Accurate assessment of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere – the “global carbon budget” – is important to better understand the global carbon cycle, support the development of climate policies, and project future climate change. Here we describe data sets and methodology to quantify all major […]
Global Carbon Budget 2016 Read More »
Species are experiencing a suite of novel stressors from anthropogenic activities that have impacts at multiple scales. Vulnerability assessment is one tool to evaluate the likely impacts that these stressors pose to species so that high-vulnerability cases can be identified and prioritized for monitoring, protection, or mitigation. Commonly used semi-quantitative methods lack a framework to
Extending Vulnerability Assessment to Include Life Stages Considerations Read More »
Ocean acidification may lead to seasonal aragonite undersaturation in surface waters of the Southern Ocean as early as 2030 (ref. 1). These conditions are harmful to key organisms such as pteropods2, which contribute significantly to the pelagic foodweb and carbon export fluxes in this region3. Although the severity of ocean acidification impacts is mainly determined by
Abrupt onset and prolongation of aragonite undersaturation events in the Southern Ocean Read More »
Seven years of near-continuous observations from the Ocean Station Papa (OSP) surface mooring were used to evaluate drivers of marine carbon cycling in the eastern subarctic Pacific. Processes contributing to mixed layer carbon inventory changes throughout each deployment year were quantitatively assessed using a time-dependent mass balance approach in which total alkalinity and dissolved inorganic
The Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) is a synthesis of quality-controlled fCO2 (fugacity of carbon dioxide) values for the global surface oceans and coastal seas with regular updates. Version 3 of SOCAT has 14.7 million fCO2 values from 3646 data sets covering the years 1957 to 2014. This latest version has an additional 4.6 million fCO2 values relative to version 2 and extends the
A recent hydrographic survey of the Florida Current at 27°N revealed an enhanced upward flux of nutrients along the Florida coast. Geostrophic flow of the Gulf Stream through the narrow Florida Straits causes an uplift of the nutricline toward its western edge, shoaling the mixed layers into the base of the euphotic zone. At a
An estimate of diapycnal nutrient fluxes to the euphotic zone in the Florida Straits Read More »
We report an annual cycle of surface seawater aragonite mineral saturation state (Ωarag) during 2006–2007 at the Gray’s Reef time-series site off Georgia, USA, calculated based on three-hourly observations of carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2) and salinity-derived total alkalinity. Ωarag varied between 2.30 and 4.39 with low values (< 3.00) mainly during February–April 2007 and high values (> 3.50) during July–October 2006 and
In anoxic/hypoxic waters, the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and ammonia (NH3) influences results of the computation of parameters in the ocean carbonate system. To evaluate their influences, H2S and NH3 contributions to total alkalinity are added to CO2SYS, which is a most often used publicly available software package that calculates oceanic carbonate parameters. We discuss how these two
Ocean carbonate system computation for anoxic waters using an updated CO2SYS program Read More »
This work describes an improved algorithm for spectrophotometric determinations of seawater carbonate ion concentrations ([CO32–]spec) derived from observations of ultraviolet absorbance spectra in lead-enriched seawater. Quality-control assessments of [CO32–]spec data obtained on two NOAA research cruises (2012 and 2016) revealed a substantial intercruise difference in average Δ[CO32–] (the difference between a sample’s [CO32–]spec value and the corresponding
Understanding seasonal changes in ocean acidification in Alaskan waters and the potential impacts to the multi-billion-dollar fishery sector is a main priority. Through work funded by NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program, the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory developed a model capable of depicting past ocean chemistry conditions for the Bering Sea and is now testing the ability of this model to forecast future conditions. This model is being used to develop an ocean acidification indicator provided to fisheries managers in the annual NOAA Eastern Bering Sea Ecosystem Status Report.
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: