A new study warns that ocean acidification could weaken sharks’ teeth, threatening their ability to hunt and disrupting marine ecosystems. Researchers tested blacktip reef shark teeth in artificial seawater tanks mimicking current and future projected pH levels. After eight weeks, teeth exposed to more acidic water (pH 7.3) showed double the damage compared with those in today’s conditions (pH 8.1), including increased root corrosion and altered serration.
The findings suggest that sharks may struggle to feed efficiently if tooth damage outpaces natural replacement rates. While sharks might adapt by accelerating tooth growth or repair, the study highlights acidification as an added stress on top of prey shortages and overfishing. Scientists stress that cutting human-driven CO2 emissions is critical to slow acidification and safeguard marine predators vital to ecosystem balance.
