Ocean acidification in Washington State: an exploration of its chemical, biological, and societal impacts

Saturday 15 June 2013, 4 PM

Part of the Seattle Science Festival

Ocean acidification is caused by very well understood chemical processes, though its progression in coastal estuaries is complicated by a variety of human activities. The US Pacific Northwest is a hot spot for rapid progression of ocean acidification. The region’s oyster industry has likely already experienced its negative effects. For this reason and with great foresight, the former governor of Washington, Christine Gregoire, convened a Blue Ribbon Panel on ocean acidification to summarize the state of ocean acidification science relevant to Washington State and make recommendations for action. In response to the Panel’s recommendations, Gov. Gregoire signed an executive order for Washington to act on the problem of ocean acidification. By addressing ocean acidification with policy, the governor took unprecedented action both nationally and globally. This presentation will explain ocean acidification, explore its ecological and economic implications for Washington and the Pacific Northwest, and discuss the Panel’s recommendations.

Shallin Busch, PhD is a Research Ecologist at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center. She helped develop the Center’s state-of-the-art laboratory for studying the impacts of ocean acidification, hypoxia, and temperature change on coastal marine organisms. Busch uses the laboratory to conduct experiments on species that are economically and ecologically important. She also uses ecological models to explore potential impacts of ocean acidification on entire food webs and fisheries harvest. She aims to generate data relevant to managing species and communities in a changing environment. In 2012, Busch served as a member of the Washington State Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification. She earned her PhD in Zoology from the University of Washington and an undergraduate degree from Princeton University.

$7 adult/$5adult member/$3 non member youth/$2 member youth

JFK Building, FW; parking pass NOT needed; PTMSC is paying in advance for those without Discover parking passes

Port Townsend Marine Science Center Blog, May 2013. More information.

Ocean Acidification