As the largest active carbon reservoir on Earth, the ocean is a cornerstone of the global carbon cycle, playing a pivotal role in modulating ocean health and the Earth’s climate system. Understanding these crucial roles requires access to a broad array of data products documenting the changing chemistry of the global ocean as a vast and interconnected system. This review article provides an overview of 68 existing ocean carbonate chemistry data products and data product sets, encompassing compilations of cruise datasets, derived gap-filled data products, model simulations, and compilations thereof. It is intended to help researchers identify and access data products that best align with their research objectives, thereby advancing our understanding of the ocean’s evolving carbonate chemistry. The list will be updated periodically to incorporate new data products. The most up-to-date list is available at https://oceanco2.github.io/co2-products/ (Gregor and Jiang, 2026).
Continue reading ‘Synthesis of data products for ocean carbonate chemistry’Posts Tagged 'chemistry'
Synthesis of data products for ocean carbonate chemistry
Published 5 March 2026 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, globalmodeling, modeling, review
High vertical resolution measurements of pH, pCO2, total alkalinity, and dissolved inorganic carbon using a new approach: the carbonate profiler
Published 4 March 2026 Science ClosedTags: Arctic, Baltic, chemistry, field, methods
The equilibrium between the different parameters of the marine carbonate system–dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA), partial pressure of CO2, and pH–is the core of ocean acidification studies, evaluation of inorganic carbon inventory, and air-sea CO2 fluxes. To date, it has been challenging to simultaneously measure all those components in the water column due to different sampling methodologies, and especially in stratified waters, where sharp vertical biogeochemical gradients may occur. In this study, we designed a low-cost and easy-to-assemble pumping system, which, combined with a CTD profiler, makes a PUMP-CTD system that can efficiently serve as a precise water column sampler, allowing for simultaneous measurements and sampling of dissolved inorganic carbon, total alkalinity, partial pressure of CO2, and pH with high vertical resolution. Importantly, this water sampler (denoted as the carbonate profiler) can be easily integrated with equilibrator-based continuous pCO2 measurement systems, which are routinely used for underway data acquisition, making them suitable for water column sampling as well. We tested the carbonate profiler in the open ocean water column, where we obtained excellent consistency between measured pCO2 and calculated values based on pH and DIC. Afterwards, we tested the operability of the system by measuring the vertical variability of all the components of the marine carbonate system in the Vistula River estuarine waters (southern Baltic Sea) and within the Arctic fjords affected by continental freshwater runoff. Overall, this system performed outstandingly, with a vertical resolution of half a meter, proving its utility in accurately measuring steep biogeochemical changes in the water column regardless of the analytical method used.
Continue reading ‘High vertical resolution measurements of pH, pCO2, total alkalinity, and dissolved inorganic carbon using a new approach: the carbonate profiler’Modelling seawater pCO2 and pH in the Canary Islands region based on satellite measurements and machine learning techniques
Published 4 March 2026 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, modeling, North Atlantic, regionalmodeling
Recent advancements in remote sensing systems, combined with new machine-learning model-fitting algorithms, have enabled the estimation of seawater carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2,sw) and pH (pHT,is) in the waters around the Canary Islands (13–19° W; 27–30° N). Continuous time-series data collected from moored buoys and Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS) between 2019 and 2024 were used to train and validate the models, providing a robust observational basis for satellite-derived estimates.
Among all models tested, bootstrap aggregation (bagging) performed best, achieving an RMSE of 2.0 µatm (R2>0.99) for pCO2,sw and 0.002 for pHT,is. Multilinear regression (MLR), neural networks (NN) and categorical boosting (CatBoost) also showed good predictive skill, with RMSE values between 5.4 and 10 µatm for pCO2,sw (360–481 µatm) and 0.004–0.008 for pHT,is (7.97–8.07). Using the most reliable model, we identified an increasing trend in pCO2,sw of 3.51±0.31 µatm yr−1, exceeding the atmospheric CO2 growth rate (2.3 µatm yr−1), alongside an acidification trend of −0.003 ± 0.001 yr−1.
Over the 2019–2024 period, rising atmospheric CO2 and increasing sea surface temperatures (reaching up to 0.2 °C yr−1 during the unprecedented 2023 marine heatwave) likely contributed to these trends. The Canary Islands region shifted from a weak CO2 source (0.90 Tg CO2 yr−1) in 2019 to 4.5 Tg CO2 yr−1 in 2024. After 2022, eastern sites that previously acted as annual CO2 sinks became net sources.
Continue reading ‘Modelling seawater pCO2 and pH in the Canary Islands region based on satellite measurements and machine learning techniques’Physics-guided machine-learning forecasting and analysis of carbonate changes in the surface Western Mediterranean
Published 3 March 2026 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, Mediterranean, modeling, regionalmodeling
Highlights
- Physics-guided ML forecasts surface pCO2 and pH along a Western Mediterranean VOS line.
- Day-ahead pCO2 is predicted with μatm-level RMSE; pH behaves nearly deterministically.
- Boosted trees and sequence models retain skill under strict, deployable forecast conditions.
