NOAA”s Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) advances ocean acidification science, education and outreach. The needs of audiences around the nation grows with the advancement of our knowledge. We will assess stakeholder needs nationwide via listening sessions to identify gaps, priorities, and the ways in which we can support people impacted by ocean and coastal acidification. The […]
Educators: Join our listening sessions Read More »
On June 1st, 2022 Dr. Jason Hodin of the University of Washington Friday Harbor Labs presented the “Our Acidifying Ocean” program and an overview of related environmental curricular tools for both inside and outside the classroom. Our Acidifying Ocean provides a meaningful, accurate and interactive educational content for high school and college students regarding ocean
High school students around Chesapeake Bay are helping to solve the mystery of how water chemistry and oysters interact. In this webinar, Emily Rivest, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and Bart Merrick, NOAA Environmental Science Training Center, will introduce the CSI: Oyster project, a community science initiative focused on understanding how water chemistry and other aspects of water quality affect oyster survival and growth. Where, with two high schools in Virginia and Maryland, they collected oyster and water data for one year. The speakers will share the results uncovered with their high school partners and also share the benefits of participating in this project for the students.
Puerto Rico is home to vibrant coral reef ecosystems that support a diversity of marine life and livelihoods. Join Melissa Melendez, University of Hawai’i Manoa and Lisamarie Carrubba, NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Protected Resources, as they share our journey in creating Spanish-language videos (with English subtitles) about ocean acidification, its causes, consequences, research and possible solutions for the Puerto Rican public and island visitors. The video invites viewers to get involved in community actions that reduce other stressors to marine organisms and increase their resilience to the effects of ocean acidification. A full length and short video (highlighting key messages) were created in collaboration with a number of NOAA and non-NOAA partners, including the University of Puerto Rico and Paradise SCUBA and Snorkeling Center, and produced by a local videographer, Efra Visuals.
TRACKING OCEAN ACIDIFICATION IN PUERTO RICO: A VIDEO JOURNEY Read More »
In this webinar Erin Winslow, PhD candidate at the University of California Santa Barbara acknowledges that communicating ocean acidification is a challenge for scientists, researchers, educators, and professionals alike. Arguably one of the greatest obstacles to productive conversations about ocean acidification is the absence of clear, concise, and consistent messaging of complicated processes. Successful messaging can be established by utilizing language that is digestible and constant across educational landscapes. The National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI) supported by the National Science Foundation established a framework for communicating climate science, and specifically ocean acidification, to the general public. During this presentation, the process and lessons learned in creating visual aids with specific examples of how ocean acidification impacts ecosystems in various geographic regions is discussed. Each infographic has the same general layout and consistent messaging, tailored to each ocean region. The visual aids simplify current climate and ocean change research to articulate why ocean acidification is occurring, how it is impacting our ocean, and also provide actionable solutions for viewers.
View the recording here!
CONSISTENT OCEAN ACIDIFICATION MESSAGING: THE KEY TO CONSISTENT UNDERSTANDING Read More »
The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Acidification Network (GCAN) proudly presents Julianna Mullen, the Community Manager of the Ocean Acidification Information Exchange (OAIE). The OAIE is an online community for professionals involved with or interested in ocean and coastal acidification. Ms. Mullen will give an overview of the website, explain how individuals can join, and discuss how members can make the most of this social network.
Pre-registration is NOT required. Join via your computer or smartphone by visiting: https://global.
You can also phone in by calling +1 (646) 749-3122 (Access Code: 251-950-469)
Learn more about GCAN and view the attached flyer for additional information.
A Tour of the Ocean Acidification Information Exchange Read More »
This virtual seminar will focus coupled a comprehensive measurement program to retrospective and future model simulations to quantify controls on estuarine acidification in Chesapeake Bay,a large estuarine complex with strong gradients of salinity, oxygen, metabolicrates, and bathymetry. Researched found that estuarine acidification may be even more complex (and interesting!) than originally posited, owing to self-buffering processes within macrophyte communities, connections of acidification rates to watershed management aimed at oxygen improvements, and a varying buffering of acidification through altered carbonate chemistry within freshwater sources. This new understanding presents both challenges and opportunities to managing future acidification along the coast.
Thursday, January 30, 12-1pm EST Read More »
Are you looking for ways to teach about ocean acidification? Sorting through the 90+ teaching resources on ocean acidification developed over the past 10 years can be overwhelming. In this webinar, we: (1) summarized key findings from our review of existing teaching resources, pointing out our favorite dozen and highlighting key gaps, and (2) introduced a new resource, Changing Ocean Chemistry, that attempts to fill in some of these gaps.
Presented by: Brian Erickson, Oregon State University
Beyond dissolving shell in acid: New approaches to teaching ocean acidification Read More »
The shelled pteropods in the genus Limacina have been identified as an indicator species for monitoring the advancement of ocean acidification throughout the world’s oceans. This is primarily due to the sensitive nature of pteropod shells to changes in the pH of the ocean. In this presentation we will focus on pteropods in the Southern Ocean and use scanning electron micrographs to discuss the effects ocean acidification has on pteropod shells. We will cover information we have learned from laboratory experiments and field collections in both the Southern Ocean and the California Current Ecosystem to inspire use of this indicator organism in educational settings.
Pteropods as Indicators of Global Change: From Research to Education Read More »
By Dr. Andrew Dickson, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD
IWG-OA: CO2 system studies in brackish waters: What should I measure and why? Read More »
The NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) works to prepare society to adapt to the consequences of ocean acidification and conserve marine ecosystems as acidification occurs. Learn more about the human connections and adaptation strategies from these efforts.
Adaptation approaches fostered by the OAP include:
Using models and research to understand the sensitivity of organisms and ecosystems to ocean acidification to make predictions about the future, allowing communities and industries to prepare
Using these models and predictions as tools to facilitate management strategies that will protect marine resources and communities from future changes
Developing innovative tools to help monitor ocean acidification and mitigate changing ocean chemistry locally
Drive fuel-efficient vehicles or choose public transportation. Choose your bike or walk! Don't sit idle for more than 30 seconds. Keep your tires properly inflated.
Eat local- this helps cut down on production and transport! Reduce your meat and dairy. Compost to avoid food waste ending up in the landfill
Make energy-efficient choices for your appliances and lighting. Heat and cool efficiently! Change your air filters and program your thermostat, seal and insulate your home, and support clean energy sources
Reduce your use of fertilizers, Improve sewage treatment and run off, and Protect and restore coastal habitats
You've taken the first step to learn more about ocean acidification - why not spread this knowledge to your community?
Every community has their unique culture, economy and ecology and what’s at stake from ocean acidification may be different depending on where you live. As a community member, you can take a larger role in educating the public about ocean acidification. Creating awareness is the first step to taking action. As communities gain traction, neighboring regions that share marine resources can build larger coalitions to address ocean acidification. Here are some ideas to get started: