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A full-size lab inside a tiny float

Published 17 November 2023 Web sites and blogs Closed

(Image credit: Philip Kulisev/Monaco Explorations)

Small but Mighty

“One single BGC float is like a tiny research vessel that will operate autonomously for five to six years and send its data every 10 days,” Hervé Claustre says. A float also costs a lot less than the simplest and shortest research vessel campaign. On top of the temperature and salinity sensors already found on Core Argo floats, a BGC Argo float carries six additional sensors for sampling oxygen, pH, nitrates, chlorophyll, suspended particles, and light.

A BGC float and the six biogeochemical parameters. (Image credit: ERC REFINE)

“The idea is to understand how climate change impacts marine ecosystems, their biodiversity, and functioning,” explains Emanuele Organelli, a marine ecology researcher from the Italian National Research Council (CNR), working today for Argo Italy, a member of the Euro-Argo consortium. Dramatic changes in marine ecosystems have repercussions on living marine resources, such as fisheries all around the world. By better understanding global marine ecosystems, scientists can better advise policymakers on the urgent actions needed to anticipate and mitigate these potentially dramatic effects on marine resources.

A Suite Sensors

The BGC floats provide the tools to collect a wide array of key data for marine ecology. Oxygen sensors can detect regions where oxygen is scarce. As the oceans are getting warmer, their circulation is getting weaker. Consequently, there are fewer exchanges between oceans and the atmosphere and less oxygen entering oceans in certain areas. pH sensors can measure ocean acidification. The excess carbon dioxide from human activity is absorbed by the oceans and transforms into acid via a chemical reaction in the water. This phenomenon has dire consequences for marine life.

Nitrates, chlorophyll, and light sensors are used to monitor phytoplankton, microscopic marine algae. It is an essential component of the food chain: phytoplankton is consumed by zooplankton, microscopic drifting animals, and zooplankton is the main food source of small fish and other marine animals. Moreover, the quantity and types of phytoplankton thriving in one region give a lot of information about the local ecosystem. Each type, or community, of phytoplankton modifies the intensity and color of marine lightscapes.

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With light sensors, scientists can identify these colors and study the diversity of such communities. Scientists can also assess phytoplankton biomass in a particular area by measuring chlorophyll and suspended particles in the water. In the long run, they should be able to deduce the distribution of phytoplankton communities all around the planet. That, in turn, will help them assess how healthy marine ecosystems are and how sustainable the harvest of living marine resources is in different regions of the planet.

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Atlantic-origin water extension into the Pacific Arctic induced an anomalous biogeochemical event

Published 15 November 2023 Science Closed
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The Arctic Ocean is facing dramatic environmental and ecosystem changes. In this context, an international multiship survey project was undertaken in 2020 to obtain current baseline data. During the survey, unusually low dissolved oxygen and acidified water were found in a high-seas fishable area of the western (Pacific-side) Arctic Ocean. Herein, we show that the Beaufort Gyre shrinks to the east of an ocean ridge and forms a front between the water within the gyre and the water from the eastern (Atlantic-side) Arctic. That phenomenon triggers a frontal northward flow along the ocean ridge. This flow likely transports the low oxygen and acidified water toward the high-seas fishable area; similar biogeochemical properties had previously been observed only on the shelf-slope north of the East Siberian Sea.

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Fig. 1: Schematic of the Arctic Ocean circulation and the study area with hydrographic stations.

a, b Maps of the Arctic Ocean and the study area. In a, yellow, blue, and red arrows represent flows from the shelf-slope at the north of the East Siberian Sea (ESS), and from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in 2017–2020. Ocean circulation and water masses are abbreviated as follows: Beaufort Gyre (BG), Transpolar Drift (TPD), Pacific Water (PW), Lower Halocline Water (LHW), and Atlantic Water (AW). Geographical locations are abbreviated as follows: Canada Basin (CB), Chukchi Plateau (CP), Mendeleyev Ridge (MR), Makarov Basin (MB), and Lomonosov Ridge (LR). In b red, green, and blue dots denote the hydrographic stations conducted by the Research Vessel (R/V) Araon (Korea), R/V Mirai (Japan), and Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent (Canada), under the 2020 Synoptic Arctic Survey project. Black dots indicate other hydrographic stations between 2002 and 2019 listed in Supplementary Table 1.

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Earth beyond six of nine planetary boundaries

Published 15 November 2023 Science Closed
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This planetary boundaries framework update finds that six of the nine boundaries are transgressed, suggesting that Earth is now well outside of the safe operating space for humanity. Ocean acidification is close to being breached, while aerosol loading regionally exceeds the boundary. Stratospheric ozone levels have slightly recovered. The transgression level has increased for all boundaries earlier identified as overstepped. As primary production drives Earth system biosphere functions, human appropriation of net primary production is proposed as a control variable for functional biosphere integrity. This boundary is also transgressed. Earth system modeling of different levels of the transgression of the climate and land system change boundaries illustrates that these anthropogenic impacts on Earth system must be considered in a systemic context.

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Complex dynamics of coral gene expression responses to low pH across species

Published 15 November 2023 Science Closed
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Coral capacity to tolerate low pH affects coral community composition and, ultimately, reef ecosystem function. Low pH submarine discharges (‘Ojo’; Yucatán, México) represent a natural laboratory to study plasticity and acclimatization to low pH in relation to ocean acidification. A previous >2-year coral transplant experiment to ambient and low pH common garden sites revealed differential survivorship across species and sites, providing a framework to compare mechanistic responses to differential pH exposures. Here, we examined gene expression responses of transplants of three species of reef-building corals (Porites astreoides, Porites porites and Siderastrea siderea) and their algal endosymbiont communities (Symbiodiniaceae) originating from low pH (Ojo) and ambient pH native origins (Lagoon or Reef). Transplant pH environment had the greatest effect on gene expression of Porites astreoides hosts and symbionts and P. porites hosts. Host P. astreoides Ojo natives transplanted to ambient pH showed a similar gene expression profile to Lagoon natives remaining in ambient pH, providing evidence of plasticity in response to ambient pH conditions. Although origin had a larger effect on host S. siderea gene expression due to differences in symbiont genera within Reef and Lagoon/Ojo natives, subtle effects of low pH on all origins demonstrated acclimatization potential. All corals responded to low pH by differentially expressing genes related to pH regulation, ion transport, calcification, cell adhesion and stress/immune response. This study demonstrates that the magnitude of coral gene expression responses to pH varies considerably among populations, species and holobionts, which could differentially affect acclimatization to and impacts of ocean acidification.

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Dive industry perspectives on threats to coral reefs: a comparative study across four Asia-Pacific countries

Published 15 November 2023 Science Closed
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The combined effects of climate change, marine tourism and other stressors threaten the ecological and economic sustainability of coral reefs. This study investigates dive industry stakeholder awareness of the threats to coral reefs through structured interviews with Dive Masters, company managers and marine management agencies in Vietnam, Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia. Stakeholders from all locations have observed degradation of local reefs. Destructive fishing was identified as the principal threat in all regions except Australia. Most participants identified threats from climate change and marine tourism. There was a lack of awareness about ocean acidification by all participants from Maluku, Indonesia. However, ocean acidification could make coral more fragile and, therefore, vulnerable to diver-induced damage. The majority of Dive Masters across all regions provide pre-dive briefings to reduce diver impacts and participate in environmental activities to protect local reefs. Stakeholders in three regions thought there was capacity to expand the local dive industry. However, in Nha Trang Vietnam, most industry stakeholders thought they were at, or exceeded, carrying capacity, whereas marine management employees thought there was room to expand. This study highlights an opportunity to improve diver education on the vulnerability of coral to damage in acidifying oceans. This study also identifies various non-regulatory and regulatory strategies used to reduce diver impacts, emphasising the value of multi-national knowledge sharing between the dive industry and regulatory agencies for adaptive management.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Dive industry stakeholders are concerned about threats to coral reefs.
  • Impacts from diving activities were recognised in three of four regions.
  • There was great discrepancy between regions in the awareness of ocean acidification.
  • Most dive industry stakeholders are engaged in marine conservation activities.
  • Some marine managers and industry stakeholders had discrepant views on diver carrying capacity
Continue reading ‘Dive industry perspectives on threats to coral reefs: a comparative study across four Asia-Pacific countries’

Ocean acidification bridging earth science and chemistry (text & video)

Published 15 November 2023 Presentations Closed
The spirit of NGSS is to break down disciplinary silos and encourage students to make cross-curricular connections, but this can be challenging, especially at the high school level. Infiniscope, a NASA-funded project, has been working to create mix-and-match learning modules that enable educators to organize their classrooms around specific phenomena and storylines. In this webinar, we’ll share our newest suite of learning experiences tied to the anchoring phenomenon of Ocean Acidification and the investigative phenomenon of declining oyster populations. We’ll share early results from student testing, plans for future learning modules, and how you can get involved.

Presenters: Miasha Brunkhorst & Jessica Swann
All presenters are affiliated with Arizona State University’s Center for Education Through Exploration.

Resources: Webinar Slides on Google Slides (https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1fI7rKaBUjeVrHO8ebdf5bsNyk9okLd_WiIgS406-IZY/edit#slide=id.g23964bc280a_0_1)
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Global synthesis of the status and trends of ocean acidification impacts on shelled pteropods

Published 13 November 2023 Science Closed
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The accumulation of anthropogenic CO₂ in the ocean has major ecological, socioeconomic, and biogeochemical impacts, with repercussions for the ocean as a critical carbon sink. Ocean acidification (OA) disproportionately affects marine calcifiers, among which pelagic zooplanktonic pteropods play a significant role in carbonate export. The pteropod, due to the susceptibility of its aragonite shell to rapid dissolution, is one of most vulnerable groups and a key indicator for OA regional monitoring, but its regional sensitivities have not yet been extrapolated over global scales. To delineate spatial and temporal changes in pteropod shell dissolution, global OA status and the OA rate of change were evaluated, based on gridded climatologies of observations and using a Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) biogeochemical/ecosystem model. Pteropods, which dominate in the polar and subpolar regions, are characterized by low aragonite saturation state and low buffering capacity, where extended pteropod subsurface dissolution is projected. We show that pteropods are most susceptible to OA in the polar regions, subpolar North Pacific, and eastern boundary upwelling system regions, particularly the California and Humboldt Current Systems. Rates of acidification and corresponding increases in pteropod shell dissolution are projected to be the fastest in the North and South Equatorial Currents. These are the regions with the greatest impacts on pteropods and biogeochemical implications.

Continue reading ‘Global synthesis of the status and trends of ocean acidification impacts on shelled pteropods’

Physical and biological controls on the annual CO2 Cycle in Agua Hedionda Lagoon, Carlsbad, CA

Published 13 November 2023 Science Closed
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Agua Hedionda Lagoon (AHL), a tidal estuary located on the southern California coast, supports a diverse ecosystem while serving numerous recreation activities, a marine fish hatchery, a shellfish hatchery, and the largest desalination plant in the western hemisphere. In this work, a 1-year time series of carbon dioxide data is used to establish baseline average dissolved inorganic carbon conditions in AHL. Based on a mass balance model of the outer basin of the lagoon, we propose that AHL is a source of inorganic carbon to the adjacent ocean, through advective export, at a rate of 5.9 × 106 mol C year−1, and a source of CO2 to the atmosphere of 0.21 × 106 mol C year−1 (1 mol C m−2 year−1), implying a net heterotrophic system on the order of 6.0 × 106 mol C year−1 (30 mol C m−2 year−1). Although variable with a range throughout the year of 80% about the mean, the ecosystem remained persistently heterotrophic, reaching peak rates during the summer season. Using results from the mass balance, the annual cycle of selected properties of the aqueous CO2 system (pH, pCO2, and CaCO3 saturation state) were mathematically decomposed in order to examine the relative contribution of drivers including advection, ecosystem metabolism, and temperature that act to balance their observed annual cycle. Important findings of this study include the identification of advection as a prime driver of biogeochemical variability and the establishment of a data-based estimate of mean flushing time for AHL.

Continue reading ‘Physical and biological controls on the annual CO2 Cycle in Agua Hedionda Lagoon, Carlsbad, CA’

Ocean acidification in the Mediterranean is already affecting the calcification of marine plankton

Published 13 November 2023 Press releases Closed

The acidification of the oceans caused by human activity is already altering the production of marine plankton shells in the Mediterranean Sea. This is the worrying conclusion of a study led by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), which alerts of the impact the decrease in pH of the surface ocean has on the production of calcium carbonate by marine plankton, with negative consequences for marine ecosystems.

Credit: Photo: ICTA-UAB

The acidification of the oceans caused by human activity is already altering the production of marine plankton shells in the Mediterranean Sea. This is the worrying conclusion of a study led by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), which alerts of the impact the decrease in pH of the surface ocean has on the production of calcium carbonate by marine plankton, with negative consequences for marine ecosystems.

Anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have increased alarmingly in recent decades. Since the Industrial Revolution, about 25% of anthropogenic CO2 has entered the ocean, changing water chemistry and lowering pH, a phenomenon known as ocean acidification.

Continue reading ‘Ocean acidification in the Mediterranean is already affecting the calcification of marine plankton’

Unraveling the nexus: climate change’s impact on harmful algal blooms

Published 13 November 2023 Web sites and blogs Closed

Imagine: vibrant aquatic ecosystems corrupted by toxic algal blooms. Is it true that the very fabric of these blooms is woven with the threads of climate change? Let’s dig into the astonishing connection between rising temperatures, shifting ocean chemistry, and the unsettling proliferation of harmful algal blooms.

In a nutshell, global warming has caused a surge in harmful algal blooms. These microscopic troublemakers thrive in an ever-changing climate, thanks to rising temperatures and precipitation changes. As a result of absorbing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the acidification of our oceans further complicates the delicate balance, resulting in a range of changes in the composition and intensity of algal blooms. This article meticulously examines the dynamic interplay between climate change and harmful algal blooms, revealing the profound consequences for our ecosystems and society as a whole.

As you read through the sections, keep an eye on the startling revelations about the temperature-dependent toxin production, the expanding footprint of algal blooms into new regions, and the negative consequences on marine ecosystems. We’ll go over the economic and public health implications of these blooms, as well as how they affect the environment. We will also lay out critical strategies for addressing this environmental crisis in the coming weeks, as well as provide an overview of key mitigation and adaptation initiatives. It’s an honor to join me on this expedition into the heart of this issue, where science meets urgency and the fate of our aquatic ecosystems is at stake.

Understanding Harmful Algal Blooms

In the realm of environmental intricacies, comprehending Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) is pivotal to navigating the complexities that define our changing ecosystems. These enigmatic phenomena, denoted by an insurgence of algae exhibiting harmful effects, weave a narrative of ecological disruption. Let’s delve into the layers of understanding surrounding HABs, dissecting their definition, the diverse taxonomy of harmful algae, and the nuanced factors contributing to their formation.

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The Interconnected Web: Climate Change and HABs

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Ocean Acidification: A silent but profound transformation occurs beneath the waves as our oceans absorb excess carbon dioxide. This process, known as ocean acidification, alters the very chemistry of the waters, setting the stage for a nuanced interplay with HAB dynamics. The changed water chemistry becomes a silent orchestrator, influencing the behavior and composition of harmful algal blooms. As pH levels shift, the delicate balance of marine life is disrupted, creating an environment where certain algae species thrive, further exacerbating the prevalence of HABs.

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Ocean Acidification’s Role in Algal Bloom Trends

In the intricate ballet of marine ecosystems, the role of ocean acidification in shaping the trends of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) emerges as a profound yet often underestimated force. This section delves into the multifaceted impacts of acidification on algal physiology, the consequential shifts in algal dominance spurred by altered pH levels, and the intricate connection between acidification and the production of toxins.

Continue reading ‘Unraveling the nexus: climate change’s impact on harmful algal blooms’

Alaska’s snow crab show resilience to ocean acidification, which is underway in the Bering Sea

Published 13 November 2023 Web sites and blogs Closed

Study findings show a possible bright spot for a commercially important population hammered by a warmth-triggered crash

Bering Sea snow crab, with two specimens seen in this undated photo, support an iconic Alaska seafood harvest, but a crash in population since 2018 triggered the first ever closure of the fishery in 2022. That closure was extended for the 2023-24 season. A newly published study shows that snow crab have some resilience to ocean acidification, with eggs and embryos that fare better in acidified conditions than do those of other Alaska crab species. (Photo provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

The beleaguered snow crab of the Bering Sea may have one strength that could help their population endure rapidly changing marine conditions: an apparent resilience to ocean acidification.

Research by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists in Kodiak has found that juvenile snow crabs are not harmed when reared in more acidic waters. That is a contrast with other types of crab found in Alaska waters and even with bairdi crab, commonly referred to as tanner crab, which are closely related to snow crab.

The results come from an experiment that held females for two years and observed development of embryos and larvae from eggs hatched in each of the years.

“The embryos did just fine. They hatched out just fine both years. We didn’t see any indications of negative effects on embryo development,” said Chris Long, the study’s leader and a scientist at NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center laboratory in Kodiak.

The study found some minor effects on larvae in the first year but not in the second year, he said.

The experiment’s structure duplicated the structure for an earlier tanner crab project, Long said. That project found that negative effects from acidification in tanner crab emerged in the second year, and they were profound, with 70 percent of the eggs failing to hatch, he said.

The new findings also parallel those from other research that found that snow crab shells are more resilient to acidified waters than are tanner crab shells. In that experiment, Long said, snow crab shells remained intact after two years’ exposure to acidified waters while tanner crab shells deteriorated.

Resilience to ocean acidification could be important for snow crab and other Bering Sea species. The Bering Sea is, by its nature, conducive to acidification because of its cold waters, high carbon content, wide seasonal swings and a particular combination of ocean mixing characteristics. Previous research has found that the world’s most acidic ocean waters are found in the northern Bering Sea during the winter, when sunlight is scarce and carbon-absorbing plankton cannot bloom. And Bering Sea acidification is expected to increase into the future as the oceans continue to absorb the carbon being pumped into the atmosphere.

The findings about snow crab embryos and larvae provide a bit of good news in an otherwise bleak picture for the species in Alaska that has supported a lucrative fishery in the past.

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Continue reading ‘Alaska’s snow crab show resilience to ocean acidification, which is underway in the Bering Sea’

OA Week 2023 – North East Atlantic Hub

Published 1 November 2023 Events Closed

Date: Thursday 2 November 2023

Time: 13:00 UTC  View in various time zones

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Our session is aimed at using work from around the region, especially with the latest update from OSPAR, to discuss linkages between science and policy, discuss improvements for future regional assessments, discuss good dataset coverage, including getting an update on the development of regional CRMs. We aim to inspire the NEA hub community to coordinate monitoring and data efforts, but also to inspire other regional hubs to conduct monitoring in a policy context.

  • Moderator

    Helen Findlay

  • Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK

  • Speakers:

  • Jos Schilder

  • Rijkswaterstaat (NL)

  • Jessie Turner

  • OA Alliance

  • Exploring Marine Management and Policy Response to OA in Europe

  • Maribel I. García-Ibáñez

  • Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), CSIC, Spain

  • Progress towards an integrated carbonate system reference material production system in Europe

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OA Week 2023 – Mediterranean Hub

Published 1 November 2023 Events Closed

Date: Thursday 2 November 2023

Time: 9:00 UTC  View in various time zones

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This session will give a glimpse of current OA work by a selection of OA Med Hub members. Talks will target OA in this region over a large time scale, from reconstruction of past events to current evidence of impacts on key organisms. OA Med-Hub is a network that connects Mediterranean scientists who are working and are interested in ocean acidification in the Mediterranean Sea. The hub is part of the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON), which encourages grass roots formation of regional hubs to foster communities of practice for the efficient collection of comparable and geographically distributed data to assess ocean acidification and its effects, and to support adaptation tools such as model forecasts. This OA Med-Hub session is an opportunity to gather scientists from the area and initialise discussions that might open up collaborations and fruitful exchanges.

Session Organizer(s):

  • Abed El Rahman Hassoun and Iris Hendriks

Moderator(s):

  • Abed El Rahman Hassoun

Co-chair OA Med Hub; GEOMAR/CNRS, Kiel, Germany/Lebanon

  • Iris Hendriks

Co-chair OA Med Hub; Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), Spain

Speakers:

  • Patrizia Ziveri

Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA-UAB), Spain

Vulnerability and resilience of Mediterranean Ecosystems to ocean acidification

  • Sven Pallacks

Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain

Anthropogenic acidification of surface waters drives decreased biogenic calcification in the Mediterranean Sea

  • Frédéric Gazeau

CNRS, France

What is the future of shellfish farming in the Mediterranean Sea?

  • Önder Kılıç

Istanbul University, Türkiye

Multistressor effect of ocean acidification, microplastic and lanthanum on sea urchin Arbacia lixula

Continue reading ‘OA Week 2023 – Mediterranean Hub’

OA Week 2023 – Chemical Monitoring

Published 31 October 2023 Events Closed

Date: Wednesday 1 November 2023

Time: 21:00 UTC  View in various time zones

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Ocean acidification monitoring programs provide a window into the current status of ocean health worldwide. This session will explore OA monitoring techniques and survey results across a global perspective. Speakers will discuss ship-based OA surveys, OA as a planetary boundary, autonomous monitoring platforms and subsurface OA signals, and polar OA process studies.

Session Organizer(s):

  • Liza Wright-Fairbanks and Richard Feely

Moderator:

  • Liza Wright-Fairbanks*

NOAA Ocean Acidification Program, USA

Speakers:

  • Wei-Jun Cai

University of Delaware, USA

New evidence of ocean acidification revealed by onboard collection of δ13C-DIC data during the recent East Coastal Ocean Acidification (ECOA) cruise

  • Helen Findlay

Plymouth Marine Laboratory and University of Exeter, UK

Ocean Acidification as a Planetary Boundary

  • Andrea Fassbender

NOAA PMEL, USA

Amplified subsurface signals of ocean acidification

  • Di Qi

Jimei University, China

Ocean Acidification Processes in the Arctic

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OA Week 2023 – OARS Outcome 1: Enabling the scientific community to provide ocean acidification data and evidence of known quality

Published 31 October 2023 Events Closed

Date: Wednesday 1 November 2023

Time: 18:30 UTC  View in various time zones

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Enabling the global scientific community to provide adequate OA data and data synthesis products to allow determination of the progress and trends of acidification throughout the world’s oceans requires that scientists and stakeholders have the resources and capacity to make sustained observations of known quality, and to integrate these data into national, regional, and global synthesis products. This session will present aspects of the different steps required to achieve this:
P1. Sustained and integrated physical, chemical, and biological observations
P2. The value chain of ocean inorganic carbon measurements
P3. Production of data synthesis products tailored to end-users
P4. Capacity building and mentoring
P5. Communication and collaboration building