- Explainable AI recovers dominant thermal control and air–sea CO2 gradient drivers.
- Improved pCO2 forecasts directly reduce uncertainty in air–sea CO2 flux estimates.
Abstract
We introduce a hybrid, physics-guided machine-learning system for forecasting and explaining surface marine carbonate changes along a fixed Volunteer Observing Ship route between Gibraltar and Barcelona from 2019 to 2024. The dataset includes more than 90 high-frequency transects collected under ICOS/SOOP standards, containing underway pCO2/fCO2, pH (measured and derived), sea-surface temperature, and salinity. After applying consistent quality control and harmonizing the data in time and space, we combine physics-based carbonate diagnostics—such as the thermal/non-thermal decomposition (FASS) and first-order Taylor attribution of temperature, salinity, total alkalinity, and dissolved inorganic carbon sensitivities—with time-aware models including linear regressions, boosted trees, and sequence networks (1-D CNNs and LSTMs) trained on historical windows. We evaluate generalization and uncertainty through chronological splits, leave-one-year-out tests, and year-wise bootstrap sampling. With all current predictors available, day-ahead pH and pCO2 predictions reach near-optimal skill; pH behaves almost deterministically, while pCO2 achieves RMSE on the order of a few μatm. Even under stricter forecast conditions without real-time carbonate chemistry, boosted trees and sequence models maintain strong performance by exploiting persistence and seasonal timing. Model-explanation tools (SHAP, partial dependence) recover the expected carbonate drivers, highlighting dominant thermal effects and key roles of seawater CO2 state and air–sea gradients. Spatial–temporal diagnostics reveal amplified summer pCO2 peaks in the Alboran/northern Morocco region and out-of-phase pH patterns. Predicted fields are converted to air–sea CO2 flux using standard solubility and gas-transfer formulations, and propagated uncertainties show that improving pCO2 accuracy directly reduces flux uncertainty. The resulting air–sea CO2 fluxes exhibit a pronounced seasonal cycle, with summer outgassing reaching several mmol m-2 d-1 and winter uptake of comparable magnitude along the transect, while interannual variability dominates over 2019–2024 and no statistically robust long-term trend is detected; typical flux uncertainties are on the order of 0.1–0.2 mmol m-2 d-1. Altogether, this delivers an explainable, uncertainty-aware system ready for deployment, linking forecast skill to process understanding and CO2 exchange in a climate-sensitive corridor.
Continue reading ‘Physics-guided machine-learning forecasting and analysis of carbonate changes in the surface Western Mediterranean’Neglecting organic alkalinity introduces greater error than assuming boron to salinity ratios in Arctic sea ice brine carbonate system calculations
Published 3 March 2026 Science ClosedTags: Arctic, biogeochemistry, chemistry, field, methods
While total alkalinity (AT) is traditionally attributed to dissolved inorganic constituents, dissolved organic matter (DOM) can significantly contribute to AT as organic alkalinity (OrgAlk), introducing errors in calculated carbonate parameters, such as the CaCO3 saturation state (Ω) and partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2). This study presents measurements of OrgAlk in the Arctic Ocean sea ice system and assesses its influence on carbonate speciation, with OrgAlk contributing 0.1–1.0% to AT. Sea ice brine exhibited elevated DOM and OrgAlk, with an OrgAlk/DOC ratio of 0.13 ± 0.06 µmol kg− 1 µM− 1, consistent with global ocean values. Correcting AT for OrgAlk increased computed pCO2 up to 84 µatm and decreased Ω ≤ 0.2 for aragonite and ≤ 0.3 for calcite compared to un-adjusted values. Elevated brine pCO2 suggests that conventional estimates of Arctic sea ice CO2 uptake may be overestimated when AT is used as an input parameter, particularly in spring as OrgAlk is released. The omission of OrgAlk contributed greater errors to calculated carbonate parameters than the differences in boron from using direct measurements versus salinity based ratios, highlighting the necessity of accounting for even minor OrgAlk to refine predictions of surface pCO2, net air-sea CO2 flux, and the fate of CaCO3 minerals.
Continue reading ‘Neglecting organic alkalinity introduces greater error than assuming boron to salinity ratios in Arctic sea ice brine carbonate system calculations’Ocean acidification and changes in biological production in the western subarctic region of the North Pacific over the quarter century, 1999–2023
Published 2 March 2026 Science ClosedTags: Arctic, biogeochemistry, chemistry, field, North Pacific
Changes in the physical and biogeochemical conditions of the ocean over time can affect marine ecosystems. In this study, we use biogeochemical observational data for the past 25 years (1999–2023) to investigate ocean acidification and changes in biological production at site K2 (47˚ N, 160˚ E) in the western subarctic region of the North Pacific Ocean. During this period, satellite-derived sea surface temperatures increased at a rate of 0.056 °C yr–1, while the surface mixed-layer salinity decreased by 0.004 yr−1. As a result of the oceanic uptake of anthropogenic CO2 from the atmosphere, the deseasonalized annual mean surface mixed-layer pH and saturation states of calcium carbonate minerals of calcite and aragonite decreased at rates of 0.0013 ± 0.0004, 0.007 ± 0.003, and 0.004 ± 0.002 yr−1, respectively. These rates are consistent with those calculated for winter. Under these acidification conditions, no significant trends were observed in either the annual mean or winter concentrations of nutrients (phosphate, nitrate, and silicate), or in total alkalinity in the surface mixed layer. However, the decadal trends in nutrient concentrations show a significant increase in May and decrease in July. Net community production (NCP), which is an index of biological production, was estimated from differences in nutrient concentrations between winter and May or July. This analysis revealed significant decreasing trends in NCP from winter to May, followed by increasing trends from winter to July. The stoichiometric molar ratio of Si associated with the July NCP increase (P:N:Si = 1:15:55) is higher than the previously reported ratio (1:16:40). A significant decreasing trend in satellite-derived photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was observed in May (0.20 ± 0.08 yr−1), which may be linked to reduced biological production during that month. This decrease may be offset by increased production in summer that is likely due to a shift in the timing of the diatom bloom. These findings highlight the effects of long-term changes of potential drivers of both atmospheric and deep oceanic origin on oceanic biological production.
Continue reading ‘Ocean acidification and changes in biological production in the western subarctic region of the North Pacific over the quarter century, 1999–2023’Decadal biogeochemical predictions for the bottom marine environment of the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf
Published 27 February 2026 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, modeling, North Atlantic, regionalmodeling
The Gulf of Maine and the surrounding Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf are experiencing rapid marine environmental change arising from complex regional dynamics that challenge near-term (1–10 years) predictive capabilities for valuable living marine resources. Here, using a high-resolution regional ocean model, we demonstrate skilful decadal forecasts of ocean bottom habitat characteristics including bottom temperature, dissolved oxygen (O2), pH and aragonite saturation state (Ωar). Bottom temperature and pH predictions show substantial skill driven primarily by radiatively forced warming and carbon uptake trends, while bottom O2 and Ωar predictions benefit more from initialization due to stronger internal variability. Retrospective forecasts successfully predicted observed historical changes in water masses and environmental properties, including recent cooling/freshening transitions driven by replacement of Warm Slope Water with Labrador Slope Water. This water mass variability also modulates biogeochemical conditions and ocean acidification buffering capacity, with our recent forecasts indicating that benefits from the expected respite from rapid warming might be tempered by challenges posed by rapid acidification. The demonstrated predictability of coupled physical-biogeochemical processes supports developing integrated prediction systems for climate-informed marine resource management.
Continue reading ‘Decadal biogeochemical predictions for the bottom marine environment of the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf’Seawater pH fluctuations during the Ordovician to Silurian transition: insights from δ11B records in carbonates
Published 26 February 2026 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, North Pacific, paleo
Highlights
- A positive δ11Bcarb excursion has been observed during the Hirnantian coinciding with Gondwana glaciation.
- Seawater pH fluctuations during the OST are caused by declining atmospheric pCO₂, sea level fall and carbonate weathering.
- The fluctuation of seawater pH exerted a crucial role in the climatic changes and biotic evolutions during the OST.
Abstract
Environmental changes during the Ordovician to Silurian transition (OST) and the cause of Late Ordovician Mass Extinctions (LOMEs) remain a subject of debate. This study presents the first continuous seawater pH record spanning the Late Ordovician and Early Silurian, based on carbonate boron isotope (δ11Bcarb) data obtained from a carbonate-dominated section in South China. Our results reveal predominantly stable δ11Bcarb values throughout the Late Ordovician and Early Silurian, punctuated by a positive δ11Bcarb excursion during the Hirnantian coinciding with Gondwana glaciation. The calculated seawater pH pattern indicates a generally low pH baseline across the OST, temporarily interrupted by a transient increase in surface ocean pH coinciding with the glacial episode. These pH fluctuations are interpreted to result from a combination of factors, including declining atmospheric pCO₂ levels, sea level changes, weathering of carbonate rocks, and decomposition of organic matter. This study suggests that the fluctuation of seawater pH exerted a crucial role in the climatic changes and biotic evolution during the OST. The enhanced carbonate weathering and increased seawater pH, together with sea level fall and a reduction in shelf area, likely contributed to the decreased net accumulation of carbonates and represented a negative feedback for the development of glaciation and cooling climate. Given that the living of organisms (e.g. brachiopod, conodont, sponge and radiolarian) was sensitive to the changes in seawater pH, if and how the seawater pH fluctuations affected the LOMEs still needs more detailed work in the future.
Continue reading ‘Seawater pH fluctuations during the Ordovician to Silurian transition: insights from δ11B records in carbonates’Understanding the resilient carbon cycle response to the 2014–2015 Blob event in the Gulf of Alaska using a regional ocean biogeochemical model
Published 24 February 2026 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, modeling, North Pacific, regionalmodeling
Marine heatwaves (MHWs), characterized by anomalously high sea surface temperatures, are occurring with increasing frequency and intensity, profoundly impacting ocean circulation, biogeochemistry, and marine ecosystems. The MHW known as the Blob, which persisted in the subarctic NE Pacific from 2014 to 2015, significantly affected surrounding ecosystems. Warming-induced solubility reduction is expected to raise the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) in the surface water, causing outgassing of CO2 to the atmosphere. Outgassing of CO2 is another source of atmospheric CO2 in addition to anthropogenic fossil fuel burning. However, moored observations at Ocean Station Papa (OSP; 145° W, 50° N) shows a moderate decrease in oceanic pCO2 during the Blob, resisting the warming-induced outgassing of CO2. This response is opposite of what is expected from warming alone, and instead has been attributed to reductions in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), although the mechanisms driving this reduction have remained unclear. We employed a regional model that accurately reproduces the temporal variability of oceanic pCO2 at OSP to investigate the cause of decrease pCO2 during the Blob. The analysis of model outputs indicates that the observed oceanic pCO2 decline resulted from the offset between warming-induced solubility reduction (increasing pCO2) and weakened physical transport of DIC (decreasing pCO2), with the latter dominating. Both horizontal and vertical transports played important roles. The near-surface carbon budget over the broad region was primarily driven by changes in the vertical transport. The decrease in DIC during the Blob resulted from the suppression of upwelling of DIC-rich subsurface waters in the winter of 2013. In this period, the horizontal transport also contributed substantially to DIC reduction. In particular, at OSP, the effect of the horizontal transport was comparable to that of the vertical transport, reflecting the northward advection of low-DIC water masses. These findings indicate that changes in physical circulation were the primary driver of the moderately enhanced CO2 uptake observed during the Blob. This study provides a critical insight into the complexity of biogeochemical response to extreme warming events and underscores the importance of resolving physical transport processes in assessing oceanic carbon uptake during MHWs.
Continue reading ‘Understanding the resilient carbon cycle response to the 2014–2015 Blob event in the Gulf of Alaska using a regional ocean biogeochemical model’Wind control of the interannual ocean‐biogeochemical variability in the South Atlantic Bight
Published 23 February 2026 Science ClosedTags: biogeochemistry, chemistry, modeling, North Atlantic, regionalmodeling
Abstract
In the South Atlantic Bight (SAB), changes in the Gulf Stream (GS), particularly its strength and proximity to the coast, are thought to be primary factors determining the shelf-break upwelling rate. However, it is still not entirely clear if and to what extent those factors influence cross-shelf nutrient fluxes and shape the ocean biogeochemistry at interannual and longer timescales. Here, we use a high-resolution regional ocean-biogeochemical model and an ocean reanalysis product (1993–2022), along with a satellite-derived chlorophyll data set (1997–2022), to investigate the interannual ocean-biogeochemical variability in the SAB. Regional model outputs suggest that year-to-year changes in phytoplankton production are indeed largely driven by upwelling of cold and nutrient-rich water to the shelf-break. The upwelling variability, reflected in bottom temperature and vertically integrated production patterns, is strongly linked to surface velocity changes in the GS near the shelf break, but weakly related to the depth-integrated GS transport. The GS’s velocity changes, and the temperature and production anomalies, are well correlated to the alongshore wind stress, suggesting that local wind is the leading driver of the shelf-break upwelling variability at interannual timescales. Those relationships are also supported by circulation patterns from ocean reanalysis and satellite chlorophyll anomalies. Finally, examining the simulated shelf-slope interchanges in the carbonate system, we find that shelf-break upwelling significantly increases bottom acidification, a pattern linked to the low carbonate concentration in the slope waters. This study thus provides new insight for understanding and predicting GS and winds impacts on biogeochemical patterns from the SAB.
Plain Language Summary
The ocean current known as the Gulf Stream (GS) can induce upwelling of subsurface cold and nutrient-rich waters into the coastal margin of the South Atlantic Bight, influencing coastal temperature and phytoplankton growth. Previous studies suggested that the GS strength and its proximity to the coast are key factors determining the intensity of upwelling events. However, the degree to which these factors impact the year-to-year changes in phytoplankton production and other ocean properties remains unclear. Here we use numerical models of ocean currents and seawater biogeochemistry, as well as chlorophyll records derived from satellite measurements, to investigate that impact. The patterns showed that interannual changes in coastal temperature, phytoplankton production, water acidity, and dissolved oxygen are strongly modulated by upwelling changes in the outer edge of the continental margin (about 70 m depth in this region). This interannual upwelling variability is tightly coupled to variations in the surface alongshore GS velocity close to that outer edge, which is modulated by alongshore wind variability. Our study characterizes GS patterns associated with high and low productivity years, and highlights the role of surface wind as ultimate driver of the interannual upwelling variability in the South Atlantic Bight.
Key Points
- A regional ocean model is used to investigate interannual variability of ocean-biogeochemistry in the South Atlantic Bight
- Year-to-year changes in primary production, chlorophyll, and carbonate system patterns respond to shelf-break upwelling anomalies
- Shelf-break upwelling is closely linked to the Gulf Stream velocity near the shelf break, modulated by alongshore wind variability
Ocean acidification in Canada: the current state of knowledge and pathways for action
Published 23 February 2026 Science ClosedTags: biological response, chemistry, modeling, policy, regionalmodeling, review, socio-economy
Ocean acidification (OA) generally receives far less consideration than other climate stressors and related hazards, such as global warming and extreme weather events. Canada is uniquely vulnerable to OA given its extensive coastal oceans, the oceanographic processes in its three basins, accelerated warming and sea-ice melt, and extensive coastal communities and maritime economic sectors. Canada’s coastline is also home to extensive and diverse First Nations peoples with distinct histories, rights, title, laws, governance and whose traditions and cultures are extrinsically linked to the sea. However, there are currently very limited pathways to support OA action, mitigation, and/or adaptation in Canada, particularly at the policy level. Here, we present a first synthesis of the current state of OA knowledge across Canada’s Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic regions, including monitoring, modelling, biological responses, socioeconomic and policy perspectives, and examples of existing OA actions and efforts at local and provincial levels. We also suggest a step-wise pathway for actions to enhance the coordinated filling of OA knowledge gaps and integration of OA knowledge into decision-making frameworks. The goals of these recommendations are to improve our ability to respond to OA in Canada, and minimize risks to coastal marine environments and ecosystems, vulnerable sectors, and communities.
Continue reading ‘Ocean acidification in Canada: the current state of knowledge and pathways for action’Metrological assessment of pHT in TRIS buffers within artificial seawater: implications for high-salinity reference materials
Published 19 February 2026 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, methods
Anthropogenic CO2 emissions drive ocean acidification through changes in the carbonate system, lowering seawater pH. In contrast, salinity variations arise from physical processes such as freshwater fluxes and circulation. This study reports the preparation and Harned cell characterization of three equimolal TRIS buffer solutions (0.01 mol·kg−1, 0.025 mol·kg−1, and 0.04 mol·kg−1) in artificial seawater (ASW) matrices with practical salinities of 35 and 50 and temperatures of 20 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C. Determined pHT values achieved expanded uncertainties (𝑈pHT ≤ 0.006), meeting Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) “climate” quality standards. Absolute salinity (SA) was concurrently measured via density (TEOS-10), revealing systematic deviations from practical salinity due to TRIS content. A nonlinear regression model was developed to predict pHT as a function of salinity, temperature, and TRIS molality, with r2 = 0.99998. These results provide a robust dataset for developing Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) for pHT calibration under climate-relevant high-salinity environments at different temperature conditions, offering a practical tool for high-accuracy calibration in variable marine conditions.
Continue reading ‘Metrological assessment of pHT in TRIS buffers within artificial seawater: implications for high-salinity reference materials’A biogeochemical perspective on acidification and buffering capacity in the Piscataqua Estuary
Published 18 February 2026 Science ClosedTags: biogeochemistry, chemistry, field, laboratory, North Atlantic, sediment
Coastal acidification is influenced not only by rising atmospheric CO2 and river-ocean mixing, but also by metabolic processes that alter seawater carbonate chemistry and buffering capacity. This study examines how sedimentary biogeochemical processes contribute to carbonate system variability in the Piscataqua Estuary, a tidally dynamic channel connecting Great Bay to the Gulf of Maine. The biogeochemical processes considered include sedimentary aerobic respiration, denitrification, sulfate reduction, and carbonate dissolution or precipitation. Two incubation experiments were conducted in September and October of 2024 at the University of New Hampshire’s Coastal Marine Laboratory (CML) to quantify changes in pH, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and total alkalinity (TA) in the overlying water arising from sediment-water biogeochemical exchange. Sediment cores were collected to be paired with overlying water from slack low and slack high tides during each month. Across both experiments, sediment cores consistently exhibited greater acidification and larger shifts in DIC and TA concentrations compared to water-only cores, indicating strong sedimentary biogeochemical influence. Among the processes considered, sulfate reduction is likely the most influential driver of carbonate system variability, contributing to increases in both DIC and TA. Linking experimental results to in-situ measurements at CML revealed that variability observed over individual ebb or flood tides primarily reflected processes associated with tidal advection (ie, river-ocean mixing and water-column biogeochemical activity). However, when evaluating net changes over both tidal transitions (ebb and flood), contributions from sedimentary biogeochemical processes were comparable in magnitude to those of the other processes during September and October. Sedimentary biogeochemical processes also appear to exert more consistent contributions to DIC and TA than water-column biogeochemical processes. Together, these findings demonstrate that sedimentary biogeochemical processes play a major role in regulating carbonate system variability in the Piscataqua Estuary. This study underscores the importance of examining carbonate system variability across multiple timescales to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of estuarine carbonate dynamics. Additional experimental work is needed to further resolve the influence of metabolic processes on coastal carbonate systems under changing environmental conditions.
Continue reading ‘A biogeochemical perspective on acidification and buffering capacity in the Piscataqua Estuary’Shrinking shellfish? Risk of acidic water in the Indian River Lagoon
Published 17 February 2026 Press releases ClosedTags: chemistry, North Atlantic
FAU researchers measured aragonite saturation – a key indicator of water’s ability to support calcifying organisms like clams and oysters – throughout the Indian River Lagoon.
