Fish are critical ecologically and socioeconomically for subsistence economies in the Arctic, an ecosystem undergoing unprecedented environmental change. Our understanding of the responses of nearshore Arctic fishes to environmental change is inadequate because of limited research on the physicochemical drivers of abundance occurring at a fine scale. Here, high-frequency in situ measurements of pH, temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen were paired with daily fish catches in nearshore Alaskan waters of the Beaufort Sea. Due to the threat that climate change poses to high-latitude marine ecosystems, our main objective was to characterize the abiotic drivers of abundance and elucidate how nearshore fish communities may change in the future. We used generalized additive models (GAMs) to describe responses to the nearshore environment for 18 fish species. Relationships between abundance and the physicochemical environment were variable between species and reflected life history. Each abiotic covariate was significant in at least one GAM, exhibiting both nonlinear and linear associations with abundance. Temperature was the most important predictor of abundance and was significant in GAMs for 11 species. Notably, pH was a significant predictor of abundance for six species: Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), broad whitefish (Coregonus nasus), Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma), ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius), saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis), and whitespotted greenling (Hexagrammos stelleri). Broad whitefish and whitespotted greenling abundance was positively associated with pH, while Arctic cod and saffron cod abundance was negatively associated with pH. These results may be a bellwether for future nearshore Arctic fish community change by providing a foundational characterization of the relationships between abundance and the abiotic environment, particularly in regard to pH, and demonstrate the importance of including a wider range of physicochemical habitat covariates in future research.
Continue reading ‘Characterization of the abiotic drivers of abundance of nearshore Arctic fishes’Archive Page 224
Characterization of the abiotic drivers of abundance of nearshore Arctic fishes
Published 27 July 2021 Science ClosedTags: abundance, Arctic, biological response, chemistry, community composition, field, fish, otherprocess
Science on tap – the ocean’s bad acid trip: a look into climate change’s effect on California marine ecosystems
Published 27 July 2021 Events ClosedDate: 28 July 2021
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Audience: Everyone! Not just scientists!
Presenter: Julia Cheresh, PhD Candidate in Ocean Sciences and Coastal Science and Policy, Fiechter Lab
Oceans have helped buffer the worst effects of human-caused climate change. Acting like a sponge, the ocean has absorbed over 90% of the heat resulting from global warming, and approximately one third of all carbon dioxide emissions; however this has not been without consequence to the ocean and it’s inhabitants. When carbon dioxide is absorbed into seawater, a series of chemical reactions occur, reducing the pH of the water and causing a phenomenon called ocean acidification. While the ocean is becoming more acidic across the globe, the west coast of the United States is acidifying rapidly, threatening commercially and culturally important species.
In this talk, I will introduce the oceanography of the California coast, and why ocean acidification poses such a threat in our ocean backyard. I will also discuss how computer models that simulate the ocean environment are providing a new, detailed perspective on the threats marine ecosystems may face due to climate change.
Ocean Acidification Week 2021: a virtual multi-day forum to highlight different aspects of ocean acidification research and initiatives from around the world
Published 27 July 2021 Events ClosedDate: 13 – 17 September 2021
Check back soon for more information!
Sign-up here if you would like to receive occasional updates about OA Week 2021
Goals
Last year, GOA-ON launched OA Week as a response to the postponement of conferences and events due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. After such a positive response we’re bringing it back this year with more sessions, plenary speakers, and engaging talks about ocean acidification research. If you’d like to join the planning committee or give a presentation, please contact us at secretariat@goa-on.org. More details to come!
The key goals of OA Week are to:
- Engage the OA and broader oceanographic communities, raise awareness to the issue of OA, and bring attention to the global OA monitoring, research, capacity building, and education efforts
- Raise awareness of and maintain momentum around the upcoming 5th International Symposium on the Ocean in a High CO2 World
- Share GOA-ON’s three High-level Goals with our audiences
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Hub Sessions
Each session will be hosted by a different GOA-ON regional hub and will be approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Each session will feature 3-5 short presentations that will be immediately followed by a live panel discussion and Q&A with the speakers. All sessions will be archived on the GOA-ON YouTube Channel.
Sessions will span several time zones to be conducive to a broad, international audience.
Please check back later to see the session schedule and the full list of the speakers and presentations.
Community Discussion Sessions
During OA Week 2021, there will be Community Discussion Sessions that promote conversations about a particular issue that is relevant to the GOA-ON community. If you are interested in leading a Community Discussion Session or if you would like to suggest a topic, please send an email to secretariat@goa-on.org.
Please check back later to see the full list of plenary presentations.
Continue reading ‘Ocean Acidification Week 2021: a virtual multi-day forum to highlight different aspects of ocean acidification research and initiatives from around the world’
The Port of Seattle is leading many efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG emissions), the most important step towards combatting ocean acidification. The Port has been very active in enhancing shoreline habitat, reducing pollution, and engagement with communities. At Smith Cove in Elliott Bay, the Port of Seattle and its partners are conducting scientific research that will contribute to building resiliency in local ecosystems related to ocean acidification.
As part of the Port of Seattle’s commitment to the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA Alliance), the Port prepared its first ever Ocean Acidification Action Plan to detail steps we are taking to address ocean acidification.
“Last year, the Port of Seattle was the first port in the world to join the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA Alliance), recognizing the many ways in which ocean acidification impacts the maritime sector and acknowledging the important role ports can play in leading environmental action,” said Stephanie Bowman, Port of Seattle Commissioner. “We encourage other ports to join in on these efforts.”
The Smith Cove Blue Carbon Pilot Project is located on Port and City-owned aquatic lands near Terminal 91. The goal of the project is to evaluate the potential benefits of marine habitat enhancement of kelp, eelgrass, and oysters on carbon sequestration, water quality (amelioration of seawater acidification), and habitat productivity.
Continue reading ‘Port continues fight against ocean acidification’State allocates $61 million for Scripps Oceanography programs
Published 27 July 2021 Web sites and blogs Closed
When the state issued its budget for the coming year, it contained more than $61 million for projects and programs at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla.
The funds include $35 million to design and build a new coastal research vessel with a first-of-its-kind hydrogen-hybrid propulsion system, $15 million for the ALERTWildfire program to install 1,000 cameras, $10 million toward the state Department of Water Resources atmospheric rivers research program and $1.5 million for the state Parks and Recreation Department oceanography program to support observations maintained by the Coastal Data Information Program at Scripps.
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Research vessel
Margaret Leinen, vice chancellor for marine sciences at UC San Diego and director of Scripps Oceanography, said the largest expenditure — the yet-to-be-named research vessel — would replace the RV Robert Gordon Sproul, which has been in use since 1981, and will join the SIO fleet.
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The expeditions the vessels undertake “are keys to solving problems as well as just understanding them, really providing the solutions we so desperately need today,” Leinen said. They include studies of ocean acidification, marine fisheries, El Niño storms, harmful algae blooms, sea-level rise, atmospheric rivers and more.
The new vessel, by running largely on hydrogen, “will allow us to observe our rapidly changing coastal environment and protect that environment by not emitting CO2,” she said.
Continue reading ‘State allocates $61 million for Scripps Oceanography programs’MCCIP – Marine Climate Change Impacts Partneship
Published 26 July 2021 Organizations ClosedTags: resource, webpage, website
The United Kingdom Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) brings together scientists, government, its agencies and NGOs to provide coordinated advice on climate change impacts and adaptation around our coast and in our seas.
We collate and synthesise evidence on climate change impacts and adaptation in a timely, impartial and independent manner, and disseminate this information to stakeholders.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
Pacific Islands – Climate Adaptation Science Center
Published 26 July 2021 Organizations ClosedTags: resource, webpage, website
Observed climatic trends across the Pacific Basin, rising sea levels, increasing sea surface temperatures, shifts in ocean chemistry with increased ocean acidification, increasingly variable precipitation and wind patterns, rising air temperatures, increasing storm and cyclone intensity, and more prominent droughts, all promise growing stresses on terrestrial, coastal, and marine ecosystems, as well as on human communities. This wide, complex, intertwined spread of issues offer many challenges.
Pacific Islands – Climate Adaptation Science Center. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
EMODnet – The European Marine Observation and Data Network
Published 26 July 2021 Organizations ClosedTags: resource, webpage, website
The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) is the long-term initiative launched in 2009 by the DG MARE (EU Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries). EMODnet is part of the Blue Growth strategy, Marine Knowledge 2020, and its main task is to ensure that European marine data will become easily accessible, interoperable, and free of restrictions on use.
EMODnet Chemistry is focused on eutrophication, ocean acidification, contamination, and marine litter issues which are relevant to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and to global climate change. The data have been brought together for different group of variables in seawater, sediment and biota.
EMODnet. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
Pollution and contaminants enter the oceans through a number of outlets: offshore oil and gas drilling, coal-burning power plants, aquaculture, mercury-based chlorine plants, plastics, marine debris and more. Once these toxins enter the environment, they can cause long-lasting damage to marine ecosystems and adversely impact wildlife and fisheries.
OCEANA. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
JPI Oceans is an intergovernmental platform that strives to increase the impact of national investments in marine and maritime research and innovation. By joining forces, JPI Oceans focuses on long-term collaboration between EU Member States, Associated Countries and international partners. The platform provides its member countries with a shared voice, strategic agenda and action plan to address complex ocean-related societal challenges that cannot be solved at national level.
JPI Oceans. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
Future Earth Coasts is a Global Research Project of Future Earth, a platform for translating sustainability knowledge into action that includes a number of United Nations agencies, intergovernmental bodies and organisations such as the International Council for Science.
Future Earth Coasts. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
University of Alaska Fairbanks OARC – Ocean Acidification Research Center
Published 26 July 2021 Organizations ClosedTags: resource, webpage, website
Ocean acidification (OA) is the result of anthropogenic increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide that is later absorbed by the ocean. This change in ocean chemistry makes the global oceans more acidic. Concerns over increasing acidity in Alaska and how this phenomenon will impact Alaskas Blue Economy spurred the creation of the Ocean Acidification Research Center (OARC) within the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).
University of Alaska Fairbanks – College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
The Commonwealth Blue Charter – “Shared ocean, shared values”
Published 26 July 2021 Organizations ClosedTags: resource, webpage, website
The Commonwealth Blue Charter is an agreement by all 54 Commonwealth countries, adopted at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, April 2018. In the Blue Charter, Commonwealth countries agree to actively cooperate to solve ocean-related problems and meet commitments for sustainable ocean development, with particular emphasis on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 14 (Life Below Water).
The Commonwealth Blue Charter. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
Argo is an international program that collects information from inside the ocean using a fleet of robotic instruments that drift with the ocean currents and move up and down between the surface and a mid-water level. Each instrument (float) spends almost all its life below the surface. The name Argo was chosen because the array of floats works in partnership with the Jason earth observing satellites that measure the shape of the ocean surface. (In Greek mythology Jason sailed on his ship the Argo in search of the golden fleece).
Argo. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
An extension of the Argo program to include biogeochemical observations
Biogeochemical Argo. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
GOOS – The Global Ocean Observing System
Published 26 July 2021 Organizations ClosedTags: resource, webpage, website
The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is a sustained collaborative system of ocean observations, encompassing in situ networks, satellite systems, governments, UN agencies and individual scientists. We are organized around a series of components undertaking requirements assessment, observing implementation, innovation through projects, and a core team
GOOS. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
Southern Cross University: Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry
Published 26 July 2021 Organizations ClosedTags: resource, webpage, website
The Centre undertakes research on the Global Change issues of nutrient over-enrichment (Eutrophication), ocean acidification, climate change, greenhouse gases and hypoxia.
Southern Cross University. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
WOAC – Washington Ocean Acidification Center
Published 26 July 2021 Organizations ClosedTags: resource, webpage, website
The Washington Ocean Acidification Center was established in 2013 following the recommendation of the Washington state Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification.
WOAC. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
Foras na Mara Marine Institute
Published 26 July 2021 Organizations ClosedTags: resource, webpage, website
The Marine Institute was set up under the Marine Institute Act 1991: to undertake, to coordinate, to promote and to assist in marine research and development and to provide such services related to research and development, that in the opinion of the Institute, will promote economic development and create employment and protect the marine environment.
Foras na Mara Marine Institute. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
Since 1998, The MarineBio Conservation Society (MarineBio) has been a nonprofit volunteer marine conservation and science education group working online together to educate the world about ocean life, marine biology, marine conservation, and to provide a sea ethic that we should all attempt to follow.
MarineBio. Resource.
Resource type: website
Resource format: webpage
