The oceanic uptake of anthropogenic CO2 emissions counteracts global warming, but comes at the cost of Ocean Acidification, which is a threat to many marine organisms. In the Baltic Sea, the acidification process and its impact could so far not be quantified due to a lack of appropriate pH measurement techniques and the large pH variability. Looking back, in the first focus of this study acidification scenarios are derived from a detailed analysis of past alkalinity trends in the Baltic Sea water, which are put into context of the atmospheric CO2 forcing. In the second focus, the scientific basis for meaningful pH measurements in brackish waters is formed. Therefore, pH buffer solutions are characterized as primary standards and used to calibrate high-quality spectrophotometric pH measurements. In the last focus, pH fluctuations in benthic ecosystems are quantified. The importance of periods with high pH, during which organisms can maintain calcification rates even under acidified conditions, are highlighted.
Müller J. D., 2018. Ocean acidification in the Baltic Sea: involved processes, metrology of pH in brackish waters, and calcification under fluctuating conditions. PhD thesis, Universität Rostock, 70p. Thesis.
