The University of Alaska Fairbanks is stepping up its research into ocean acidification with a dedicated program, increased staff and the first deployment of stationary monitoring buoys at Resurrection Bay and the Bering Sea.
The Ocean Acidification Research Center isn’t a new building, but rather a formal structure for director and professor Jeremy Mathis to continue his efforts and a means to solicit state and federal funding.
Known as the “sister problem” to global warming, ocean acidification is caused by the absorption of carbon dioxide, or CO2, from the atmosphere. While this process can help mitigate increasing temperatures, it also has the potential to affect all forms of sea life.
Alaska’s waters are naturally predisposed to acidification because of their cold temperatures and shallow depths, and Mathis’ most recent research released Aug. 11 showed increasing acidification from the Gulf of Alaska to the Bering and Chukchi seas.
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Andrew Jensen, Alaska Journal of Commerce, 10 September 2010. Full article.
