Why we care:Alaskan Native communities rely on healthy marine ecosystems for work, sustenance and their way of life. Ocean acidification has documented impacts to marine life and these communities. An important step is assessing the vulnerability of Native Alaskan communities to ocean acidification impacts and developing adaptation strategies for future conditions. NOAA Ocean Acidification supports […]
Building Capacity for Alaskan Tribes Read More »
Why we care:Alaskan Native communities rely on healthy marine ecosystems for work, sustenance and their way of life. Ocean acidification has documented impacts to marine life and these communities. Community members participate in ocean acidification monitoring and we need to better understand how to meet community needs and fill important monitoring gaps. Monitoring has been
Supporting Tribal Ocean Acidification Monitoring Programs Read More »
Award amount: $1,451,575Duration: 3 yearsFunding agency: NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP), National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) Why we care Growing seaweed in the ocean could be one way to alleviate some of the impacts by climate change and ocean acidification. We need to know how much carbon can be captured by cultivated seaweed and the potential
Why we care Iron is a critical limiting nutrient for phytoplankton in the ocean. Iron fertilization adds this limiting nutrient to promote phytoplankton blooms as a way to take up carbon dioxide and store carbon when they sink. Unknowns on the effectiveness, measurement and monitoring need to be addressed. To address these unknowns, this project
Why we care Ocean alkalinity enhancement has the potential to capture carbon and mitigate ocean acidification. While ocean alkalinity enhancement is a promising approach for removing carbon from the atmosphere, there are important questions about its impacts on the marine environment. A strategic roadmap identifying and addressing concerns about deployment of ocean alkalinity enhancement is
Why we care Terrestrial liming, or the addition of a basic (alkaline) material like calcium carbonate to crops and lawns is a common agricultural soil treatment. When applied on land in the coastal zone, this alkalinity likely influences neighboring bodies of water and may foster carbon dioxide removal and mitigate local ocean acidification. This project
Why we care Enhanced weathering is a carbon capture technology that increases ocean alkalinity by adding rocks with ultrabasic minerals, particularly in ecosystems like wetlands and mangroves. This project examines the safety, efficacy, and potential for large-scale implementation of enhanced weathering in tidal wetlands to enhance weathering as a method of carbon dioxide removal and
Tidal wetlands as a low pH environment for accelerated and scalable olivine dissolution Read More »
Why we care Energy, manufacturing and deployment costs are critical to the viability of any carbon dioxide removal approach. This research project focuses on a new strategy that promises low energy burden and low manufacturing costs to capture carbon and achieve ocean alkalinity enhancement, essential features for scaling any future efforts of this technology to
Why we care Ocean alkalinity enhancement relies on modifying the acid-base properties of seawater to remove carbon dioxide, however the effect of this strategy on primary productivity, cell physiology, and carbon export remain unknown. These impacts are not only potential ecosystem effects, but may influence the efficiency of carbon dioxide removal. This research focuses on
Why we care Foraminifera, or forams, are single-celled organisms that produce calcium carbonate shells and play a crucial role in the ocean’s carbon cycle. Ocean alkalinity enhancement aims to increase the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide by enhancing its buffering capacity. However, the impact of the addition of alkalinity on foraminifera is not well
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: