Core Insights - Ocean acidification, exacerbated by climate change, is systematically damaging the tooth structure of sharks, which poses a threat to the stability of the entire marine food chain [1] Group 1: Impact of Ocean Acidification - A study predicts that if carbon emissions are not effectively addressed, ocean pH levels will drop from 8.1 to 7.3, leading to a tooth wear rate in sharks that exceeds their natural renewal capacity [1] - The research involved 60 naturally shed teeth from blacktip reef sharks, simulating current and future acidic environments, revealing significant erosion in high acidity conditions (pH 7.3) [1] - Damage to the tooth roots was found to be twice as severe compared to the control group, with noticeable deformation of serrated edges, which directly weakens the sharks' predation efficiency [1] Group 2: Ecological Consequences - The study's lead researcher, Maximilian Baum, indicated that ocean acidification is not an isolated threat; when combined with overfishing leading to prey shortages, it could trigger a domino effect of ecological collapse [1] - This research is the first to quantify the direct impact of acidification on top predators, emphasizing the need to reduce anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions to mitigate ocean acidification [1] Group 3: Potential Adaptation Mechanisms - Despite the challenges, there is a possibility that sharks may adapt to environmental changes by accelerating their tooth renewal cycles and enhancing tooth mineralization [2] - Future research should focus on whether the damaged teeth can still maintain their cutting and piercing functions to assess the long-term impact of ocean acidification on shark predation efficiency [2]