Session Organizer:

  • Kim Currie

Moderator:

  • Kim Currie

NIWA, New Zealand

Speakers:

  • Richard Feely

PMEL, NOAA, USA

  • Dorothee Bakker

Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

  • Nico Lange

NORCE, Norway

  • Kaitlyn Lowder*

The Ocean Foundation

  • Maria Hood

Mercator Ocean

Communication and collaboration building

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OA Week 2023 – Caribbean Hub

Published 31 October 2023 Events Closed

Date: Wednesday 1 November 2023

Time: 16:30 UTC  View in various time zones

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We are excited to introduce the newly formed Caribbean GOA-On Hub, which will cover the wider Caribbean region, focusing on areas not covered by neighbouring GOA-ON Hubs. The formation of the Caribbean GOA-ON Hub is a critical first step in increasing the region’s capacity for OA monitoring, research, collaboration, and communication. In this session, we will share the results of the OA Needs Based Assessment and the work that led to the Hub formation, as well as highlight work being conducted by current Hub members.

Session Organizer(s):

Amber Packard and Debbie-Ann Gordon-Smith

Moderator:

  • Jose Martinez-Ortiz*

University of Puerto Rico

Speakers:

  • Natalie Lord*

NOAA Ocean Acidification Program

Caribbean Ocean Acidification Community Needs Based Assessment and GOA-ON Hub Formation

  • Amber Packard*

University of the Virgin Islands

Ongoing water quality projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands

  • Debbie-Ann D.S. Gordon-Smith

The University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica

Supporting coastal water management and ecosystem recovery in marine protected areas in Jamaica

  • Melissa Melendez*

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Carbon Chemistry Variations in the Caribbean and Puerto Rico: Long-Term Trends and Seasonal Fluctuations

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OA Week 2023- LAOCA: Latin American and Caribbean OA Network

Published 31 October 2023 Events Closed

Date: Wednesday 1 November 2023

Time: 14:00 UTC  View in various time zones

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LAOCA is a GOA-ON regional hub that became a necessary network to integrate the Latin American scientists. In this session, we showcase research conducted throughout the hub and highlight the wide array of work from established and early career scientists.

Session Organizer(s):

  • Jose Martin Hernandez Ayon and Carla Berghoff

Moderator:

  • Natalie Bravo Senmache*

Pedro Ruiz Gallo National University

Speakers:

  • Natalie Bravo Senmache*

Pedro Ruiz Gallo National University

Monitoring the carbonate system off Peru: a collaborative effort for SDG indicator 14.3.1

  • Valentina Amaral*

Universidad de la República de Uruguay

Acquisition of capabilities for studying and monitoring acidification in coastal systems in Uruguay

  • Victor Aguilera Ramos

Center of Advanced Studies in Arid Zones

Intraseasonal upwelling variability in the Humboldt EBUS under moderate La Niña conditions

  • Lisandro Arbilla*

UBA-CONICET-IADO

CO2 Fluxes in the Drake Passage: A Comprehensive Exploration

  • Luz de Lourdes Aurora Coronado Alvarez*

Insitituto de Investigaciones Oceanólogicas

Empirical algorithm applied to satellite data for omega aragonite estimations in the Mexican Pacific

Continue reading ‘OA Week 2023- LAOCA: Latin American and Caribbean OA Network’

OA Week 2023 – OA Africa

Published 31 October 2023 Events Closed

Date: Wednesday 1 November 2023

Time: 11:00 UTC  View in various time zones

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It is important to assess the effects of climate change on the ocean and coastal systems in Africa. One major cause of climate change is the increasing rate of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. This will adversely affect the physical and biological characteristics of ocean and coastal systems, modifying their ecosystem structure and functioning. As a result, ocean and coastal economic activities may face losses of marine biodiversity, fisheries, and shorelines. Speakers in OA-Africa will present their research work during the session and discuss adaptation measures.

Moderator:

  • Roshan Ramessur

University of Mauritius; co-Chair OA-Africa

Speakers:

  • Carla Edworthy*

South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity

Monitoring pH variability in important coastal habitats in South Africa: implications for coastal nurseries and associated species

  • Sally Salaah Eldin*

National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Egypt

Emerging Pollutants Unveiled: The Dual Challenge of Ocean Acidification and Microplastics

  • Anthony Akpan

President Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE) Lagos, Nigeria

Strengthening targeted advocacy on mainstreaming ocean acidification into national policies in Nigeria and West Africa

  • Falilu Adekunbi*

University of Lagos, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research

Monitoring of the seawater carbonate chemistry off Lagos

  • Yadhav A. Imrit*

University of Mauritius

Ocean acidification monitoring efforts and comparisons in Mauritius, a Small Island Developing State in the South-Western Indian Ocean

  • Zacharie Sohou

l’Institut de Recherches Halieutiques et Océanologiques du Bénin/Centre National de Données Océanographiques du Centre Béninois de la Recherche Scientifique et de l’Innovation (IRHOB/CNDO/CBRSI)

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OA Week 2023 – Pacific Islands & Territories Ocean Acidification: PI-TOA Hub

Published 30 October 2023 Events Closed

Date: Tuesday 31 October 2023

Time: 21:00 UTC  View in various time zones

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Description:

Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels and its implications on marine organisms raise the need for a multiscale approach to ocean acidification research and monitoring. In this session, we look into processes and environmental factors that affect marine species in the context of ocean acidification, mitigation approaches and monitoring activities in the Pacific region. This session is hosted by the PI-TOA Regional Hub.

Session Organizer(s):

  • Azaria Pickering*, Dr. Katy Soapi, and Dr. Kim Currie

Moderator:

  • Azaria Pickering*

Pacific Community

Speakers:

  • Azaria Pickering*

Pacific Community

Ocean acidification activities in the Pacific under the Pacific Islands Ocean Acidification Centre

  • Abigail M. Smith

Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand

The importance of skeletal composition in a changing ocean

  • Cliff S. Law

NIWA Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand; Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand

  • Aleluia Taise*

National University of Samoa, Apia, Samoa; Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand

Responses of Caulerpa spp. to ocean acidification and light

Continue reading ‘OA Week 2023 – Pacific Islands & Territories Ocean Acidification: PI-TOA Hub’

OA Week 2023 – North American Hub

Published 30 October 2023 Events Closed

Date: Tuesday 31 October 2023

Time: 18:30 UTC  View in various time zones

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Description:

The North American Hub is one of the earliest formed hubs within GOA-ON and it includes over 225 members from Canada, the US, and Mexico. The North American Hub has been integral to GOA-ON, with members serving not only within the hub but also as GOA-ON Co-Chairs and secretariat members. This session will highlight early career ocean professionals within the North American Hub, demonstrating the diverse and interdisciplinary research that our hub pioneers.

Session Organizer(s):

  • Helen Gurney-Smith and Jose Martin Hernandez Ayon

Moderator:

  • Yumeng Pang*

University of Washington

Speakers:

  • Patrick Duke*

University of Victoria

Estimating CO2 Source-Sink Dynamics in the Coastal Zone

  • Samuel Gurr*

National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow, NOAA Affiliate (Milford Lab)

Developmental mismatch of pCO2 levels in a second generation of northern bay scallops

  • Ricardo De Jesus Ehectal Gomez Reyes*

Affiliation Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), Oceanographic Research Institute and Ensenada Scientific Research and Higher Education Center (CICESE)

Gene regulation mediated by microRNAs in the Pacific mollusk Haliotis rufescens facing CO2-induced acidification

  • Claire Boteler*

Dalhousie University

Estimation of the Carbonate System State for the Labrador Sea: Data Fusion Using Multivariate Time Series Methods and CO2SYS

Continue reading ‘OA Week 2023 – North American Hub’

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