Coral reef ecosystems are expected to undergo significant declines over the coming decades as oceans become warmer and more acidic. We investigate the environmental tolerances of over 650 Scleractinian coral species based on the conditions found within their present-day ranges and in areas where they are currently absent but could potentially reach via larval dispersal. These “environmental envelopes” and connectivity constraints are then used to develop global forecasts for potential coral species richness under two emission scenarios, representing the Paris Agreement target (“SSP1-2.6”) and high levels of emissions (“SSP5-8.5”). Although we do not directly predict coral mortality or adaptation, the projected changes to environmental suitability suggest considerable potential declines in coral species richness for the majority of the world’s tropical coral reefs, with a net loss in average local richness of 73% (Paris Agreement) to 91% (High Emissions) by 2080-2090 and particularly large declines across sites in the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Western Indian Ocean and Caribbean. However, at the regional scale, we find that environmental suitability for the majority of coral species can be largely maintained under the Paris Agreement target, with 0-30% potential net species lost in most regions (increasing to 50% for the Great Barrier Reef) as opposed to 80-90% losses in most areas under High Emissions. Projections for sub-tropical areas suggest that range expansion will give rise to coral reefs with low species richness (typically 10-20 coral species per region) and will not meaningfully offset declines in the tropics. This work represents the first global projection of coral species richness under oceanic warming and acidification. Our results highlight the critical importance of mitigating climate change to avoid potentially massive extinctions of coral species.
Continue reading ‘Paris Agreement could prevent regional mass extinctions of coral species’Posts Tagged 'regionalmodeling'
Paris Agreement could prevent regional mass extinctions of coral species
Published 12 April 2023 Science ClosedTags: abundance, adaptation, biological response, corals, globalmodeling, Indian, modeling, multiple factors, North Atlantic, otherprocess, regionalmodeling, South Pacific, temperature
Projected increase in carbon dioxide drawdown and acidification in large estuaries under climate change
Published 28 March 2023 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, modeling, North Atlantic, regionalmodeling
Most estuaries are substantial sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. The estimated estuarine CO2 degassing is about 17% of the total oceanic uptake, but the effect of rising atmospheric CO2 on estuarine carbon balance remains unclear. Here we use 3D hydrodynamic-biogeochemical models of a large eutrophic estuary and a box model of two generic, but contrasting estuaries to generalize how climate change affects estuarine carbonate chemistry and CO2 fluxes. We found that small estuaries with short flushing times remain a CO2 source to the atmosphere, but large estuaries with long flushing times may become a greater carbon sink and acidify. In particular, climate downscaling projections for Chesapeake Bay in the mid-21st century showed a near-doubling of CO2 uptake, a pH decline of 0.1–0.3, and >90% expansion of the acidic volume. Our findings suggest that large eutrophic estuaries will become carbon sinks and suffer from accelerated acidification in a changing climate.
Continue reading ‘Projected increase in carbon dioxide drawdown and acidification in large estuaries under climate change’Predicting coral reef carbonate chemistry through statistical modeling: constraining nearshore residence time around Guam
Published 21 March 2023 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, modeling, North Pacific, regionalmodeling
To accurately predict the impacts of ocean acidification on shallow-water ecosystems, we must account for the biogeochemical impact of local benthic communities, as well as the connectivity between offshore and onshore water masses. Estimation of residence time can help quantify this connectivity and determine the degree to which the benthos can influence the chemistry of the overlying water column. We present estimates of nearshore residence time for Guam and utilize these estimates to model the effects of benthic ecosystem metabolism on the coral reef carbonate system. Control volume and particle tracking approaches were used to estimate nearshore residence time. These estimates were paired with observed patterns in the reef carbonate system around Guam using water samples collected by NOAA’s National Coral Reef Monitoring Program. Model performance results suggest that when considering the effects of benthic metabolism on the carbonate system, it is paramount to represent the contact time of the water volume with the benthos. Even coarse estimates of residence time significantly increase model skill. We observed the highest predictive skill in models including control volume derived estimates of residence time, but only when those estimates were included as an interaction with benthic composition. This work shows that not only is residence time critically important to better predict biogeochemical variability in coral reef environments, but that even coarse hydrodynamic models can provide useful residence time estimates at management relevant, whole-ecosystem scales.
Continue reading ‘Predicting coral reef carbonate chemistry through statistical modeling: constraining nearshore residence time around Guam’Effects of climate change on the Kenyan coral reef eco-system
Published 6 March 2023 Science ClosedTags: biological response, chemistry, corals, field, Indian, modeling, regionalmodeling
The coral reef ecosystem is a natural habitat for many marine organisms that has high economic and tourist significance. Nonetheless, this ecosystem has very low tolerance to the effects of changes brought about by increasing sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification. This study sought to investigate the combined effect of rising sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification on the Kenyan coral reef ecosystem. This was achieved by determining the spatial-temporal variability of ocean acidification over the Kenyan coastline; and simulating the combined effect of sea surface temperature increases and ocean acidification on the coral reef ecosystem.
Historical (2000-2021) data on sea surface temperature (SSTs) was obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and data on dissolved total carbon dioxide (TCO2) and pH from Global Ocean Data Analysis Project (GLODAP). Future (2022-2081) sea surface temperature and dissolved carbon dioxide data was downloaded from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) experiment for two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) namely SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5. Statistical, graphical and model simulations analyses were applied in the study to investigate the combined effect of increasing SST and ocean acidification on coral reef ecosystem over the Kenyan coastline.
Results indicate that mean sea surface temperature and dissolved carbon dioxide along the Kenyan coastline varied with seasons and had increased between the years 2000-2021. Trend tests of SSTs and TCO2 revealed a significant upward trend at 5% level of significance. Rising SSTs led to bleaching in coral reefs along this coastline whereas TCO2 led to reduced amount of carbonate ion concentration and reduced pH in the sea surface waters which affected the rates of calcification and survival of the coral reefs. The results of the Combined Mortality and Bleaching Output model simulation revealed that bleaching and ocean acidification had negatively affected the coral reef cover resulting in a decline of more than 30% of cover between 2000 and 2021. The results of the simulation also projected that the coral reef cover will continue to decline in the long-term by 52% under SSP2-4.5 and 63% under SSP5-8.5 if the trends in SSTs and TCO2 are maintained.
This study recommends collaborative implementation of climate change policies and practices by national and regional governments, communities and policy makers; enhanced efforts by coastal county governments in Kenya and research organisations to expound on scientific knowledge base while simultaneously implementing sustainable targeted solutions to ensure that the socio-economic benefits of the coral reef ecosystem are sustained.
Continue reading ‘Effects of climate change on the Kenyan coral reef eco-system’Hydrological and biogeochemical controls on estuarine carbonate chemistry along a climate gradient
Published 21 February 2023 Science ClosedTags: biogeochemistry, chemistry, field, modeling, North Atlantic, regionalmodeling
Increasing global atmospheric CO2 concentrations drive a net flux of CO2 into the oceans, mitigating the impacts of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions on the climate. This results in a reduction in pH and carbonate saturation state, a.k.a. ocean acidification, of marine waters. The acidified ocean water may advect into estuaries, leading to estuarine acidification. Many estuaries are highly sensitive to this acidification due to low buffer capacity. Because estuaries provide many important ecosystem services, alterations in their carbonate systems may have significant consequences on ecosystems and the economy. Despite the current understanding that estuaries may play a disproportionately important role in global air-sea CO2 flux, little is known about carbonate systems in subtropical estuaries. Further comprehension of estuarine carbonate systems is vital for quantification of the global carbon cycle. Specifically, subtropical estuaries in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (nwGOM) exhibit a general long-term decrease in pH and total alkalinity (TA), with lower latitudes experiencing more extreme acidification than higher latitudes.
In Chapter II, sediment cores and slurries from the semiarid Mission-Aransas Estuary of the nwGOM were incubated and surface waters were analyzed for contributions of biogeochemical processes to TA change. Changes in total TA as well as calcium and sulfate ion concentration were examined following known reaction stoichiometry. Ratio of TA: ion changes suggested that carbonate dissolution co-occurred with oxidation of reduced sulfur species, and the latter consumed TA during drought periods in Mission-Aransas Estuary. This biogeochemical (sulfide oxidation) TA consumption has been poorly studied yet may affect TA budget in other semiarid estuaries worldwide.
In Chapter III, river alkalinity total load and concentration were calculated using the United States Geological Survey’s Fortran Load Estimator Program (LOADEST) and long-term trends in alkalinity and discharge of six major nwGOM rivers were determined. Stepwise multiple linear regression methods were used to generate models for predicting estuarine TA based on river alkalinity, year, and net evaporation (evaporation-precipitation). Some rivers were found to have long-term (multidecadal) declines in freshwater discharge, area-weighted alkalinity yield, of alkalinity flow-weighted concentration, with most declines occurring in the southern end of the study region. Freshwater flow-weighted alkalinity concentration (annual alkalinity load for an area divided by discharge) appeared in many of the predictive models for estuarine TA and may play a major role in regulating estuarine TA of the nwGOM. Methods for linking freshwater and estuarine carbonate dynamics are lacking in the scientific literature; this study provides a potentially useful approach for predicting estuarine carbonate chemistry based on freshwater quality and input.
In Chapter IV, CO2 flux of the Trinity-San Jacinto Estuary (Galveston Bay) was calculated and compared to results from discrete samples for carbonate parameters. Inferences about spatial and temporal patterns in CO2 flux as well as ecosystem metabolism were made based on results. The Trinity-San Jacinto Estuary was found to be a net sink for atmospheric CO2, but with high seasonal and spatial variability. Specifically, large freshwater inflows in spring stimulated photosynthesis in the estuary, which increased the sink behavior. Seasons with less freshwater inflow resulted in higher heterotrophy and CO2 emission in some regions of the estuary.
This research increases knowledge and research capacity in the nwGOM region on estuarine acidification and carbonate chemistry. Causes of acidification in major estuaries within the region were addressed along a latitudinal climatic gradient. This will aid with better management of fresh and estuarine water resources in the nwGOM. The results of this research will also clarify the role of semiarid, subtropical estuaries in the global carbon cycle and expand our range of knowledge on carbonate system analyses of estuaries.
Continue reading ‘Hydrological and biogeochemical controls on estuarine carbonate chemistry along a climate gradient’Observations of seawater carbonate chemistry in the Southern California Current
Published 20 February 2023 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, methods, modeling, North Pacific, regionalmodeling
The ocean has taken up roughly a quarter of the total anthropogenic carbon emissions (Gruber et al., 2019). This addition causes changes in carbonate system equilibrium, decreasing ocean pH, which impacts marine organisms, ecosystems, and humans reliant on marine resources (Doney et al., 2020). The study of the changing carbonate chemistry and its impact on the ocean requires the refinement of measurement techniques, observational programs, models and the sharing of data. Chapter 1 focuses on measurement techniques by assessing the stability of tris pH buffer in artificial seawater stored in bags. These bagged reference materials can be used by both benchtop and autonomous instruments to aid in quality control of measurements of carbonate chemistry. Chapter 2 focuses on continued observation, with the oldest inorganic carbon time series in the Pacific. This time series in the Southern California Current helps confirm the rate of anthropogenic ocean acidification observed in other regions of the ocean. Chapter 3 focuses on models by using seasonal cycles determined in Chapter 2 to build a mixed layer carbon budget at the location of the time series. Chapter 4 focuses on the sharing of data by summarizing and publishing previously unavailable observations of carbonate chemistry in the Southern California Current going back as far as 1983.
Continue reading ‘Observations of seawater carbonate chemistry in the Southern California Current’Understanding the seasonality, trends, and controlling factors of Indian Ocean acidification over distinctive bio-provinces
Published 14 February 2023 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, Indian, modeling, regionalmodeling
The Indian Ocean (IO) is witnessing acidification as a direct consequence of the continuous rising of atmospheric CO2 concentration and indirectly due to rapid ocean warming, which disrupts the pH of the surface waters. This study investigates the pH seasonality and trends over various bio-provinces of the IO and regionally assesses the contribution of each of its controlling factors. Simulations from a global and a regional ocean model coupled with biogeochemical modules were validated with pH measurements over the basin and used to discern the regional response of pH seasonality (1990–2010) and trend (1961–2010) to changes in Sea Surface Temperature (SST), Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC), Total Alkalinity (ALK), and Salinity (S). DIC and SST are significant contributors to the seasonal variability of pH in almost all bio-provinces. Total acidification in the IO basin was 0.0675 units from 1961 to 2010, with 69.3% contribution from DIC followed by 13.8% contribution from SST. For most of the bio-provinces, DIC remains a dominant contributor to changing trends in pH except for the Northern Bay of Bengal and Around India (NBoB-AI) region, wherein the pH trend is dominated by ALK (55.6%) and SST (16.8%). Interdependence of SST and S over ALK is significant in modifying the carbonate chemistry and biogeochemical dynamics of NBoB-AI and a part of tropical, subtropical IO bio-provinces. A strong correlation between SST and pH trends infers an increasing risk of acidification in the bio-provinces with rising SST and points out the need for sustained monitoring of IO pH in such hotspots.
Continue reading ‘Understanding the seasonality, trends, and controlling factors of Indian Ocean acidification over distinctive bio-provinces’Restoration and coral adaptation delay, but do not prevent, climate-driven reef framework erosion of an inshore site in the Florida Keys
Published 9 February 2023 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, dissolution, mitigation, modeling, multiple factors, North Atlantic, regionalmodeling, temperature
For reef framework to persist, calcium carbonate production by corals and other calcifiers needs to outpace loss due to physical, chemical, and biological erosion. This balance is both delicate and dynamic and is currently threatened by the effects of ocean warming and acidification. Although the protection and recovery of ecosystem functions are at the center of most restoration and conservation programs, decision makers are limited by the lack of predictive tools to forecast habitat persistence under different emission scenarios. To address this, we developed a modelling approach, based on carbonate budgets, that ties species-specific responses to site-specific global change using the latest generation of climate models projections (CMIP6). We applied this model to Cheeca Rocks, an outlier in the Florida Keys in terms of high coral cover, and explored the outcomes of restoration targets scheduled in the coming 20 years at this site by the Mission: Iconic Reefs restoration initiative. Additionally, we examined the potential effects of coral thermal adaptation by increasing the bleaching threshold by 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2˚C. Regardless of coral adaptative capacity or restoration, net carbonate production at Cheeca Rocks declines heavily once the threshold for the onset of annual severe bleaching is reached. The switch from net accretion to net erosion, however, is significantly delayed by mitigation and adaptation. The maintenance of framework accretion until 2100 and beyond is possible under a decreased emission scenario coupled with thermal adaptation above 0.5˚C. Although restoration initiatives increase reef accretion estimates, Cheeca Rocks will only be able to keep pace with future sea-level rise in a world where anthropogenic CO2 emissions are reduced. Present results, however, attest to the potential of restoration interventions combined with increases in coral thermal tolerance to delay the onset of mass bleaching mortalities, possibly in time for a low-carbon economy to be implemented and complementary mitigation measures to become effective.
Continue reading ‘Restoration and coral adaptation delay, but do not prevent, climate-driven reef framework erosion of an inshore site in the Florida Keys’Effect of plankton composition shifts in the North Atlantic on atmospheric pCO2
Published 25 January 2023 Science ClosedTags: biological response, community composition, modeling, North Atlantic, phytoplankton, regionalmodeling
Abstract
Marine carbon cycle processes are important for taking up atmospheric CO2 thereby reducing climate change. Net primary and export production are important pathways of carbon from the surface to the deep ocean where it is stored for millennia. Climate change can interact with marine ecosystems via changes in the ocean stratification and ocean circulation. In this study we use results from the Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2) to assess the effect of a changing climate on biological production and phytoplankton composition in the high latitude North Atlantic Ocean. We find a shift in phytoplankton type dominance from diatoms to small phytoplankton which reduces net primary and export productivity. Using a conceptual carbon-cycle model forced with CESM2 results, we give a rough estimate of a positive phytoplankton composition-atmospheric CO2 feedback of approximately 60 GtCO2/°C warming in the North Atlantic which lowers the 1.5° and 2.0°C warming safe carbon budgets.
Key Points
- Biological production decreases significantly in the high latitude North Atlantic in Community Earth System Model version 2 under the SSP5-8.5 scenario
- Phytolankton type dominance shifts from diatoms to small phytoplankton
- A positive feedback loop is diagnosed where changes in the physical system decrease biological production, reducing oceanic uptake of CO2
A space-time mosaic of seawater carbonate chemistry conditions in the north-shore Moorea coral reef system
Published 13 January 2023 Science ClosedTags: biological response, calcification, chemistry, corals, modeling, photosynthesis, physiology, regionalmodeling, South Pacific
The interplay between ocean circulation and coral metabolism creates highly variable biogeochemical conditions in space and time across tropical coral reefs. Yet, relatively little is known quantitatively about the spatiotemporal structure of these variations. To address this gap, we use the Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Wave and Sediment Transport (COAWST) model, to which we added the Biogeochemical Elemental Cycling (BEC) model computing the biogeochemical processes in the water column, and a coral polyp physiology module that interactively simulates coral photosynthesis, respiration and calcification. The coupled model, configured for the north-shore of Moorea Island, successfully simulates the observed (i) circulation across the wave regimes, (ii) magnitude of the metabolic rates, and (iii) large gradients in biogeochemical conditions across the reef. Owing to the interaction between coral net community production (NCP) and coral calcification, the model simulates distinct day versus night gradients, especially for pH and the saturation state of seawater with respect to aragonite (Ωα). The strength of the gradients depends non-linearly on the wave regime and the resulting residence time of water over the reef with the low wave regime creating conditions that are considered as “extremely marginal” for corals. With the average water parcel passing more than twice over the reef, recirculation contributes further to the accumulation of these metabolic signals. We find diverging temporal and spatial relationships between total alkalinity (TA) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) (≈ 0.16 for the temporal vs. ≈ 1.8 for the spatial relationship), indicating the importance of scale of analysis for this metric. Distinct biogeochemical niches emerge from the simulated variability, i.e., regions where the mean and variance of the conditions are considerably different from each other. Such biogeochemical niches might cause large differences in the exposure of individual corals to the stresses associated with e.g., ocean acidification. At the same time, corals living in the different biogeochemical niches might have adapted to the differing conditions, making the reef, perhaps, more resilient to change. Thus, a better understanding of the mosaic of conditions in a coral reef might be useful to assess the health of a coral reef and to develop improved management strategies.
Continue reading ‘A space-time mosaic of seawater carbonate chemistry conditions in the north-shore Moorea coral reef system’Simulated impact of ocean alkalinity enhancement on atmospheric CO2 removal in the Bering Sea
Published 11 January 2023 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, mitigation, modeling, North Pacific, regionalmodeling
Abstract
Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) has the potential to mitigate ocean acidification (OA) and induce atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) removal (CDR). We evaluate the CDR and OA mitigation impacts of a sustained point-source OAE of 1.67 × 1010 mol total alkalinity (TA) yr−1 (equivalent to 667,950 metric tons NaOH yr−1) in Unimak Pass, Alaska. We find the alkalinity elevation initially mitigates OA by decreasing pCO2 and increasing aragonite saturation state and pH. Then, enhanced air-to-sea CO2 exchange follows with an approximate e-folding time scale of 5 weeks. Meaningful modeled OA mitigation with reductions of >10 μatm pCO2 (or just under 0.02 pH units) extends 100–100,000 km2 around the TA addition site. The CDR efficiency (i.e., the experimental seawater dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) increase divided by the maximum DIC increase expected from the added TA) after the first 3 years is 0.96 ± 0.01, reflecting essentially complete air-sea CO2 adjustment to the additional TA. This high efficiency is potentially a unique feature of the Bering Sea related to the shallow depths and mixed layer depths. The ratio of DIC increase to the TA added is also high (≥0.85) due to the high dissolved carbon content of seawater in the Bering Sea. The air-sea gas exchange adjustment requires 3.6 months to become (>95%) complete, so the signal in dissolved carbon concentrations will likely be undetectable amid natural variability after dilution by ocean mixing. We therefore argue that modeling, on a range of scales, will need to play a major role in assessing the impacts of OAE interventions.
