Count down the days until 2015 together with the OA-ICC! Each day of December you will find a short story on the OA-ICC news stream highlighting an ocean acidification project, effort, or resource.
Discover today’s story below: “OA down under”!
Being host to the world’s largest coral reef system as well as many other types of unique and fragile marine ecosystems, research on ocean acidification is understandably one of the main priorities of the Australian marine research. The Australian Institute for marine sciences (AIMS) have been studying the effects of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems by observing the natural CO2 seeps which occur off the coast of Papua New Guinea as well as conducting laboratory aquarium experiments in the new National Sea Simulator in Townsville, Queensland. These aquarium experiments are used to determine the combined effects of elevated sea temperatures and ocean acidification on corals and sponges.
In addition to these research efforts there are further efforts being concentrated on the Antarctic continent. The Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACECRC) ACE scientists are working on an initial assessment of the possible impacts of ocean acidification on microbial components of the marine ecosystem. Find out more information about the results ACE scientists produced and the research planned on their website.
But the efforts would not be as comprehensive and efficient without the contribution of Australia’s Trans-Tasmanian partner. New Zealand has been actively involved in ocean acidification research for almost a decade, due to the initiative of the University of Otago translated into the establishment of the OA Research Theme (OAR). First started in 2006, the program focused on the chemical and biological impacts of ocean acidification. It currently involves a large number of researchers from New Zealand and overseas, meeting on a regular basis to share and discuss the latest scientific results.
The OAR’s annual workshop reached its 7th edition in 2014. It welcomed more than 60 participants and was organized with the support of several governmental bodies and other research institutions.
For more information, please visit the University of Otago official website.
