Corals grow their skeletons upward toward sunlight, thickening and reinforcing them. The new research, led by National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), shows that ocean acidification impedes the thickening process -- decreasing the skeletons' density and leaving them more vulnerable to breaking. The results were published this week in the journal [EasyDNNnewsLink|90].

A summer course will be offered on "research methods in ocean acidification", July 16-August 17, 2018. The course will introduce students to key theory, methods, and techniques in ocean acidification research. Through a mixture of hands-on lab experience, field observations, and small-group workshops and lectures the course aims to provide students with the relevant knowledge and skills to perform ocean acidification research at their home institutions, and in other settings.

The course will be taught by Drs. Jon Havenhand (Dept. of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden), Andrew Dickson (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego), and Terrie Klinger (School of Marine & Environmental Affairs, University of Washington)

For a description of the course and how to apply click [EasyDNNnewsLink|88]

Scientists and NOAA Hollings scholars at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) are studying how Atlantic silverside, one of the most common fishes on the Atlantic Coast and an important diet component of many larger fishes of this region, are impacted by changes in ocean acidification (increased CO₂, lower pH), increased temperature, and lower dissolved oxygen projected to occur in the future. The team is exposing silverside embryos and larvae to these three stressors and monitoring effects on survival, hatching time, and size of the fish larvae at hatching and later in life. In addition, they are mimicking day-night cycles in CO₂ by oscillating the CO₂ levels every 12 hours and assessing how the magnitude of these fluctuations impact young silverside. This will help scientists better predict how future ocean conditions could alter this important food source.

Pictures: 1. 2017 Hollings Scholar Amy Zyck monitoring young Atlantic silverside in the CO₂ and dissolved oxygen experiment at the NOAA Sandy Hook Laboratory.

For thousands of years, California mussel shells have shared a relatively uniform mineralogical makeup — long, cylindrical calcite crystals ordered in neat vertical rows with crisp, geometric regularity. But in a study published this week in the journal [EasyDNNnewsLink|82], McCoy and her team suggest that escalating rates of ocean acidification are shaking up that shell mineralogy on its most basic structural levels. “What we’ve seen in more recent shells is that the crystals are small and disoriented,” said Assistant Professor of Biological Science Sophie McCoy, who led the study. “These are significant changes in how these animals produce their shells that can be tied to a shifting ocean chemistry.” “When the mussels are ready to build their shells, they first lay down an amorphous soup of calcium carbonate, which they later order and organize,” McCoy said. “More recent shells have just started heaping that calcium carbonate soup where it needs to go and then leaving it there disordered.” The team also found that recent shells exhibited elevated levels of magnesium — a sign that the process of shell formation has been disrupted.

Find the full article [EasyDNNnewsLink|83]

Photo: Sophie McCoy.

The Washington state governor’s appointed board, the Marine Resources Advisory Council, released its first update in five years to the state’s coordinated response to ocean acidification. In the five years since the Blue Ribbon Panel’s report, there have been significant scientific advances and progress made on the 42 recommended actions. The report highlights the new research that justifies more concerted efforts to combat ocean acidification. The report is publicly available [EasyDNNnewsLink|80]. 

Eleven NOAA and Washington Sea Grant scientists from the National Ocean Service, National Marine Fisheries Service and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research served on the Blue Ribbon “Refresh” Panel and contributed to the report.

Photo Credit: NW Straits Commission