1. STATE OF Estuarine and Ocean Acidification (EOA) IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION
Wei-Jun Cai
School of Marine Science and Policy
University of Delaware
@MARACOOS 2016 ANNUAL MEETING
Breakout session 1
May 12-13, 2016
Annapolis, MD

2. Data available in the MAB region
1) DOE Ocean Margin Program (OMP),
2) NOAA-OAP’s Gulf of Mexico and East Coast Carbon Cycle (GOMECC)
GOMECC I in 2007,
GOMECC II in 2012
East Coast OA (ECOA) in 2015.
3) Data in various estuaries including CB and DB

3. OA in continental shelf waters
Warag
Warag
GOMECC II (July 2012)

4. Difference (2012 – 2007)
DWarag
DWarag
GOMECC II - I (2012 – 2007)

5. ECOA pH and carbonate saturation
Warag

6. pCO2 in Delaware & Chesapeake Bay
October 2013
October 2013

7. Chspk Bay water is particularly vulnerable to OA
1. Endmembers (buffer capacity of waters) 2. Physical & biogeochemical processes Lead to a much greater OA in the Chspk Bay

8. Eutrophication leads to low pH and CaCO3 dissolution
DTA =
DDIC = 268
mmol kg-1

9. Impacts of sewage discharge and treatment on pH in the Delaware Estuary

10. Discussion Questions
1. What are your primary concerns regarding the effects of EOA on coastal ocean ecosystems, resources and citizens in the Mid-Atlantic?
2. What kinds of science knowledge would be most helpful to your agency/industry/organization in responding to EOA? When responding, please consider these 5 questions.
i. What are the naturally occurring variations in acidification parameters in both space and time?
ii. To what extent have, or are, we going to deviate from “naturally occurring variations” as identified in Q1?
iii. How much do regional and local inputs affect the deviations identified in Q2?
iv. What are the consequences of the deviations identified under Q2 for uses or ecological resources of our coastal oceans?
v. What research and monitoring would most efficiently fill critical information gaps encountered by the Network in answering these questions?
3. What are various responsibilities, management decisions or planning deadlines that could be impacted by the effects of OA and hypoxia?

11. Low buffer capacity

12. We don’t have an OA mooring sensor in MAB region!