Description: The presentation will provide an overview of the current state of European policies and legislation targeting Ocean Acidification, and provide recommendations from a science-policy perspective.
Ocean Acidification Week 2021 was sponsored by the following organizations:
(1) GOA-ON, the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network,
(2) NOAA, the United States National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration,
(3) IAEA OA-ICC, the International Atomic Energy Agency – Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre, and
(4) IOC-UNESCO – the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
The poem “Ocean Acidification” blends science and poetry to explore one of the challenges a high-CO2 world poses to the ocean and the species, ecosystems, and human communities that depend on it.
Author Samantha Jones’ PhD research on carbon cycling in the Canadian Arctic inspired this work, which first appeared in WATCH YOUR HEAD (online) in March 2021 at watchyourhead.ca/.
Samantha is currently a PhD Candidate in Geography at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.
Learn more about the Fisheries and Oceans Climate Change and Ocean Acidification Laboratory (FOCCOAL). This state-of-the-art system, developed by DFO scientists at the Pacific Biological Station, allows tight control of both seawater pH and temperature.
The Arctic Ocean is changing faster than any other ocean region in the world. Uptake of anthropogenic carbon, amplified warming, sea ice reduction, coastal erosion, and enhanced riverine runoff are driving important changes in the Arctic Ocean ecosystems through changes in primary production and ocean acidification. However, the current understanding of primary production and ocean acidification in the Arctic remains highly uncertain. Furthermore, projections of both processes by Earth-System Models diverge strongly in this region.
During this webinar, Dr. Terhaar presented:
(1) a modelling study that quantifies the impact of terrigenous nutrients from rivers and coastal erosions on Arctic Ocean primary production, a process that was (wrongly?) neglected so far, and
(2) results from two studies on emergent constraint on ocean acidification in the Arctic Ocean that suggests that projections of Earth-System Models collectively underestimated the extent of future ocean acidification in the Arctic Ocean.
We hope you enjoy this hour-long panel discussion on ocean and coastal acidification’s impact on scallops and softshell clams, methods of remediation, and future projections for the Gulf of Maine.
The talk was moderated by Dr. Libby Jewett, Director of the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program.
Panelists included, Dr. Samantha Siedlecki, University of Connecticut; Dr. Nichole Price, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences; and Dr. Robert J Holmberg, Downeast Institute.
Webinar speaker: Dr. Elliot Scanes, Chancellor’s Research Fellow, Climate Change Cluster, The University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
Description:
Climate change is impacting ecosystems and organisms worldwide. Estuaries are diverse and important aquatic ecosystems; and yet until now we have lacked information on the response of estuaries to climate change. In this seminar I will present data from a twelve-year monitoring program, involving 6200 observations of 166 estuaries along ~1100 kilometers of the Australian coastline. Estuary temperatures increased by 2.16 C on average over 12 years, at a rate of 0.2 C/year, with waters acidifying at a rate of 0.09 pH units and freshening at 0.086 PSU/year. Lagoons and rivers are warming and acidifying at the fastest rate because of shallow average depths and limited oceanic exchange. The changes measured are an order of magnitude faster than predicted by global ocean and atmospheric models, indicating that existing global models may not be useful to predict change in estuaries. Estuaries are also home to diverse ecosystems and valuable economies supported by oysters. Oysters rely on bacterial communities forming a microbiome for their health and survival. Oysters are also vulnerable to disease and this is may be exacerbated by climate change in estuaries. We found that warming and acidification can shift the microbiome of Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata), however, these effects can be ameliorated by selective breeding. We show that oyster genetic background may influence the microbiome under climate change and that future assisted evolution breeding programs could be used to enhance resilience in the oyster microbiome.
The GOA-ON webinar series has four sponsoring organizations:
(1) GOA-ON, the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network,
(2) NOAA, the United States National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration,
(3) IAEA OA-ICC, the International Atomic Energy Agency – Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre, and
(4) IOC-UNESCO – the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
As the ocean acidifies, marine life comes under threat. Bubble sites in Papua New Guinea act as a time machine, allowing us to see the future we’re heading towards. How can we avert the worst effects of ocean acidification?
Oyster beds, kelp, and eel grass in Smith Cove to enhance efforts against ocean acidification. The Port of Seattle is leading many efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG emissions), the most important step towards combatting ocean acidification. The Port has been very active in enhancing shoreline habitat, reducing pollution, and engagement with communities. At Smith Cove in Elliott Bay, the Port of Seattle and its partners are conducting scientific research that will contribute to building resiliency in local ecosystems related to ocean acidification. As part of the Port of Seattle’s commitment to the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA Alliance), the Port prepared its first ever Ocean Acidification Action Plan to detail steps we are taking to address ocean acidification. “Last year, the Port of Seattle was the first port in the world to join the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA Alliance), recognizing the many ways in which ocean acidification impacts the maritime sector and acknowledging the important role ports can play in leading environmental action,” said Stephanie Bowman, Port of Seattle Commissioner. “We encourage other ports to join in on these efforts.” The Smith Cove Blue Carbon Pilot Project is located on Port and City-owned aquatic lands near Terminal 91. The goal of the project is to evaluate the potential benefits of marine habitat enhancement of kelp, eelgrass, and oysters on carbon sequestration, water quality (amelioration of seawater acidification), and habitat productivity. The Port of Seattle, along with partners at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Ecology (Ecology), and the Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF) is monitoring the site over three years for potential benefits in and around the site and includes a community-based science initiative.
Educators, students, and curious people everywhere — come explore the ocean and atmosphere.
The NOAA Education Portal is your one-stop shop to connect with learning and teaching resources about the ocean and atmosphere. Discover curricula, lesson plans, and real-time data to bring NOAA science into your classroom. Explore opportunities for educators and students of all levels. Apply for competitive funding for education projects.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Resource.
The German research network BIOACID examines the effects of acidification on the life and biogeochemical cycles in the ocean – and on all those who depend on it.
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) supports the project that is coordinated by GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel.
