Presenters: Jan Newton & Amy Sprenger, Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS)
Primary Audience: Informal educators
Date/Time: Tuesday, June 24th 12pm PST (3pm EST)
Project Website: Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems
It didn’t take long for researchers examining the tiny sea snails to see something amiss.
The surface of some of their thin outer shells looked as if they had been etched by a solvent. Others were deeply pitted and pocked.
These translucent sea butterflies known as pteropods, which provide food for salmon, herring
A NOAA-led research team has found the first evidence that acidity of continental shelf waters off the West Coast is dissolving the shells of tiny free-swimming marine snails, called pteropods, which provide food for pink salmon, mackerel and herring, according to a new paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Date/Time: Wednesday, April 23rd, 3pm PT (6pm EST)
Project Website: http://baliga.systemsbiology.net/drupal/education/?q=content/ocean-acidification-systems-approach-global-problem
This work is funded by National Science Foundation OCE-0928561 (to Mónica V. Orellana and Nitin S. Baliga).
Marine biologists are searching for evidence of what our oceans will look like if carbon dioxide levels continue to increase. Thirty percent of the carbon dioxide, or CO2, released into the atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean, leading to a process called acidification. Shellfish and coral reefs are particularly impacted, according to Jason Hall-Spencer of
Presenter: Alexis Valauri-Orton, Global Ocean Health
Date/time: Wednesday, April 2nd, 4pm ET (1pm PST)
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: