growth, soil quality, and even man-made structures.
Basification (or alkalization), on the other hand, is the process of a solution becoming more basic, increasing in pH above 7. In the environment, this is less common but can be caused by certain pollution events or natural processes.
Understanding the effects of acidification is critical because it can lead to the disruption of biological processes. For example, enzymes, key biological molecules, require certain pH levels to function effectively. Acidic conditions in places such as the stomach are necessary for digestive enzymes to work, but those same enzymes would not function in the mouth, which has a less acidic environment. In marine ecosystems, acidification, particularly ocean acidification, affects coral reefs and shell-building organisms due to the decreased availability of calcium carbonate, which is necessary for their structures.