Award Amount: $1,049,822
Duration: 3 years
Project title: Four-dimensional ocean acidification data products and observing system assessment for the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem
Why we care
The California Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME) experiences seasonal and episodic circulation patterns that bring more acidified (lower pH) and lower oxygen waters of the broad subsurface North Pacific to the surface nearshore. Some marine life are vulnerable to low pH, including species near the base of food webs as well as commercially and culturally important fisheries. While many remote instruments (e.g., satellites) and in-place platforms such as gliders observe many critical ocean variables and improve model-produced hindcasts and nowcasts of ocean properties, such representations of key ocean acidification variables wasn’t possible until now. This project focuses on delivering this information to people who need it most in ways they can best use.
What we will do
This project takes advantage of three capabilities. First, recently-developed ocean observing technology that measures ocean pH on gliders. Second,statistical models that can estimate other critical ocean variables from measured glider data. Third, complex ocean circulation and biogeochemical models that produce representation of ocean properties in full 3-dimensional space and in time, which are similar to models used to predict weather. Researchers will combine these tools to produce estimates of ocean acidification parameters throughout the central CCLME. Project members will engage with regional parties, fishery scientists, and ocean observing system coordinators to ensure that the study focuses on geographical regions and disseminates useful, simplified, summary measures of pH conditions to interested communities. One important project member supporting these activities is the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS), which supports and coordinates the CCLME observing systems and delivery of information in near real-time to regional users. The team will investigate ways to best optimize the observing system, particularly the underwater glider network, to address ocean acidification (OA) related needs within central California.
Benefits of our work
This project offers CeNCOOS (1) new data products to inform the community on the CCLME ocean acidification history, (2) involvement in observing system metric definitions that best aid regional ocean acidification decision-making and communities, and (3) a quantitative assessment of the value of their multi-year investments. The overarching goals of this project are to develop two sets of ocean acidification relevant products for the CCLME and communicating project results to key interested communities.
Investigators
Christopher Edwards, University of California Santa Cruz
Yuichiro Takeshita, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
J. Paul Mattern, University of California Santa Cruz
Henry A. Ruhl, Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS)