Ocean acidification

Crustose coralline algae build a shallow ridge (algal ridge) on a coral reef in Moorea, French Polynesia. CSUN marine biologist Robert Carpenter and a former student, Maggie Johnson, found that increasing the amount of nitrogen helps the algae fight off the negative effects of ocean acidification. Photo by Maggie Johnson.

A new study by California State University, Northridge marine biologist Robert Carpenter and a former student, Maggie Johnson, now with the Smithsonian Institution, found that increasing the amount of nitrogen helps crustose coralline algae – which often serves as a cementing element for coral reefs around the world — fight off the negative effects of ocean acidification.

Carpenter and Johnson called their study one more piece in the larger puzzle that scientists are trying to assemble as they look for ways to preserve the world’s coral reefs. They cautioned that their findings do not offer a simple solution to the damage being done to reefs by ocean acidification.

Continue reading ‘New study explores the role nitrogen plays in coral reef fight against ocean acidification’

Fish that ‘farm’ their own patches of seaweed alter their ‘cropping’ practices under high CO₂ conditions, researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia have found.

Fish that ‘farm’ their own patches of seaweed alter their ‘cropping’ practices under high CO₂ conditions, researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia have found. Credit: Camilo Ferreira

Published in the Nature publication, Nature Ecology and Evolution, the researchers studied damselfish at undersea volcanic seeps in New Zealand.

The seawater at the seeps has high CO₂ conditions that naturally mimic the ocean CO₂ levels expected by the end of the century. That rise is due to ongoing human greenhouse gas emissions.

Damselfish are known for their farming. They don’t just graze, they select a patch of algal turf to protect, weed out unwanted plants, defend the patch against intruders and fertilise their territory through defecation.

“Climate change and ocean acidification are forecast to decrease species diversity in our oceans but we discovered that some herbivorous fish species might actually increase in number by weeding their territories in such way that their food (turf algae) experiences faster growth rates,” says project leader Professor Ivan Nagelkerken, from the University’s Environment Institute.

Continue reading ‘Farming fish alter ‘cropping’ strategies under high CO2′

Los organismos y los ecosistemas están cambiando en respuesta al calentamiento, la acidificación y la desoxigenación de los océanos producido por las emisiones de dióxido de carbono (CO2) acumuladas por efecto antrópico determinando un escenario de cambio climático. Estos estresores producen efectos sobre los ecosistemas marinos poniendo en riesgo recursos pesqueros de importancia para el desarrollo de las economías regionales, y con posibles alteraciones en el suministro de las funciones y servicios ecosistémicos que estas especies facilitan.

Continue reading ‘Científicos de Mar del Plata trabajan sobre acidificación de los océanos (in Spanish)’

The Ocean Acidification sub-group is appointed jointly by the IMBER and SOLAS. It consists of a Chair and approximately twelve members assembled for their experience and expertise in the area of ocean acidification.
The primary responsibilities of this sub-group are to:
– coordinate international research efforts in ocean acidification
– undertake synthesis activities in ocean acidification at the international level
– develop and maintain an international website on ocean acidification.

Participant list :
Sam DUPONT, University of Gothenburg
James ORR, LSCE/IPSL, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement CEA-CNRS-UVSQ
Alexandre MAGNAN, L’Institut du développement durable et des relations internationales (IDDRI)
Lina HANSSON, IAEA Monaco
John BAXTER, Scottish Natural Heritage
Kristy KROEKER, University of California, Santa Cruz
Shallin BUSH, NOAA
Marine LEBREC, IAEA Monaco
Kim CURRIE, NIWA/University of Otago
Frédéric GAZEAU, LOV

Observatoire Oceanologique de Villefranche sur Mer, 27 June 2018. Press release.

Nutrient pollution runoff from the land may be accelerating the negative impact global ocean acidification is having on coral reefs, according to CSUN biologist Nyssa Silbiger. The coral reef, above, is in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, where her research was conducted. Photo credit Nyssa Silbiger.

Nutrient pollution runoff from the land — whether from sewage, farm fertilizer or the aftermath of a rainstorm — may be accelerating the negative impact global ocean acidification is having on coral reefs.

This is according to a new study by a team of researchers, including California State University, Northridge assistant professor of biology Nyssa Silbiger, recently published in the “Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Science.”

Continue reading ‘Nutrient pollution runoff makes ocean acidification worse for coral reefs’

Continue reading ‘Experts finalize methodology to measure ocean acidification’

Med havdata fra ICOS kan vi overvåke og se utviklingen av havforsuring over tid. Dette er viktig ikke bare for oss forskere, men også for myndigheter og lokalsamfunn. 

Det sier forsker Ingunn Skjelvan i Uni Research Klima.

Miljødirektoratet og ICOS Norge inviterte til samarbeidsmøte mellom forskningen og forvaltningen tirsdag 12. juni.

Continue reading ‘– ICOS-data veldig viktige for forskningen på havforsuring (in Norwegian)’