As climate change and other anthropogenic impacts on marine ecosystems accelerate in the 21st century, there is an increasing need for sustained ocean time series. A robust and collaborative network of regional monitoring programs can detect early signs of unanticipated changes, provide a more holistic understanding of ecosystem responses, and prompt faster management actions. Fisheries-related surveys that collect fisheries-independent data (hereafter referred to as “fisheries surveys”) are a key pillar of sustainable fisheries management and are ubiquitous in the United States and other countries. From the perspective of ocean observing, fisheries surveys offer three key strengths: (1) they are sustained due to largely consistent funding support from federal and state public sector fisheries agencies, (2) they collect paired physical, chemical, and biological data, and (3) they have large and frequently overlapping spatial footprints that extend into the offshore region. Despite this, information about fisheries survey data collection can remain poorly known to the broader academic and ocean observing communities. During the 2019 CalCOFI Symposium, marking the 70th anniversary of the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI), representatives from 21 ocean monitoring programs on the North American West Coast came together to share the status of their monitoring programs and examine opportunities to leverage efforts to support regional ecosystem management needs. To increase awareness about collected ocean observing data, we catalog these ongoing ocean time series programs and detail the activities of the nine major federal or state fisheries surveys on the U.S. West Coast. We then present three case studies showing how fisheries survey data contribute to the understanding of emergent ecosystem management challenges: marine heatwaves, ocean acidification, and contaminant spills. Moving forward, increased cross-survey analyses and cooperation can improve regional capacity to address emerging challenges. Fisheries surveys represent a foundational blueprint for ecosystem monitoring. As the international community moves toward a global strategy for ocean observing needs, fisheries survey programs should be included as data contributors.
Continue reading ‘Fisheries surveys are essential ocean observing programs in a time of global change: a synthesis of oceanographic and ecological data from U.S. West Coast fisheries surveys’Posts Tagged 'socio-economy'
Fisheries surveys are essential ocean observing programs in a time of global change: a synthesis of oceanographic and ecological data from U.S. West Coast fisheries surveys
Published 31 March 2022 Science ClosedTags: fisheries, policy, socio-economy
Climate change-accelerated ocean biodiversity loss & associated planetary health impacts
Published 31 March 2022 Science ClosedTags: review, socio-economy
A planetary health perspective views human health as a function of the interdependent relationship between human systems and the natural systems in which we live. The planetary health impacts of climate change induced ocean biodiversity loss are little understood. Based on a systematic literature review, we summarize how climate change-induced ocean warming, acidification, and deoxygenation affect ocean biodiversity and their resulting planetary health impacts. These impacts on the planets’ natural and human systems include biospheric and human consequences for ecosystem services, food and nutrition security, human livelihoods, biomedical and pharmaceutical research, disaster risk management, and for organisms pathogenic to humans. Understanding the causes and effects of climate change impacts on the ocean and its biodiversity and planetary health is crucial for taking preventive, restorative and sustainable actions to ensure ocean biodiversity and its services. Future courses of action to mitigate climate change-related ocean biodiversity loss to support sound planetary health are discussed.
Continue reading ‘Climate change-accelerated ocean biodiversity loss & associated planetary health impacts’Climate vulnerability assessment of key fishery resources in the Northern Humboldt Current System
Published 29 March 2022 Science ClosedTags: fisheries, policy, socio-economy, South Pacific
The Northern Humboldt Current System sustains one of the most productive fisheries in the world. However, climate change is anticipated to negatively affect fish production in this region over the next few decades, and detailed analyses for many fishery resources are unavailable. We implemented a trait-based Climate Vulnerability Assessment based on expert elicitation to estimate the relative vulnerability of 28 fishery resources (benthic, demersal, and pelagic) to the impacts of climate change by 2055; ten exposure factors (e.g., temperature, salinity, pH, chlorophyll) and 13 sensitivity attributes (biological and population-level traits) were used. Nearly 36% of the species assessed had “high” or “very high” vulnerability. Benthic species were ranked the most vulnerable (gastropod and bivalve species). The pelagic group was the second most vulnerable; the Pacific chub mackerel and the yellowfin tuna were amongst the most vulnerable pelagic species. The demersal group had the relatively lowest vulnerability. This study allowed identification of vulnerable fishery resources, research and monitoring priorities, and identification of the key exposure factors and sensitivity attributes which are driving that vulnerability. Our findings can help fishery managers incorporate climate change into harvest level and allocation decisions, and assist stakeholders plan for and adapt to a changing future.
Continue reading ‘Climate vulnerability assessment of key fishery resources in the Northern Humboldt Current System’Firms adaptation to climate change through product innovation
Published 29 March 2022 Science ClosedTags: socio-economy
Climate change will impose high costs on different societal actors, including firms and organizations, forcing them to adapt to this new situation. Although the relevance of implementing adaptation strategies is widely recognized, studies on firms’ adaptation to climate change are still in their infancy, especially regarding small and medium enterprises. Following a multi-stage approach, we analyze how small and medium enterprises in the marine food industry could adapt to climate-induced ocean acidification through product innovation. First, we use a co-production process with the firms’ representatives to gain insights into the industry’s adaptation opportunities, in which product innovation arises as the preferred strategy. Second, using a Discrete Choice Experiment, we test if consumers value both the mussels’ attributes likely affected by ocean acidification (sensory and nutritional) and the proposed new products developed to adapt to it. We also analyze preferences’ heterogeneity through a latent class model. Our results show that consumers value the attributes potentially affected by ocean acidification. We found high heterogeneity in consumer preferences regarding product types, disentangled into two classes (non-innovative consumers and consumers willing to innovate). We suggest that the industry could base its adaptation strategy on two pillars: 1) maintain the traditional format, thus satisfying 21% of the market (non-innovative consumers); 2) direct the innovation efforts towards the canned format, thus satisfying those consumers willing to innovate (79% of the market). Although consumers willing to innovate are prone to try new formats, the preferred alternatives are not radical innovations.
Continue reading ‘Firms adaptation to climate change through product innovation’The Patagonian fisheries over time: facts and lessons to be learned to face global change
Published 29 March 2022 Science ClosedTags: fisheries, policy, socio-economy, South Pacific
Environmental and anthropic stressors have triggered unprecedented effects on the marine ecosystem. The global increase of marine temperature and acidification caused changes in fish availability and thus catches worldwide. Fostered by a legal framework favoring the investment in extractive capacity, industrial fishing in Atlantic Patagonia grew markedly since the 1960s, leading to the overexploitation of certain stocks. Nowadays, the regulatory system of individual transferable quotas is enforced for hake, but most resources in Patagonia continue being managed under an olympic system lacking planning for sustainability. We analyzed the vulnerability of the Patagonian fisheries to environmental (water temperature and acidification) and human stressors (overexploitation and market forces) in terms of their exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Most of the Patagonian fisheries have operated in a scenario of low exposure to climate change. The shellfisheries, however, exhibited the highest sensitivity, as well as the lowest adaptive capacity, to acidification. Regarding the anthropic stressors, both the king crab and shrimp fisheries scored highly sensitive to overexploitation and market forces. Finally, the fisheries targeting the king crab and the Bonaerense demersal fish assemblage evidenced the lowest adaptive capacity against market forces. We propose management options for each case within the context of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries.
Continue reading ‘The Patagonian fisheries over time: facts and lessons to be learned to face global change’Trust in science and scientists among secondary school students in two out-of-school learning activities
Published 28 March 2022 Science ClosedTags: education, socio-economy
Research on science outreach activities is often located in the interface between science communication and science education. The transferability of aims and objectives of one research field to the other offers great potential. The widely recognized aim of ‘trust in science’ in science communication is still less discussed in science education. However, when teaching emotive scientific topics such as climate change, vaccines or genetic engineering, students’ trust in science is of great importance. This paper presents a study of two interventions (NPartI = 443; NPartII = 333), to (1) assess the level of trust in science among secondary school students, and (2) to investigate the impact of outreach activities on the development of trust in science. Results showed that the mean level of trust in science among secondary school students is similar to the level among university students. We found a trust-enhancing effect of the interventions exclusively for students with a low prior level of trust (low-trustors). Furthermore, results indicated that high levels of trust in science can support learning in science outreach activities. These findings are particularly important when considering that increasing students’ level of trust in science appears to be especially important for low-trustors in order to prevent negative social tendencies.
Continue reading ‘Trust in science and scientists among secondary school students in two out-of-school learning activities’A review of national monitoring requirements to support offshore carbon capture and storage
Published 21 March 2022 Science ClosedTags: mitigation, review, socio-economy
There is an urgent need to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. One method of achieving this is through Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Geological structures that lie offshore under continental shelf seas offer huge CCS storage potential. An emerging marine industry is developing to exploit this potential and national marine monitoring agencies will soon need to consider the potential impacts of this emerging industry. This review of published literature is aimed at generalists responsible for the delivery of national marine monitoring, as well as those involved in the management of the marine environment. It briefly summarizes why the emerging offshore CCS industry is needed, how large it may be and what marine infrastructure may be involved. For the purposes of this paper, a hypothetical 20 Mtpa industry has been used to gauge the potential impact of a developing offshore CCS industry. The probability of CO2 leaks from such an industry is low. If they do occur, the spatial scale of impact will be small, and the potential environmental impacts will be low. Irrespective of how CO2 is transported or stored within shelf seas, leaked CO2 will enter the sea as a gas or as a solution dissolved in sediment pore water. CO2 as a gas will dissolve into seawater and/or directly vent to the atmosphere, depending on the initial conditions of the leak. The most probable source of leaks in a developed CCS industry is from pipelines (currently a 2-year event per 1000 km pipeline). The most probable source of leakage from geological storage is through abandoned wells (a 20- to 80-year event for a 20 Mtpa industry). The source of leaks from a CCS scheme with the potential to release the greatest mass of CO2 is through geological faults, as these may go undetected (if they occur) for long periods. The probability of leaks from geological storage, through faults or abandoned wells, is site dependent and minimized by the site selection process. The review concludes with recommended priorities for future marine science development.
Continue reading ‘A review of national monitoring requirements to support offshore carbon capture and storage’Using macroalgae to address UN Sustainable Development goals through CO2 remediation and improvement of the aquaculture environment
Published 18 March 2022 Science ClosedTags: algae, methods, mitigation, policy, review, socio-economy
Among efforts to explore ways to achieve carbon neutrality globally or regionally, photosynthetic carbon sequestration by algae has been identified as having immense potential. Algae play a crucial role in providing the base of aquatic ecosystems, driving important biogeochemical cycles in oceans and freshwaters and, in so doing, act as a critical component for CO2 drawdown from the atmosphere and ameliorating global change. Furthermore, algae are used extensively in some societies as a source of food and have potential as feedstock for biofuels and as sources of bioactive chemicals. Such activities align strongly with a number of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Here we discuss how marine macroalgae might contribute to several of these goals by exploring their potential to enhance aquaculture, contribute to “Blue Carbon” drawdown of CO2 to ameliorate climate change (UN SDGs 13,14) and provide biomass as feedstock for biofuels (UN SDG 7) to reduce reliance on fossil fuel combustion. Though further work is required, we suggest that farming macroalgae in air has great potential for mitigation of CO2 emissions and improvement of aquaculture environments.
Summary: Photosynthetic activity of macroalgae, in addition to driving biosynthesis and biomass accumulation, can cause arise in pH due to CO2 depletion/HCO3–. This can buffer the pH decrease associated with anthropogenic CO2 increases and ameliorate the effects of ocean acidification. Though increasing in magnitude, macroalgal aquaculture still represents only asmall fraction of the Cdrawdown by wild macroalgae populations and currently accounts for drawdown of an even lower fraction of global CO2 emissions. Nonetheless, scaling up of intensive macroalgal aquaculture could be one approach to contribute more to ameliorating anthropogenic CO2 emissions and ocean acidification. Modification of IMTA involving growth of the algae in air rather than in seawater could prove auseful means to help stabilize fluctuations in oxygen and pH in aquaculture operations.
Continue reading ‘Using macroalgae to address UN Sustainable Development goals through CO2 remediation and improvement of the aquaculture environment’Public emotions and cognitions in response to ocean acidification
Published 14 March 2022 Science ClosedTags: socio-economy
Highlights
- This article examined cognitions and emotions regarding ocean acidification (OA).
- Data were from a survey of 507 residents in Oregon (USA).
- Knowledge about OA was low, and they perceived slight to moderate risks from OA.
- As knowledge and risk increased, emotions, attitudes, and norms were more negative.
- These cognitions and emotions became more negative as OA conditions deteriorated.
Abstract
Ecological studies on ocean acidification (OA) are abundant, but there are only a few studies examining the human dimensions (social science) of this threat to marine environments. This article explored public emotions and cognitions (attitudes, norms) toward OA, and how these concepts are related to knowledge and risk perceptions associated with this threat. Data were from a survey of residents in the coastal and most populated regions of Oregon, USA (n = 507). Respondents were grouped by their risk and knowledge, and shown four images depicting deteriorating conditions associated with OA, with questions measuring cognitions and emotions in response to each image. Knowledge about OA was quite low, and respondents perceived OA as a moderate risk to marine environments and a slight risk to themselves. As both knowledge and risk increased, awareness increased and emotions, attitudes, and norms became more negative, especially as conditions deteriorated. Implications and explanations of these findings were discussed.
Continue reading ‘Public emotions and cognitions in response to ocean acidification’Use of aircraft in ocean alkalinity enhancement
Published 14 February 2022 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, methods, socio-economy
Highlights
- Aircraft can distribute slaked lime for ocean alkalinity enhancement.
- A feasibility analysis is conducted, considering different discharging scenarios.
- Scenarios assume various aircraft payload, discharge altitude and duration.
- Energy penalty and costs are much higher than distribution in the ships’ wake.
- Very high dispersion is reached, but effects on surface microlayer are still unclear.
Abstract
Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) is a proposed Negative Emissions Technology (NET) to remove atmospheric CO2 through the dispersion of alkaline materials (e.g.: calcium hydroxide, slaked lime, SL) into seawater, simultaneously counteracting ocean acidification. This study considers aircraft discharge of SL and its consequent dry deposition, extending to the marine environment a technique used in freshwater. A feasibility analysis assesses potential, costs, benefits, and disadvantages, considering scenarios with different assumptions on aircraft size, discharge height and duration, and wind conditions.
Due to the small size of SL particles (median diameter 9 μm), the dispersion from aircraft is highly enhanced by wind drift; the smallest SL particles may drift thousands of kilometres, especially if discharged from elevated altitudes. This could pose problems related to powders particles settling on remote lands.
Although calcium hydroxide maximum concentration into water (from 0.01 to 82 mg L−1) is for almost all the scenarios lower than the most stringent threshold for the ecosystem impacts on a 96-h exposure, the ecologically sensitive sea surface microlayer (SML) should be considered in detail.
The high CO2 emissions of the Landing to Take-Off Cycle (LTO) of the aircraft and their limited payload lead to a significant CO2 penalty, ranging in analysed scenarios between 28% and 77% of the CO2 removal potential; very fast discharge could reduce the penalty to 11% – 32%. Preliminary cost analysis shows that the cost of the SL discharge through aircraft is high, between € 30 and € 1846 per ton of CO2 removed (neglecting the lime cost), substantially higher than the cost for discharge by surface vessels resulting from previous studies, which restricts the practical use of this strategy.
Continue reading ‘Use of aircraft in ocean alkalinity enhancement’Emerging trends in science and news of climate change threats to and adaptation of aquaculture
Published 10 January 2022 Science ClosedTags: fisheries, mitigation, review, socio-economy
Highlights
- Temp & sea level rise threats to aquaculture were the main focus in science & news.
- Focus on Asia, Europe, & N./C. America accounted for 70% of studies.
- At least 10 countries linked current impacts on aquaculture to climate change.
- Global papers cited technology for adaption, while regional papers cited governance.
Abstract
Food production is one of the main contributors to climate change, but is also vulnerable to the resulting stressors, which is well documented for agriculture and fisheries. Attention is now turning to the rapidly growing aquaculture sector and its vulnerability to a changing climate. Here we explore the extent to which climate stressors and aquaculture, and concomitant adaptation strategies, are studied in science and addressed in public media (news) to assess focus and attribution of climate change. We reviewed 555 scientific publications and 228 news media articles on climate stressors, impacts, and adaptation approaches with respect to aquaculture. Results indicate that coverage in the scientific community of climate stressors on aquaculture have not kept pace with growth of production in the sector, especially compared to agriculture and fisheries. Temperature, sea level rise and ocean acidification were most often the focus in science (44%) and news (42%), suggesting some alignment. Combined coverage tended to revolve around Asia, Europe, and North/Central America (70%) and at least 10 countries’ science and news linked current impacts on aquaculture to climate change. The majority of scientific articles addressing adaptation were regional rather than global, and emphasized governance and institutional strategies over technological solutions. In all, this research highlights the comparatively nascent focus of climate change implications for aquaculture, narrow emphasis of stressors, but fairly representative coverage of regions with more aquaculture. Our work highlights the need for more research and public awareness of the social and ecological climate change threats and impacts on, and adaptive strategies for aquaculture.
Continue reading ‘Emerging trends in science and news of climate change threats to and adaptation of aquaculture’Modelling ocean acidification effects with life stage-specific responses alters spatiotemporal patterns of catch and revenues of American lobster, Homarus americanus
Published 15 December 2021 Science ClosedTags: biological response, BRcommunity, crustaceans, fisheries, individualmodeling, laboratory, mitigation, modeling, morphology, mortality, North Pacific, physiology, reproduction, socio-economy
Ocean acidification (OA) affects marine organisms through various physiological and biological processes, yet our understanding of how these translate to large-scale population effects remains limited. Here, we integrated laboratory-based experimental results on the life history and physiological responses to OA of the American lobster, Homarus americanus, into a dynamic bioclimatic envelope model to project future climate change effects on species distribution, abundance, and fisheries catch potential. Ocean acidification effects on juvenile stages had the largest stage-specific impacts on the population, while cumulative effects across life stages significantly exerted the greatest impacts, albeit quite minimal. Reducing fishing pressure leads to overall increases in population abundance while setting minimum size limits also results in more higher-priced market-sized lobsters (> 1 lb), and could help mitigate the negative impacts of OA and concurrent stressors (warming, deoxygenation). However, the magnitude of increased effects of climate change overweighs any moderate population gains made by changes in fishing pressure and size limits, reinforcing that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is most pressing and that climate-adaptive fisheries management is necessary as a secondary role to ensure population resiliency. We suggest possible strategies to mitigate impacts by preserving important population demographics.
Continue reading ‘Modelling ocean acidification effects with life stage-specific responses alters spatiotemporal patterns of catch and revenues of American lobster, Homarus americanus’Novel environmental conditions due to climate change in the world’s largest marine protected areas
Published 16 November 2021 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, policy, socio-economy
Highlights
- Up to 97% of very large marine protected areas will contain novel conditions
- Very large marine protected areas in the tropics most exposed to novelty
- Novel conditions for pH emerge as soon as 2030
- 44.9% of the ocean will see novel conditions by 2060, up to 87% by 2100
Science for society
Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and provide us with goods and services ranging from food and energy to cultural resources and identity. However, climate change threatens the availability of these ocean-derived benefits. Climate change is turning once familiar and stable ocean conditions into unfamiliar and novel ones. These changes might even be significant enough to undermine much of the work done to protect the ocean.
This research investigates the timing and impact of climate change on the oceans and the largest MPAs. We show that a majority (up to 87%) of the ocean will have novel conditions, as will almost all of the MPAs we examined (97%). These novel conditions may cause culturally and economically important species to migrate or possibly go extinct. Understanding when, where, and how these changes occur can help inform ocean and climate policy that connects people across space and time.
Summary
Climate change is altering the biogeochemical conditions of the ocean, leading to the emergence of novel environmental conditions that may drastically affect the performance of very large marine protected areas (VLMPAs) (area > 100,000 km2). Given the prominent role that VLMPAs play in ocean conservation, determining when and where novel conditions will emerge within VLMPAs is vital for ensuring a healthy ocean in the future. Here, using a non-parametric approach to detect novelty, we show that 60%–87% of the ocean and 76%–97% of VLMPAs are expected to contain novel conditions across multiple biogeochemical variables by 2100, with novel conditions in pH emerging by 2030. With most VLMPAs expected to contain environmental conditions unlike those currently within their boundaries, and given the likelihood of any of these climate futures unfolding, present-day management will need to consider alterations to current and future VLMPA design and use.
Continue reading ‘Novel environmental conditions due to climate change in the world’s largest marine protected areas’Capacity building to address ocean change: organizing across communities of place, practice and governance to achieve ocean acidification and hypoxia resilience in Oregon
Published 20 September 2021 Science ClosedTags: fisheries, mitigation, North Pacific, policy, socio-economy
Fossil fuel combustion and related accumulation of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and oceans have contributed significantly to climate and ocean change. While coastal upwelling is responsible for the incredible diversity and productivity that has fueled iconic West Coast wild fisheries and ecosystems, it also is the source of extremes in OAH impacts, especially during the late summer (e.g., Chan et al. 2019). While upwelled waters of the California Current Ecosystem are typically low in dissolved oxygen (DO), high in dissolved CO2 and thus more acidified, the chemical balance of upwelled waters has notably changed in recent decades. Ocean absorption of atmospheric CO2 and other ocean changes are resulting in upwelled waters lower or more acidified in pH, higher in CO2 and further depressed in dissolved oxygen (DO) (e.g., Chan et al. 2019). As a result, the West Coast of North America is now considered a hotspot of ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH). Even as ocean conditions are predicted to change further over the coming decades (e.g., Ekstrom et al. 2015; Hodgson et al. 2018), Oregon and the West Coast are experiencing ocean changes today and expecting further trends in shifting ocean food webs (e.g., Marshall et al. 2017; Xiu et al. 2018), loss of fishery productivity (e.g., Lomonico et al. 2021; Haugen et al. 2021), and reduced economic opportunity for ocean-dependent businesses (e.g., Doney et al. 2020; Hoelting and Burkardt 2017). This paper focuses on identifiable actions that human communities are taking in reaction to ocean change to mitigate these increasingly apparent impacts.
Whiskey Creek Shellfish Hatchery, located in Netarts Bay, Oregon, was among the first places in the world to experience direct impacts from ocean acidification (OA) starting in 2006/2007 (Barton et al. 2015). At that time the hatchery was suddenly unable to reliably produce Pacific oyster larvae (Magallana gigas), with production reduced by over 75% (Barton et al. 2015). As a result, oyster seed supply became limited from Alaska to California, threatening the West Coast’s $270 million dollar oyster growing industry (Northern Economics, Inc. 2013). In response, Oregon researchers worked collaboratively with the oyster industry to eventually rule out disease and identify the problem as OA, from hatchery pumping of bay waters during summer upwelling events, bringing increasingly acidified deep ocean waters. Hatchery operations successfully resumed once they developed water quality practices to mitigate deleterious water conditions (Kelly, Cooley, and Klinger 2014; Barton et al. 2015). However, treatment of water quality is now central to business success and is increasingly challenging to manage.
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Continue reading ‘Capacity building to address ocean change: organizing across communities of place, practice and governance to achieve ocean acidification and hypoxia resilience in Oregon’The role of a changing Arctic Ocean and climate for the biogeochemical cycling of dimethyl sulphide and carbon monoxide
Published 7 September 2021 Science ClosedTags: Arctic, community composition, otherprocess, phytoplankton, policy, prokaryotes, review, socio-economy
Dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and carbon monoxide (CO) are climate-relevant trace gases that play key roles in the radiative budget of the Arctic atmosphere. Under global warming, Arctic sea ice retreats at an unprecedented rate, altering light penetration and biological communities, and potentially affect DMS and CO cycling in the Arctic Ocean. This could have socio-economic implications in and beyond the Arctic region. However, little is known about CO production pathways and emissions in this region and the future development of DMS and CO cycling. Here we summarize the current understanding and assess potential future changes of DMS and CO cycling in relation to changes in sea ice coverage, light penetration, bacterial and microalgal communities, pH and physical properties. We suggest that production of DMS and CO might increase with ice melting, increasing light availability and shifting phytoplankton community. Among others, policy measures should facilitate large-scale process studies, coordinated long term observations and modelling efforts to improve our current understanding of the cycling and emissions of DMS and CO in the Arctic Ocean and of global consequences.
Continue reading ‘The role of a changing Arctic Ocean and climate for the biogeochemical cycling of dimethyl sulphide and carbon monoxide’Expanding ocean observation and climate services to build resilience in West African fisheries
Published 6 September 2021 Science ClosedTags: fisheries, mitigation, North Atlantic, policy, socio-economy
The Canary Current is a potential hotspot for climate change impacts on the oceans where 63 million people depend upon marine resources for national economies and livelihoods. Their unique vulnerability highlights the key roles of climate services and capacity building in order to develop effective adaptation measures.
Continue reading ‘Expanding ocean observation and climate services to build resilience in West African fisheries’A proteomic analysis of the effect of ocean acidification on the haemocyte proteome of the South African abalone Haliotis midae
Published 17 August 2021 Science ClosedTags: biological response, laboratory, methods, mollusks, physiology, socio-economy, South Atlantic
Highlights
- 227 proteins were differentially expressed in response to ocean acidification conditions.
- Under OA conditions, H. midae underwent a metabolic shift to generate ATP via energy-efficient mechanisms.
- Haemocyte stabilisation and homeostasis in response to OA was reflected by up-regulation of oxidative stress and cytoskeletal proteins.
- An interplay between the stress and immune response was observed through up-regulation of proteins involved in protein synthesis and turnover, as well as intracellular signalling and transport.
Abstract
As a result of increasing CO2 emissions and the prevalence of global climate change, ocean acidification (OA) is becoming more pervasive, affecting many trophic levels, particularly those that rely on succinctly balanced ocean chemistry. This ultimately threatens community structures, as well as the future sustainability of the fishing/aquaculture industry. Understanding the molecular stress response of key organisms will aid in predicting their future survivability under changing environmental conditions. This study sought to elucidate the molecular stress response of the South African abalone, Haliotis midae, an understudied organism with high economic value, utilising a high throughput iTRAQ-based proteomics methodology. Adult abalone were exposed to control (pH 7.9) and experimental (pH 7.5) conditions for 12, 72 and 168 h, following which protein was isolated from sampled haemocytes and subsequently processed. iTRAQ-labelled peptides were analysed using mass spectrometry, while an array of bioinformatics tools was utilised for analysing the proteomic data. COG analysis identified “Cytoskeleton”, “Translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis”, “Post-translational modification, protein turnover, chaperones”, and “Intracellular trafficking, secretion and vesicular transport” to be the most enriched functional classes, while statistical analysis identified a total of 33 up-regulated and 23 down-regulated effectors of OA stress in abalone. Several of the up-regulated proteins that were identified function in central metabolism (ENO1, PGK, DUOX1, GPD2), the stress/immune response (CAMKI, HSPA5/GRP78, MAPKI), and cytoskeleton, protein sorting and signal transduction (IQGAP1, MYO9B, TLN1, RDX, TCP-1/CCT, SNX6, CHMP1a, VPS13a). Protein-protein interactions were predicted using STRING DB, Cytoscape and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, providing a model of the effects of OA on the H. midae haemocyte proteome. The data indicated that H. midae underwent a metabolic shift under OA conditions to utilize more energy-efficient mechanisms of ATP generation, while attempts at restoring haemocyte stabilisation and homeostasis were reflected by up-regulation of oxidative stress and cytoskeletal proteins. Our results support other molluscan studies that report a complex array of overlapping functions of both the stress and immune response systems. This interplay of the mounted stress and immune response is maintained and observed through the up-regulation of proteins involved in protein synthesis and turnover, as well as intracellular signalling and transport. The data presented in this study highlight the value of employing sensitive and robust -omics technologies for assessing the effects of changing environmental conditions on marine organisms.
Continue reading ‘A proteomic analysis of the effect of ocean acidification on the haemocyte proteome of the South African abalone Haliotis midae’A method for studying acidification and eutrophication potentials of a residential neighbourhood
Published 12 August 2021 Science ClosedTags: North Pacific, policy, socio-economy
Acidification and eutrophication are two environmental impacts that have a significant effect on air pollution and human health. The quantitative analysis of these two impacts remains hitherto unknown at the scale of new neighbourhoods. The main purpose of this research is to evaluate, analysis and compare the acidification and eutrophication potentials of one neighbourhood initially located in Belgium. To perform this comparison, the same neighbourhood design is applied to in 150 countries, but four parameters are adapted to each country: energy mix, local climate, building materials, and occupants’ mobility. In addition, this research evaluates the induced environmental costs of the neighbourhood over 100 years and examines the impact of the photovoltaic panel on these environmental impacts. This research, extended to the scale of several nations, will enable new researchers, and especially policy-makers, to measure the effectiveness of sustainable neighbourhoods. Eutrophication and acidification potentials were assessed under different phases (construction, use, renovation, and demolition), with Pleiades ACV software. Among the four local parameters (energy mix, local materials, climate, and transport, the energy mix has the most significant effect on the two studied environmental impacts. The results show that 72 %, and 65% of acidification, and eutrophication potentials are produced during the operational phase of the neighbourhood. In the case of sustainable neighbourhoods, the acidification potential is 22.1% higher in the 10 top Low incomes countries than the 10 top High-income countries. At the neighbourhood scale the main eutrophication potential component is water (34.2%), while, the main source of acidification potential is electricity production (45.1%)
Continue reading ‘A method for studying acidification and eutrophication potentials of a residential neighbourhood’Sustainable management of the coastal water pH of Pulau Tuba using the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) method
Published 5 August 2021 Science ClosedTags: chemistry, field, Indian, methods, modeling, policy, regionalmodeling, socio-economy
Ocean acidification can be managed and monitored effectively through the application of spatial interpolation methods. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the precision of the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation method to estimate and map the coastal water pH for the sustainability of Pulau Tuba, Langkawi, Kedah. About 30 sampling points have been set up during two sampling activities in November 2018. The pH meter has been calibrated and lowered to 1 meter below the water surface to measure the reading of pH. The development of the spatial model was developed using the spatial analyst tool available in ArcGIS Software. Several types of statistical analyses were carried out to compare the observed and predicted value of pH. such as correlation analysis, regression analysis, and error analysis. Accuracy assessment was conducted later after the transformation of a spatial model into a surface map. The study found that the IDW interpolation method successfully interpolated the pH readings. The result showed that there is a strong positive correlation between the observed and predicted values. For error analysis, Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) were recorded at 0.033 and 0.044, respectively. After the transformation of the spatial model to the surface map, the accuracy of the map is recorded at 81.25%. The study also outlines the sustainable mechanisms and opportunities for the government to implement in combatting the ocean acidification processes. The map produced can be used for social and economic development and the protection of biodiversity for the coastal water of Pulau Tuba.
Continue reading ‘Sustainable management of the coastal water pH of Pulau Tuba using the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) method’Effects of elevated pCO2 on the physiological energetics of Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas
Published 3 August 2021 Science ClosedTags: biological response, chemistry, field, mesocosms, mollusks, morphology, mortality, physiology, socio-economy
Ocean acidification is predicted to have significant implications for marine calcifying organisms. However, little is known about the physiological responses of Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, to elevated partial pressure of atmospheric carbon dioxide (pCO2) under natural fluctuations associated with a farm environment. The present study evaluated the effect of two pCO2 levels (i.e. ambient ∼625 μatm and elevated ∼1432 μatm) on the physiological processes and growth of C. gigas in in situ mesocosms that simulated the farm environment. Oysters were exposed for 30 days over a sensitive period during their production cycle when they are first exposed to natural coastal conditions. Despite this being a well-known “bottleneck” in production, it remains understudied with respect to climate change. Results showed that elevated pCO2 levels decreased clearance rate, ingestion rate, absorption efficiency, and oxygen to nitrogen ratio, while increasing oxygen consumption and ammonia-N excretion rates. These physiological responses of oysters resulted in a reduction in energy available for growth (scope for growth). No mortality was observed in the control or elevated pCO2 treatments, indicating that although oyster may survive future coastal acidification, the allocation of energy towards production within aquaculture systems will decrease in the future, affecting the culture of these economically important marine bivalves.
Continue reading ‘Effects of elevated pCO2 on the physiological energetics of Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas’
