Presented by: Dr. Micah Horwith, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Aquatic Resources
Time: August 7, 10 to 11pm CEST
Description: In 2015, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources established the Acidification Nearshore Monitoring Network. This program – ANeMoNe – collects co-located data on water quality, shellfish, and aquatic vegetation at 10 intertidal sites that span greater Puget Sound and the Washington Coast. ANeMoNe is designed to support hypothesis-driven research through replicated field experiments, and to measure the progress of ocean warming and acidification over tidelands. Here, we offer a survey of work from across the network, which has explored 1) the effects of eelgrass on local water chemistry, 2) the potential of eelgrass as a refuge for shellfish, and 3) regional differences in pH and other parameters of water quality. Through persistent monitoring and limited-term experiments, ANeMoNe fosters collaboration between agency and academic scientists, tribes, and community members invested in understanding and planning for rapid environmental change.
