Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Ocean Acidification Program News

New projects add capacity to underway research mission

  • OA News, OAP Happenings, OAP Original News Stories
The NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown in calm waters.
The NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown in calm waters.

The NOAA Ocean Acidification Program is excited to announce two projects selected for funding through the FY25 Ocean Acidification Coastal Research: Uniting Investigations and Shipboard Experiments (OA CRUISE) opportunity. The OA CRUISE call aimed to expand observational and experimental capacity of repeated oceanographic research cruises. The selected proposals will receive funds and ship time to conduct companion projects aboard the 2026 East Coast Ocean Acidification cruise (ECOA-4). These Level 2 and Level 3 research projects supplement Level 1 (core OA) research to better address regionally relevant objectives as outlined in the NOAA Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Research Plan: 2020-2029. Our goals are to better understand changes in ocean chemistry and identify and track marine biological measurements that can be linked to ocean acidification.

One of the chosen projects will combine data on plankton communities and how biological indicators respond to ocean conditions. This will help us understand the impacts of ocean acidification at the ecosystem level. The other project will collect carbon isotope samples to identify ocean carbon sources and learn about the physical and biological factors driving ocean acidification below the surface.

About the projects

Proposal Title: Integrating multi-omic and morphological approaches to assess ocean acidification impacts on Atlantic pteropods and plankton communities

Team: 
Katherine Silliman, CIMAS/Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory
Luke Thompson, NGI/Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory
Chris Melrose, Northeast Fishery Science Center (NEFSC)
Harvey Walsh, Northeast Fishery Science Center (NEFSC)

The team will join ECOA-4 to study biological indicators of ocean acidification in the U.S. East Coast. Their work will focus on pteropods, tiny ocean snails at the base of the food web that are highly sensitive to ocean acidification. They will conduct plankton surveys, analyze shell condition and utilize environmental DNA to investigate signs of stress. They will apply research findings to assess ecosystem-level impacts of OA on zooplankton, which can tell us more about broader implications for ecosystem health. 

Proposal Title: Collecting δ13C-DIC Data During ECOA-4 to Constrain Anthropogenic CO2 Accumulation Rates and Their Impacts on Ocean Acidification 

Team: Wei-Jun Cai, University of Delaware

Summary: This project aims to estimate changes in carbon dioxide accumulation rates along the U.S. East Coast using carbon isotopes (δ13C-DIC). This work will help us understand how the atmosphere’s history and physical ocean processes influence the buildup of carbon dioxide in coastal areas. This information will then be used to estimate the physical and biological factors driving ocean acidification below surface waters. The team will collect high-resolution isotope data and compare it to samples from 2018 and 2022 cruises, as well as historical samples from the 1990s. These data are crucial for understanding the causes and impacts of ocean acidification in economically important ocean resource areas along the U.S. East Coast.

Share this post:

Related Posts

Effects of ocean acidification and temperature on Alaskan crabs

Red King Crab
Image credit: David Csepp, NMFS AKFSC ABL

Long-term declines of red king crab in Bristol Bay, Alaska may be partially attributed to ocean acidification conditions. These impacts may be partially responsible for the fishery closures during the 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 seasons. Researchers found that ocean acidification negatively impacts Alaskan crabs generally by changing physiological processes, decreasing growth, increasing death rates and reducing shell thickness. Funded by the Ocean Acidification Program, scientists at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center continue to investigate the responses of early life history stages and study the potential of various Alaska crabs to acclimate to changing conditions. Results will inform models that will use the parameters studied to predict the effects of future ocean acidification on the populations of red king crab in Bristol Bay as well as on the fisheries that depend on them. Fishery managers will better be able to anticipate and manage stocks if changing ocean chemistry affects stock productivity and thus the maximum sustainable yield.

More about this work

Forecasts for Alaska Fisheries

Crab pots and fishing nets in Alaska's Dutch Harbor
Image credit: Michael Theberge

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.

ADAPTING TO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

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:

FORECASTING

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

Closeup of oysters cupped in someone's hands

MANAGEMENT

Using these models and predictions as tools to facilitate management strategies that will protect marine resources and communities from future changes

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Developing innovative tools to help monitor ocean acidification and mitigate changing ocean chemistry locally

REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

50 more ways to reduce your carbon footprint >

On the Road

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.

With your Food Choices

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

With your Food Choices

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

By Reducing Coastal Acidification

Reduce your use of fertilizers, Improve sewage treatment and run off, and Protect and restore coastal habitats

TAKE ACTION WITH YOUR COMMUNITY

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:

  1. Work with informal educators, such as aquarium outreach programs and local non-profits, to teach the public about ocean acidification. Visit our Education & Outreach page to find the newest tools!
  2. Participate in habitat restoration efforts to restore habitats that help mitigate the effects of coastal acidification
  3. Facilitate conversations with local businesses that might be affected by ocean acidification, building a plan for the future.
  4. Partner with local community efforts to mitigate the driver behind ocean acidification  – excess CO2 – such as community supported agriculture, bike & car shares and other public transportation options.
  5. Contact your regional Coastal Acidification Network (CAN) to learn how OA is affecting your region and more ideas about how you can get involved in your community
       More for Taking Community Action