Key Points
- We used regional ocean model to simulate single point-source ocean alkalinity enhancement in the Bering Sea
- The steady state carbon dioxide removal efficiency was near one in years 3+ of the simulation
- The meaningful modeled ocean acidification mitigation is confined to the region near the alkalinity addition
Plain Language Summary
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that carbon dioxide (CO2) removal (CDR) approaches will be required to stabilize the global temperature increase at 1.5–2°C. In this study, we simulated the climate mitigation impacts of adding alkalinity (equivalent to 667,950 metric ton NaOH yr−1) in Unimak Pass on the southern boundary of the Bering Sea. We found that adding alkalinity can accelerate the ocean CO2 uptake and storage and mitigate ocean acidification near the alkalinity addition. It takes about 3.6 months for the Ocean alkalinity enhancement impacted area to take up the extra CO2. The naturally cold and carbon rich water in the Bering Sea and the tendency of Bering Sea surface waters to linger near the ocean surface without mixing into the subsurface ocean both lead to high CDR efficiencies (>96%) from alkalinity additions in the Bering Sea. However, even with high efficiency, it would take >8,000 alkalinity additions of the kind we simulated to be operating by the year 2100 to meet the target to stabilize global temperatures within the targeted range.
Continue reading ‘Simulated impact of ocean alkalinity enhancement on atmospheric CO2 removal in the Bering Sea’Feedbacks of CaCO3 dissolution effect on ocean carbon sink and seawater acidification: a model study
Published 3 January 2023 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, methods, modeling, regionalmodeling
The oceanic absorption of atmospheric CO2 acidifies seawater, which accelerates CaCO3 dissolution of calcifying organisms, a process termed dissolution effect. Promoted CaCO3 dissolution increases seawater ALK (alkalinity), enhancing ocean carbon sink and mitigating ocean acidification. We incorporate different parameterizations of the link between CaCO3 dissolution and ocean acidification into an Earth System Model, to quantify the feedback of the dissolution effect on the global carbon cycle. Under SRES A2 CO2 emission scenario and its extension with emissions of 5,000 PgC in ~400 years, in the absence of the dissolution effect, accumulated ocean CO2 uptake between year 1800 and 3500 is 2,041 PgC. The consideration of the dissolution effect increases ocean carbon sink by 195–858 PgC (10–42%), and mitigates the decrease in surface pH by 0.04–0.17 (a decrease of 10–48% in [H+] (hydrogen ion concentration)), depending on the prescribed parameterization scheme. In the epipelagic zone, relative to the Arc-Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific-Indian Ocean experiences greater acidification, leading to greater dissolution effects and the resultant stronger feedbacks on ocean carbon sink and acidification in the Pacific-Indian Ocean. Noteworthy, the feedback of dissolution effect on ocean carbon sink can be comparable with or stronger than the feedback from CO2-induced radiative warming. Our study highlights the potentially critical role played by CaCO3 dissolution effect in the ocean carbon sink, global carbon cycle and climate system.
Continue reading ‘Feedbacks of CaCO3 dissolution effect on ocean carbon sink and seawater acidification: a model study’Decoupling of estuarine hypoxia and acidification as revealed by historical water quality data
Published 21 December 2022 Science ClosedTags: biogeochemistry, chemistry, field, modeling, North Atlantic, regionalmodeling
Hypoxia and acidification are commonly coupled in eutrophic aquatic environments because aerobic respiration is usually dominant in bottom waters and can lower dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH simultaneously. However, the degree of coupling, which can be weakened by non-aerobic respiration and CaCO3 cycling, has not been adequately assessed. In this study, we applied a box model to 20 years of water quality monitoring data to explore the relationship between hypoxia and acidification along the mainstem of Chesapeake Bay. In the early summer, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) production in mid-bay bottom waters was dominated by aerobic respiration, contributing to DO and pH declines. In contrast, late-summer DIC production was higher than that expected from aerobic respiration, suggesting potential buffering processes, such as calcium carbonate dissolution, which would elevate pH in hypoxic waters. These findings are consistent with contrasting seasonal relationships between riverine nitrogen (N) loads and hypoxic and acidified volumes. The N loads were associated with increased hypoxic and acidified volumes in June, but only increased hypoxic volumes in August, when acidified volume declines instead. Our study reveals that the magnitude of this decoupling varies interannually with watershed nutrient inputs, which has implications for the management of co-stressors in estuarine systems.
Continue reading ‘Decoupling of estuarine hypoxia and acidification as revealed by historical water quality data’Observed and projected impacts of coastal warming, acidification, and deoxygenation on Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) farming: a case study in the Hinase Area, Okayama Prefecture and Shizugawa Bay, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
Published 20 December 2022 Science ClosedTags: biological response, chemistry, field, fisheries, modeling, mollusks, morphology, multiple factors, North Pacific, oxygen, regionalmodeling, reproduction, temperature
Coastal warming, acidification, and deoxygenation are progressing, primarily due to the increase in anthropogenic CO2. Coastal acidification has been reported to have effects that are expected to become more severe as acidification progresses, including inhibiting formation of the shells of calcifying organisms such as shellfish. However, compared to water temperature, an indicator of coastal warming, spatiotemporal variations in acidification and deoxygenation indicators such as pH, aragonite saturation state (Ωarag), and dissolved oxygen in coastal areas of Japan have not been observed and projected. Moreover, many species of shellfish are important fisheries resources, including Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas). Therefore, there is concern regarding the future combined impacts of coastal warming, acidification, and deoxygenation on Pacific oyster farming, necessitating evaluation of current and future impacts to facilitate mitigation measures. We deployed continuous monitoring systems for coastal warming, acidification, and deoxygenation in the Hinase area of Okayama Prefecture and Shizugawa Bay in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. In Hinase, the Ωarag value was often lower than the critical level of acidification for Pacific oyster larvae, although no impact of acidification on larvae was identified by microscopy examination. Oyster larvae are anticipated to be affected more seriously by the combined impacts of coastal warming and acidification, with lower pH and Ωarag values and a prolonged spawning period, which may shorten the oyster shipping period and lower the quality of oysters. No significant future impact of surface-water deoxygenation on Pacific oysters was identified. To minimize the impacts of coastal warming and acidification on Pacific oyster and related local industries, cutting CO2 emissions is mandatory, but adaptation measures such as regulation of freshwater and organic matter inflow from rivers and changes in the form of oyster farming practiced locally might also be required.
Continue reading ‘Observed and projected impacts of coastal warming, acidification, and deoxygenation on Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) farming: a case study in the Hinase Area, Okayama Prefecture and Shizugawa Bay, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan’Ocean acidification around the UK and Ireland
Published 15 December 2022 Science ClosedTags: biological response, chemistry, modeling, North Atlantic, regionalmodeling, review
KEY FACTS
What is already happening
- Atmospheric CO2 exceeded 414 ppm in 2021 and has continued to increase by approximately 2.4 ppm per year over the last decade. The global ocean absorbs approximately a quarter of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually.
- The North Atlantic Ocean contains more anthropogenic CO2 than any other ocean basin, and surface waters are experiencing an ongoing decline in pH (increasing acidity). Rates of acidification in bottom waters are occurring faster at some locations than in surface waters.
- Some species are already showing effects from ocean acidification when exposed to short-term fluctuations and could be used as indicator species for long-term impacts on marine ecosystems.
What could happen in the future
- Models project that the average continental shelf seawater pH will continue to decline to year 2050 at similar rates to the present day, with rates then increasing in the second half of the century, depending on the emissions scenario.
- The rate of pH decline in coastal areas is projected to be faster in some areas (e.g. Bristol Channel) than others, such as the Celtic Sea.
- Under high-emission scenarios, it is projected that bottom waters on the North-West European Shelf seas will become corrosive to more soluble forms of calcium carbonate (aragonite). Episodic undersaturation events are projected to begin by 2030.
- By 2100, up to 90% of the north-west European shelf seas may experience undersaturation for at least one month of each year.
- High levels of nearshore variability in carbonate chemistry may mean that some coastal species have a higher adaptative capacity than others. However, all species are at increased risk from extreme exposure episodes.
Ocean acidification and warming significantly affect coastal eutrophication and organic pollution: a case study in the Bohai Sea
Published 14 December 2022 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, modeling, North Pacific, regionalmodeling
Highlights
- Ocean acidification alone favors eutrophication and organic pollution.
- Warming alone inhibits eutrophication and organic pollution.
- Interactions between acidification and warming may exacerbate organic pollution.
- Their interactions may mitigate the progress of eutrophication.
Abstract
Most coastal ecosystems are faced with novel challenges associated with human activities and climate change such as ocean acidification, warming, eutrophication, and organic pollution. However, data on the independent or combined effects of ocean acidification and warming on coastal eutrophication and organic pollution at present are relatively limited. Here, we applied the generalized additive models (GAMs) to explore the dynamics of coastal eutrophication and organic pollution in response to future climate change in the Bohai Sea. The GAMs reflected the fact that acidification alone favors eutrophication and organic pollution, while warming alone inhibits these two variables. Differently, the interactions between acidification and warming in the future may further exacerbate the organic pollution but may mitigate the progress of eutrophication. These different responses of eutrophication and organic pollution to acidification and warming may be attributed to algae growth and microbial respiration, as well as some physical processes such as stratification.
Continue reading ‘Ocean acidification and warming significantly affect coastal eutrophication and organic pollution: a case study in the Bohai Sea’Dissolved inorganic carbon export from rivers of Great Britain: spatial distribution and potential catchment-scale controls
Published 28 November 2022 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, modeling, North Atlantic, regionalmodeling
Highlights
- A survey of DIC was carried out across 41 rivers in Great Britain.
- Results were examined in relation to land cover and natural gradients across Great Britain.
- Estimated average yield of DIC from the survey catchments to the sea was 8.13 t ha−1 yr−1.
- Free CO2 concentrations were strongly linked to catchment macro-nutrient status.
- Free CO2 yield at was estimated to be 0.56 t C km2 yr−1.
Abstract
Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) fluxes from the land to ocean have been quantified for many rivers globally. However, CO2 fluxes to the atmosphere from inland waters are quantitatively significant components of the global carbon cycle that are currently poorly constrained. Understanding, the relative contributions of natural and human-impacted processes on the DIC cycle within catchments may provide a basis for developing improved management strategies to mitigate free CO2 concentrations in rivers and subsequent evasion to the atmosphere. Here, a large, internally consistent dataset collected from 41 catchments across Great Britain (GB), accounting for ∼36% of land area (∼83,997 km2) and representative of national land cover, was used to investigate catchment controls on riverine dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), bicarbonate (HCO3−) and free CO2 concentrations, fluxes to the coastal sea and annual yields per unit area of catchment. Estimated DIC flux to sea for the survey catchments was 647 kt DIC yr−1 which represented 69% of the total dissolved carbon flux from these catchments. Generally, those catchments with large proportions of carbonate and sedimentary sandstone were found to deliver greater DIC and HCO3− to the ocean. The calculated mean free CO2 yield for survey catchments (i.e. potential CO2 emission to the atmosphere) was 0.56 t C km−2 yr−1. Regression models demonstrated that whilst river DIC (R2 = 0.77) and HCO3− (R2 = 0.77) concentrations are largely explained by the geology of the landmass, along with a negative correlation to annual precipitation, free CO2 concentrations were strongly linked to catchment macronutrient status. Overall, DIC dominates dissolved C inputs to coastal waters, meaning that estuarine carbon dynamics are sensitive to underlying geology and therefore are likely to be reasonably constant. In contrast, potential losses of carbon to the atmosphere via dissolved CO2, which likely constitute a significant fraction of net terrestrial ecosystem production and hence the national carbon budget, may be amenable to greater direct management via altering patterns of land use.
Continue reading ‘Dissolved inorganic carbon export from rivers of Great Britain: spatial distribution and potential catchment-scale controls’Seasonal dynamics and annual budget of dissolved inorganic carbon in the northwestern Mediterranean deep convection region
Published 28 November 2022 Science ClosedTags: biogeochemistry, chemistry, field, Mediterranean, modeling, regionalmodeling
Deep convection plays a key role in the circulation, thermodynamics and biogeochemical cycles in the Mediterranean Sea, considered as a hotspot of biodiversity and climate change. In the framework of the DEWEX (Dense Water Experiment) project, the seasonal cycle and annual budget of dissolved inorganic carbon in the deep convection area of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea are investigated over the period September 2012–September 2013, using a 3-dimensional coupled physical-biogeochemical-chemical modeling approach. We estimate that the northwestern Mediterranean Sea deep convection region was a moderate sink of CO2 for the atmosphere over the study period. The model results show the reduction of CO2 uptake during deep convection, and its increase during the abrupt spring phytoplankton bloom following the deep convection events. We highlight the dominant role of both biological and physical flows in the annual dissolved inorganic carbon budget. The upper layer of the northwestern deep convection region gained dissolved inorganic carbon through vertical physical supplies and, to a lesser extent, air-sea flux, and lost dissolved inorganic carbon through lateral transport and biological fluxes. The region, covering 2.5 % of the Mediterranean, acted as a source of dissolved inorganic carbon for the surface and intermediate water masses of the western and southern Western Mediterranean Sea and could contribute up to 10 and 20 % to the CO2 exchanges with the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Continue reading ‘Seasonal dynamics and annual budget of dissolved inorganic carbon in the northwestern Mediterranean deep convection region’Neural networks and the seawater CO2 system. From the global ocean to the Ría de Vigo
Published 22 November 2022 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, globalmodeling, methods, modeling, North Atlantic, regionalmodeling
This doctoral dissertation is structured in six chapters and two appendices. From this point the reader is warned about the independent numbering in each chapter, both for sections and subsections as well as for figures and tables, that is, the numbering restarts at the beginning of each chapter. Chapter I is divided into two parts. On the one hand, the topic of the doctoral dissertation is introduced in a general way to put in context the different research studies that are part of it. This introduction presents the key concepts on climate change and ocean acidification necessary to approach the reading of the following chapters. On the other hand, the main and secondary objectives that are addressed in the next chapters are detailed. Chapter II develops the construction of a global and seasonal climatology of total alkalinity. The chapter details for the first time in the thesis the use of neural networks. This methodology is used throughout the manuscript, highlighting the peculiarities associated with each study in each of the chapters where it is applied. This chapter has been published in Earth System Science Data: https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-11-1109-2019 Chapter III describes the development of a total dissolved inorganic carbon climatology. In general terms, a methodology similar to that of chapter II is used, although with certain relevant nuances such as the inclusion of a new database. In this chapter, a pCO2 climatology is also generated in a secondary way to evaluate the consistency between the two climatologies previously generated in this thesis. This chapter has been published in Earth System Science Data: https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-1725-2020.
Chapter IV completely changes the scale of the previous two chapters and focuses on the study of sweater CO2 chemistry system on a regional scale. Specifically, neural networks are used to generate time series of total alkalinity and pH at various locations in the Ría de Vigo. From the time series, the magnitude of seasonal variability and interannual trends for these variables are analyzed. This chapter has been published in Biogeosciences Discussions: https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2021-33, 2021 Chapter V contains an analysis of the variability of the hydrogen ion concentration and the aragonite saturation state in the Ría de Vigo. This analysis is carried out from the time series of these variables that are constructed thanks to the study developed in chapter IV. Chapters II to V are structured in the same way as a typical scientific article, thus containing an introduction, methodology, results, discussion and conclusions about each study. Finally, chapter VI summarizes the main conclusions derived from the complete work shown through this doctoral thesis. It is worth noting the inclusion of two appendices in the final part of the thesis. Appendix I details the meaning of each of the acronyms, abbreviations and symbols used throughout the manuscript. Appendix II contains a summary of the doctoral dissertation in Spanish
Excess pCO2 and carbonate system geochemistry in surface seawater of the exclusive economic zone of Qatar (Arabian Gulf)
Published 16 November 2022 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, modeling, regionalmodeling
Highlights
- pCO2 in surface seawater is supersaturated with respect to the atmosphere
- pCO2 increases due to increases in T and S
- Calcification, a source for CO2, occurs in corals not in the water column
- The main sink for CO2 is loss by gas exchange
- Net primary production is a minor control on pCO2
Abstract
Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (TA) were sampled in December 2018 and May 2019 in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Qatar in the Arabian Gulf. pCO2, pH and CO32− were calculated from DIC and TA. TA, DIC and salinity increase in the Gulf due to evaporation after entering through the Strait of Hormuz. Temperature also increases. The pCO2 in surface seawater averaged 458 ± 62 which was higher than the atmospheric value of 412 ppm. Hence, the Gulf was a source of CO2 to the atmosphere. pCO2 in seawater is controlled by TA relative to DIC as well as temperature and salinity. A hypothetical model calculation was used to estimate how much pCO2 could increase in surface seawater due to various processes after entering through the Strait of Hormuz. Increases in T and S, in the absence of biogeochemical processes, would increase pCO2 to 537 μatm, more than enough to explain the high pCO2 observed. CO2 is lost from the Gulf due to gas exchange, decreasing DIC, and reducing pCO2 to 464 μatm, similar to that observed. The impact of biological processes depends on the process: calcification increases pCO2 while net primary production decreases pCO2. Salinity-normalized (to S = 40) total alkalinity (NTA) and dissolved inorganic carbon (NDIC) in surface seawater decrease as waters flow north from Hormuz. The slope suggests that removal of C as CaCO3, organic matter (CH2O) or gas exchange (FCO2) is occurring with a ratio of ΔCaCO3/(ΔCH2O or FCO2) = 1:2.86. The tracer Alk*, defined as the deviation of potential alkalinity (AP) (where AP = TA + 1.26 [NO3]) from conservative potential alkalinity ((ApC), (ApC = S Ap′S′ where A’P and S′ are mean values for the whole surface ocean) has values primarily determined by CaCO3 precipitation and dissolution. Its values in the Gulf ranged from −50 to −310 μmol kg−1 implying CaCO3 precipitation. The average value of ΔAlk*, the difference in Alk* between specific locations in the Qatari EEZ and the surface water entering through the Strait of Hormuz, was −130 μmol kg−1 which corresponded to a calcification of 65 μmol kg−1. Our model calculations indicate that this would increase pCO2 to 577 μatm. Carbonate forming plankton have not been observed in the water column suggesting that calcification occurs in corals, even though they have been severely damaged by past bleaching events. The amount of DIC removed by net primary production is small, consistent with an oligotrophic food web dominated by remineralization. It appears that the role of biological production in the water column for the control of pCO2 is very small. The high observed pCO2 reflects a balance between sources due to the impact of increasing T and S on the carbonate system equilibrium constants and net calcification and sinks due to CO2 loss due to gas exchange and net primary production in surface seawater after it enters the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.
Continue reading ‘Excess pCO2 and carbonate system geochemistry in surface seawater of the exclusive economic zone of Qatar (Arabian Gulf)’