Florida’s Indian River Lagoon (IRL), one of the state’s most ecologically productive estuaries, is facing a growing but invisible threat that could reshape its marine ecosystems. Over the past decade, the lagoon has suffered severe degradation caused by nutrient pollution, excessive freshwater runoff, harmful algal blooms (HABs), and declining water quality. These changes have led to the loss of tens of thousands of acres of seagrass and have negatively impacted shellfish, fish, dolphins, manatees and other key species.
A new study from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute now reveals that these pressures are also contributing to coastal acidification, a chemical shift in the water that threatens the ability of shell-building marine organisms to grow and thrive.
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To understand these changes, FAU Harbor Branch researchers studied the IRL from 2016 to 2017, measuring Ωarag and other water chemistry factors. They examined how nutrients, freshwater inputs, and other environmental conditions affect the lagoon’s ability to support shell-building marine life.
The study used two approaches. First, researchers conducted a broad survey across the lagoon, from nutrient-rich northern areas to southern regions affected by freshwater inflows. Second, they did weekly sampling at three central sites with different salinity and land-use conditions: an urban-influenced canal, a river mouth affected by urban and agricultural runoff, and a relatively natural reference site with strong ocean exchange.
Results of the study, published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, revealed clear patterns. Northern sites with high nutrient concentrations and frequent HABs had lower aragonite saturation. Southern sites, influenced by freshwater discharges, also had lower Ωarag, primarily due to reduced salinity and dilution of aragonite. In the weekly surveys, Ωarag was positively correlated with salinity and negatively correlated with nutrient levels, confirming that both freshwater input and nutrient pollution play a role in controlling water chemistry.
Continue reading ‘Shrinking shellfish? Risk of acidic water in the Indian River Lagoon’Linking surface pCO2 variability to physical processes along a continental shelf–ocean transect in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean during austral autumn and winter
Published 17 February 2026 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, South Atlantic
The southwestern South Atlantic Ocean is an important global sink of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), driven by increased primary productivity in a nearby region where oligotrophic warm currents converge with nutrient-rich cold waters. However, uncertainties remain regarding CO2 dynamics and the role of physical processes in CO2 uptake across this region. Here, we assess variations in surface partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and air–sea CO2 fluxes in the Southwest Atlantic, along a transect from the continental shelf to the open ocean at 34.5°S during austral autumn 2018 and winter 2019. High-resolution spatial measurements of the temperature, salinity, and molar fraction of surface CO2 were conducted. In autumn 2018, the shelf region acted as a source of CO2 to the atmosphere (median of 3.2 mmol CO2 m-2 d-1), which was partially offset by a sink (median of –2.5 mmol CO2 m-2 d-1) in the open ocean. In contrast, the entire transect in winter 2019 presented median CO2 emissions of ~1.5 mmol CO2 m-2 d-1, which differs from climatological estimates. The spatial and seasonal variations in surface ocean pCO2 were linked to variable hydrodynamic processes, including water masses and mesoscale structures. Our findings reveal that, in one of the most productive oceanic waters worldwide, pCO2 may be influenced by distinct continental inputs (e.g., rivers, runoff, and groundwater discharge) and water masses (e.g., Tropical Water, Plata Plume Water and Subtropical Shelf Water). Therefore, the local hydrodynamic processes can modulate high spatial and seasonal variability in CO2 exchange at the ocean–atmosphere interface, with potential implications for regional and global carbon budgets. General results, such as climatological, cannot fully capture the influence of regional upwelling and continental water input, which highlights the importance of high-resolution regional observations.
Continue reading ‘Linking surface pCO2 variability to physical processes along a continental shelf–ocean transect in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean during austral autumn and winter’Seasonal air-sea CO2 flux dynamics in Colombia’s Gorgona Marine Area during La Niña 2021–2022
Published 17 February 2026 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, North Pacific
Air–sea CO₂ fluxes in tropical coastal zones are strongly influenced by ENSO variability, but in situ measurements in the Eastern Tropical Pacific remain scarce. We assessed seasonal CO₂ dynamics around Gorgona Island (Panama Bight, Colombian Pacific) under La Niña 2021–2022. From November 2021 to July 2022, we conducted monthly sampling at seven stations spanning the Guapi River plume to the open ocean, measuring physical (SST, SSS, thermocline depth), chemical (TA, DIC, pH, carbonate system parameters), and biological (chlorophyll-a) variables, and estimating net CO₂ fluxes (FCO₂) with the Liss and Merlivat (1986) parameterization and atmospheric CO₂ from NOAA. La Niña featured a cool-water anomaly (−0.78 °C), enhanced precipitation (+59%) and river discharge (+44%) relative to multi-year means. The nine-month mean CO₂ flux was near neutral (−0.01049 ± 0.00014 mol C m⁻²) but strongly seasonal: six post-upwelling months showed slightly positive fluxes (0.00929 ± 0.000147 mol C m⁻²) associated with high precipitation (746.4 ± 214.7 mm), warmer SST (27.5 ± 0.4 °C), elevated pCO₂w (567 ± 97.5 µatm) and lower pH (7.869 ± 0.040), whereas three upwelling months showed slightly negative fluxes (−0.00119 ± 0.00010 mol C m⁻²) with reduced precipitation (165.8 ± 82.4 mm), cooler SST (26.5 ± 0.2 °C), lower pCO₂w (461 ± 92.8 µatm) and higher pH (7.968 ± 0.048). La Niña amplified pCO₂w variability (316–839 µatm) via vertical Ekman pumping, horizontal transport (Zonal Ekman Transport, tides), and freshwater inputs, while a persistent thermocline (10–40.1 m) restricted deep CO₂-rich waters from reaching the surface. Biological uptake further modulated outgassing, as evidenced by chlorophyll-a and ΔDIC dynamics. Overall, CO₂ fluxes were relatively low compared with other tropical estuarine and oceanic sources. These results underscore the need for sustained in situ observations in estuarine–ocean systems to refine predictive models of CO₂ fluxes under ENSO conditions.
Continue reading ‘Seasonal air-sea CO2 flux dynamics in Colombia’s Gorgona Marine Area during La Niña 2021–2022’Seaweeds (Ulva, Gracilaria) significantly increase the growth rates of North Atlantic oysters, scallops, and clams grown in an aquaculture setting
Published 17 February 2026 Science ClosedTags: algae, biological response, BRcommunity, chemistry, fisheries, laboratory, mitigation, mollusks, morphology
Highlights
- Seaweeds significantly increased the growth rates of oysters by 20–70%, of clams by 60–70%, and of scallops by 130–140%.
- Seaweeds caused significant increases in pH, DO, and the saturation state of calcium carbonate (Ω).
- Seaweeds caused a significant increase in the concentrations of suspended chlorophyll a.
- Co-culture of seaweeds with bivalves accelerates the growth rate of bivalves by increasing pH, DO, Ω, and food availability.
Abstract
While bivalve populations are threatened by climate change stressors including ocean acidification and hypoxia, the photosynthetic activity of seaweeds can raise the pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) of seawater, combatting these stressors. Here, three commercially important North Atlantic bivalves (Eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica; hard clams, Mercenaria mercenaria; bay scallops, Argopecten irradians) were grown in the presence and absence of two common seaweeds (Ulva sp. and Gracilaria sp.) in replicated 300 L outdoor aquaculture tables with flow-through seawater. Environmental conditions including pH, DO, and chlorophyll a were continuously monitored and levels of dissolved inorganic carbon and the complete carbonate chemistry of seawater were quantified. The presence of seaweeds significantly increased shell- and tissue-based growth rates of oysters by 20–70%, of clams by 60–70%, and of scallops by 130–140% (p < 0.05) with both seaweeds being similarly effective. Both seaweed species caused significant increases in pH, DO, and the saturation state of calcium carbonate (Ω) during the day (p < 0.05) whereas differences at night were muted with night-time Ωaragonite levels being at or below saturation in all treatments. In some experiments, the presence of seaweeds caused a significant increase in the concentrations of suspended chlorophyll a, suggesting that seaweeds increased the total amount and diversity of food available to bivalves. Collectively, this study demonstrates that the co-culture of seaweeds with bivalves in a land-based aquaculture setting can significantly accelerate the growth rate of bivalves by increasing pH, DO, Ω, and food availability.
Continue reading ‘Seaweeds (Ulva, Gracilaria) significantly increase the growth rates of North Atlantic oysters, scallops, and clams grown in an aquaculture setting’Summary of ocean acidification data collected by the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program in the U.S. Pacific Islands, 2021—2023
Published 10 February 2026 Newsletters and reports ClosedTags: biological response, BRcommunity, chemistry, corals, field, North Pacific, primary production
Coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse and economically valuable ecosystems on earth. They provide billions of dollars annually in food, jobs, recreation, coastal protection, and other critical ecosystem services (Brander & van Beukering, 2013; Costanza et al., 2014). However, these ecosystems are also among the most vulnerable to ocean acidification (OA). Even under the most optimistic model projections, increasing atmospheric and seawater carbon dioxide concentrations are likely to occur over the next few decades, decreasing seawater pH and reducing the availability of the carbonate ion (CO32-) building blocks that corals and other marine calcifiers use to construct reef habitat (Chan & Connolly, 2013; Jiang et al., 2023). OA threatens the persistence of coral reefs by reducing rates of coral and crustose coralline algae (CCA) calcification and accelerating rates of bioerosion, thereby lowering net production of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and compromising the structural complexity and integrity of three-dimensional reef habitat (Cornwall et al., 2021; Hill & Hoogenboom, 2022). As a result, many of the ecological, economic, and cultural values offered by coral reefs could be significantly impacted by OA over the next century.
NOAA’s National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) provides a framework for long-term, national-level monitoring of the U.S.-affiliated coral reef areas. Funded jointly by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program and Ocean Acidification Program, NCRMP assesses the status and trends of U.S. coral reef ecosystems and supports the management of the nation’s reefs (NOAA Coral Program, 2021). NCRMP’s long-term monitoring of OA and related coral reef ecosystem responses (NCRMP-OA) evaluates patterns and trends in carbonate chemistry and key ecosystem indicators across gradients of biogeography, oceanographic conditions, habitat types, and human impacts. These data sets are used to inform the efficacy of place-based coral reef management in close collaboration with federal, state, and jurisdictional partners.
To assess the progression of OA and impacts on coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. Pacific Islands, NCRMP-OA monitoring includes the following objectives:
- Conduct carbonate chemistry sampling to monitor spatial variability and temporal change in pH, aragonite saturation state (Ωar), and other carbon system parameters;
- Conduct diel carbonate chemistry water sampling and oceanographic instrument deployments at select sites;
- Conduct census-based carbonate budget assessments to estimate rates of coral reef biological carbonate production and erosion.
This report summarizes the monitoring effort and results from 2021–2023 NCRMP-OA sampling and surveys. Additional NCRMP environmental, benthic, and fish data are not included in this report, but they can be accessed at the links provided in the Data Availability section.
Continue reading ‘Summary of ocean acidification data collected by the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program in the U.S. Pacific Islands, 2021—2023’Microbial community dynamics over large spatial and environmental gradients in a subtropical ocean basin
Published 9 February 2026 Science ClosedTags: abundance, biogeochemistry, biological response, chemistry, community composition, field, molecular biology, North Atlantic, otherprocess, prokaryotes, protists
Microbes are fundamental to ocean ecosystem function, yet they remain understudied across broad spatial and environmental scales in dynamic regions like the Gulf of America/Gulf of Mexico (GOM). We employed DNA metabarcoding to characterize prokaryotes (16S V4–V5) and protists (18S V9) across 51 stations, spanning 16 inshore–offshore transects and three depths. Cluster analysis revealed three clusters corresponding to depth zones that integrated vertical and horizontal sampling: photic zone (inshore near surface–bottom and offshore surface), deep chlorophyll maximum (offshore), and aphotic zone (offshore near bottom). We applied group-specific generalized additive models (GAMs) to log-transformed abundance data of major taxa in the photic zone, identifying key environmental factors that explained 42%–82% of the variation in abundance. SAR11 and SAR86 were positively associated with temperature and dissolved inorganic carbon, while cyanobacterial genera (Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus) were differently impacted by nutrients, salinity, and pH in ways that often followed their expected ecological niches. Representatives of protist parasites (Syndiniales) and grazers (Sagenista) showed group-specific nonlinear associations with salinity, oxygen, nutrients, and temperature. Using GAMs, we expanded the spatial resolution of DNA sampling and predicted surface log abundances at 84 cruise sites lacking amplicon data. Indicator analysis was performed with sequence-level data, revealing several protists that were indicative of more acidic waters and the absence of any significant prokaryote indicators. Our results provide the first basin-scale survey of microbes in the GOM and highlight the need for coordinated omics and environmental sampling to improve predictions of microbial responses to changing conditions.
Continue reading ‘Microbial community dynamics over large spatial and environmental gradients in a subtropical ocean basin’New ocean sensors could transform how scientists track the marine carbon cycle
Published 3 February 2026 Web sites and blogs ClosedTags: chemistry, methods
The world’s oceans do far more than support vital marine ecosystems and provide food and recreation. They help regulate the Earth’s climate, absorbing vast amounts of heat and CO2, acting as one of the planet’s most important buffers against climate change.
Yet despite this vital role, scientists still struggle to track exactly how and where the ocean absorbs and stores CO2 – and how that process is changing.
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Rintala is leading an international team that aims to extend ocean observing capacity by developing sensors for platforms that can operate beyond normal shipping routes and deep below the surface – far from ships and human intervention
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At the heart of the effort is the development of the world’s first autonomous sensor capable of accurately measuring total alkalinity in the ocean – from the sea floor to the surface.
Total alkalinity is a key chemical indicator that scientists use to understand the ocean carbon system and estimate how much CO2 seawater can absorb and store.
It is also critical for tracking ocean acidification – a process driven by rising CO2 levels that lowers seawater pH and threatens marine ecosystems, particularly shell-building plankton and molluscs.
“Ocean acidification is very harmful for many marine organisms,” said Rintala. “It can cause cascading effects that ripple up the food web.”
Until now, total alkalinity has usually been measured by collecting fixed seawater samples from ships and analysing them later in onshore laboratories. That approach provides valuable data, but only at isolated points in time and space.
“If we are interested in the carbon content of the ocean as a whole, we need to measure deeper,” said ocean scientist Socratis Loucaides, based at the UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC).
Loucaides and his colleagues at NOC are leading the development of a radically different approach: a compact lab-on-a-chip sensor that performs a miniature chemistry experiment inside the instrument itself.
Inside the device, a small seawater sample is mixed with an acid of known strength and a dye that changes colour depending on acidity. A light-based sensor then reads those colour changes to calculate the alkalinity of the surrounding seawater.
By doing this directly in the deep ocean, the sensor can build up a far more detailed picture of how carbon is stored and transported over time – and potentially reveal early warning signs of change.
Continue reading ‘New ocean sensors could transform how scientists track the marine carbon cycle’
