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NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program Research Region

Region: Southeast Atlantic & Gulf of America

Related Posts

See news related to this Research Region

Coastal Acidification

The spirit of collaboration aboard Gulf of Mexico cruise

NOAA Research & Ocean Acidification Program  This summer, NOAA and partner scientists will conduct their most collaborative ocean acidification sampling of the Gulf of Mexico yet. Set to depart today, July 18th, the Gulf of Mexico Ecosystems and Carbon Cruise (GOMECC-3) will travel through international waters with 24 scientists from the United States, Mexico and

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The Hydrological Switch: A Novel Mechanism Explains Eutrophication and Acidification of Estuaries

Humans have had a significant influence on estuaries through land use change and increased use of fertilizers, causing proliferation of algal blooms, hypoxia, and presence of harmful microbes. Now, acidification due to myriad processes has been identified as a potential threat to many estuaries. In Texas estuaries for example, short-term acidification as a result of episodic

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East Coast OA (ECOA) Cruise

NOAA academic partners Salisbury and Cai will organize and lead a 34-days cruise covering 12 transects of the U.S. and Canadian coast oceans from Nova Scotia in the north to the Gulf of Maine, Long Island Sound, Mid-Atlantic and Southern Bight regions, ending with a transect off of mid Florida. This cruise will serve as

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Service and Maintenence of the Gray’s Reef OA Mooring

This project will provide service and maintenance of sensors and ground-truthing of the mooring data at the Gray's Reef OA monitoring site, as well as data quality control and synthesis. Specifically, we will accomplish the follow three tasks: 1. Deployment and maintenance of the sensors (pCO2, pH, and dissolved oxygen); 2. Collection of underway pCO2

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Time series of OA and carbon system properties in the northern Gulf

This project will provide time-series observations of coastal ocean pH and carbon system properties, along with other variables that affect carbon transformations, in the northern Gulf of Mexico in support of goals elucidated in the NOAA Ocean and Great Lakes Acidification Research Implementation Plan. This project most directly addresses Theme 1: Develop the monitoring capacity

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Ship of Opportunity work in support of OA monitoring (SOOP-OA)

NOAA operates the largest ship of opportunity (SOOP) effort for surface CO2 observations in the world. The objective of the ocean acidification (OA) monitoring effort in the coastal ocean on NOAA fisheries ships Gordon Gunter and Henry B. Bigelow is to obtain data for a data-based ocean acidification product suite for the East Coast and

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GOMECC-3

Dedicated research cruises are used to obtain subsurface measurements and a comprehensive suite of biogeochemical observations to gain a process level understanding of OA. OAP provides funds to carry out the Gulf of Mexico and East Coast Carbon (GOMECC) research cruises every 5 years. These cruises provide a data set of unprecedented quality of physical

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OA products for the Gulf of Mexico and East Coast

Dedicated research cruises are used to obtain subsurface measurements and a comprehensive suite of biogeochemical observations to gain a process level understanding of OA. OAP provides funds to carry out the Gulf of Mexico and East Coast Carbon (GOMECC) research cruises every 5 years. These cruises provide a data set of unprecedented quality of physical

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Related Projects

See our funded projects for this Focus Area

A large coral in American Samoa known as "Big Momma" Credit: NOAA Fisheries
This project provides new ocean acidification education to communities in American Samoa...
Secluded beach with tide pools and algae covered rock formations captured soon after sunrise, Half Moon Bay, California, USA. Credit: Jan Arendtsz (Flickr, CC)
This project provides a hands-on ocean and coastal acidification curriculum to students from coastal communities in Redwood City, California...
California's Humboldt coast as seen from a high vantage near sunset. Fog lingers above the King Range National Conservation Area. Credit: Guest photographer Bob Wick for CA Bureau of Land Management
Broadening Ocean Acidification Teaching and Learning (BOATL) offers teacher professional development and ocean acidification science education to schools and local Tribes...
Haystack Rock on Cannon Beach, Oregon (2024). Credit: Kevin Crosby (Creative Commons)
This project seeks to address gaps in ocean and environmental education and improve outcomes for Oregon’s youth through the Oregon State University’s Science Math Investigative Learning Experiences (SMILE) Program...
North Carolina seen from space from MODIS on NASA's Aqua satellite on June 30, 2022
This project delivers ocean acidification education in rural North Carolina schools...
Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica). Credit: NOAA Fisheries
This project creates a research course for high school students focused on career development, ocean acidification science and stewardship...

Related Publications

See publications produced by our funded projects for this Focus Area

Citation: Smith, A. L., Jessyca LaBadie, Aly Busse, Emilie Solomon, Casie Farrell, Daniel M. Holstein, Zuo George Xue, Philip M. Gravinese. (2024). Will Climate Change Alter the Swimming Behavior of Larval Stone Crabs?: A Guided-Inquiry Lesson. Current The Journal of Marine Education, 39(2). https://doi.org/10.5334/cjme.117
Citation: Shamberger, K. E. F., Feely, R. A., Sabine, C. L., Atkinson, M. J., DeCarlo, E. H., Mackenzie, F. T., Drupp, P. S., & Butterfield, D. A. (2011). Calcification and organic production on a Hawaiian coral reef. Marine Chemistry, 127(1-4), 64-75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marchem.2011.08.003
Citation: Frölicher, T. L., Joos, F., and Raible, C. C.: Sensitivity of atmospheric CO2 and climate to explosive volcanic eruptions, Biogeosciences, 8, 2317–2339, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-2317-2011, 2011.

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

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