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NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program Research Region

Region: Alaska & Arctic

Related Posts

See news related to this Research Region

Ocean acidification alters properties of the exoskeleton in adult Tanner crabs, <em>Chionoecetes bairdi</em>

Ocean acidification can affect the ability of calcifying organisms to build and maintain mineralized tissue. In decapod crustaceans, the exoskeleton is a multilayered structure composed of chitin, protein and mineral, predominately magnesian calcite or amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC). We investigated the effects of acidification on the exoskeleton of mature (post-terminal-molt) female southern Tanner crabs, Chionoecetes bairdi.

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August 12, 2024

Climatological distribution of ocean acidification variables along the North American ocean margins

Climatologies that depict mean fields of oceanographic variables on a regular geographic grid, and atlases play pivotal roles in comprehending the societal vulnerabilities linked to ocean acidification (OA). This significance is particularly pronounced in coastal regions where most economic activities occur. This work provides a comprehensive data product featuring 10 coastal ocean acidification climatologies and

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August 9, 2024

Capturing uncertainty when modelling environmental drivers of fish populations, with an illustrative application to Pacific Cod in the eastern Bering Sea

Decision makers are increasingly requesting that environmental and climate drivers be included in stock assessments and subsequent projections that provide managers with advice on the consequences of applying harvest control rules. Another key direction in stock assessment science is to capture the full range of uncertainty (model, process, and estimation). However, multiple sources of uncertainty are rarely

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August 9, 2024

The combined effects of ocean warming and ocean acidification on Pacific cod (<em>Gadus macrocephalus</em>) early life stages

The eastern North Pacific is simultaneously experiencing ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA), which may negatively affect fish early life stages. Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) is an economically and ecologically important species with demonstrated sensitivity to OW and OA, but their combined impacts are unknown. Through a ~ 9-week experiment, Pacific cod embryos and larvae were

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August 9, 2024

Fish or not fish—fisheries participation and harvest diversification under economic and ecological change

Fish harvesters respond to economic, regulatory, and environmental changes within complex and often highly uncertain decision-making processes. Analyzing and quantifying human decisions can improve our understanding and sustainable management of marine systems. Wild fish harvesters face high income volatility linked to natural variability in fish abundance, changing ocean environments, and world market dynamics. Past research

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July 11, 2024

A mapped dataset of surface ocean acidification indicators in large marine ecosystems of the United States

Mapped monthly data products of surface ocean acidification indicators from 1998 to 2022 on a 0.25° by 0.25° spatial grid have been developed for eleven U.S. large marine ecosystems (LMEs). The data products were constructed using observations from the Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas, co-located surface ocean properties, and two types of machine learning algorithms: Gaussian mixture

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July 10, 2024

Advancing best practices for assessing trends of ocean acidification time series

Assessing the status of ocean acidification across ocean and coastal waters requires standardized procedures at all levels of data collection, dissemination, and analysis. Standardized procedures for assuring quality and accessibility of ocean carbonate chemistry data are largely established, but a common set of best practices for ocean acidification trend analysis is needed to enable global

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June 28, 2024

Strategy for NOAA Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Research: A White Paper documenting a potential NOAA CDR Science Strategy as an element of NOAA’s Climate Interventions Portfolio

This document is intended to serve as a reference for exploration of carbon removal research at NOAA. The report was drafted by authors from across NOAA to provide strategic direction to relevant labs and programs in multiple line offices. The goal has been to assemble as much information as possible in order to facilitate conversations

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June 27, 2024

A framework for assessing harvest strategy choice when considering multiple interacting fisheries and a changing environment: The example of eastern Bering Sea crab stocks

Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management aims to broaden the set of factors included in assessments and management decision making but progress with implementation remains limited. We developed a framework that examines the consequences of temporal changes in temperature and ocean pH on yield and profit of multiple interacting stocks including eastern Bering Sea (EBS) snow, southern Tanner, and

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June 21, 2024

Related Projects

See our funded projects for this Focus Area

Calm sea with mountains on horizon and expansive sky in Ketchikan, Alaska. Credit: Phil Price, Flickr
Building Capacity for Alaskan Tribes
  • PI(s): Spencer Weinstein
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2023

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..

Project Summary >
Spruce Island in the Kodiak region of Alaska. Bull kelp at water's surface with island in the background. Ocean acidification monitoring in this region helps prepare Kodiak Tribes for the impacts of ocean change. Credit: NOAA
Supporting Tribal Ocean Acidification Monitoring Programs
  • PI(s): Jake Cohen
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2023

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..

Project Summary >
Fisherman pulling up sugar kelp. Seaweed cultivation may be one avenue for marine carbon dioxide removal and mitigating ocean acidification. Credit: GreenWave/Ron Gautreau.
Carbon capture and ocean acidification mitigation potential by seaweed farms in tropical and subtropical coastal environments
  • PI(s): Andreas Andersson
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2023

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..

Project Summary >
Plankton bloom seen from space. Credit: NASA
Multiscale observing system simulation experiments for iron fertilization in the Southern Ocean, Equatorial Pacific, and Northeast Pacific
  • PI(s): Dennis McGillicuddy
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2023

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..

Project Summary >
Breaking wave in sunlight. Credit: NOAA Ocean Service
Electrolysis-driven weathering of basic minerals for long-term ocean buffering and CO2 reduction
  • PI(s): Burke Hales
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2023

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,..

Project Summary >
Terrestrial liming at golf courses serve as testbeds for this method for carbon capture and mitigating acidification. Credit: Your Golf Travel (Creative Commons)
An opportunity to study Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement, carbon dioxide removal, and ecosystem impacts through coastal liming
  • PI(s): Jaime Palter
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2023

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..

Project Summary >

Related Publications

See publications produced by our funded projects for this Focus Area

Evaluating the Evolving Ocean Acidification Risk to Dungeness Crab: Time-Series Observations and Modeling on the Olympic Coast, Washington, USA
  • Simone R. Alin , Samantha A. Siedlecki, Halle Berger, Richard A. Feely, Jeannette E. Waddell, Brendan R. Carter, Jan A. Newton, Ervin Joe Schumacker, Daniel Ayres
  • Oceanography
  • October 30, 2023
  • Dungeness crab
Citation: Alin, S.R., S.A. Siedlecki, H. Berger, R.A. Feely, J.E. Waddell, B.R. Carter, J.A. Newton, E.J. Schumacker, and D. Ayres. 2023. Evaluating the evolving ocean acidification risk to Dungeness crab: Time-series observations and modeling on the Olympic Coast, Washington, USA. Oceanography 36(2–3):138–147, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2023.216.
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Changes in the macrobenthic infaunal community of the Southern California continental margin over five decades in relation to oceanographic factors
  • David J. Gillett1, Stephen B. Weisberg, Simone R. Alin, Donald Cadien, Ronald Velarde, Kelvin Barwick, Cody Larsen, Ami Latker
  • Marine Ecology Progress Series
  • November 9, 2023
Citation: Gillett DJ, Weisberg SB, Alin SR, Cadien D and others (2023) Changes in the macrobenthic infaunal community of the Southern California continental margin over five decades in relation to oceanographic factors. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 722:65-88. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14415
Read Summary >
Mississippi river chemistry impacts on the interannual variability of aragonite saturation state in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
  • Fabian A Gomez, Rik Wanninkhof, Leticia Barbero, Sang-Ki Lee
  • ESS Open Archive
  • September 11, 2023
Citation: Fabian A Gomez, Rik Wanninkhof, Leticia Barbero, et al. Mississippi river chemistry impacts on the interannual variability of aragonite saturation state in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. ESS Open Archive . September 11, 2023.
Read Summary >
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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

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

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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