1. Felicia Woods Kelly Reid Jason Fredette
Ocean Acidification
Picture:
Pteropods
Felicia Woods
Kelly Reid
Jason Fredette

2. Why should we care?
Ocean acidification is effecting shellfish and other marine organisms by reducing the amount of CaCO3 in the oceans! This threatens the existence of a lot of marine species.
Changes saturation state of calcium carbonate.
Picture:

3. The destruction of coral reefs reduces crucial ecosystems.
How does it effect us?
Not only do we eat shellfish, a lot of other marine organisms rely on them too, e.g. crustaceans, echinoderms, molluscs, marine mammals, birds, fish…
The destruction of coral reefs reduces crucial ecosystems.
Trophic Cascade!
Felicia:
~1 in 7 people get most of their protein from seafood so a lot of people depend on the viability of a variety of species.
~ crabs, lobster, sea stars, whelk, walruses, sea otters, waterfowl, heron, gulls, cranes, stingrays, skate, grouper.
~Some snails drill through shell with radula and others can use edge of shell to pry open.
~1/4 of ocean species live in coral reefs.
~Beaked fish (parrot fish) eat coral.
~Jason will explain: This is an example of a bottom up effect because many marine species depend on shell fish for a source of energy. We also, as humans, consume a lot of shellfish. And depend on the other species that eat them.

4. The nature of the environmental problem…
~This image is showing the effect of the decrease in pH with change in temperature.
~It isn’t just the changes in pH that are causing problems but also temperature changes that come with the increased CO2
~ocean is 30% more acidic since us.

5. The nature of the problem (con’t)
Like us, the ocean needs a certain amount of calcium for structure and support.
The lower pH is corrosive to many marine organisms
Inhibits growth: Corals, Coralline algae, phytoplankton…
Reduces calcification rate of corals
Reduces capacity to transport oxygen
Impacts food web dynamics and ecosystem functions
Felicia
~Calcium in the form of calcium carbonate.
~Its like osteoporosis of the sea.
~Dr. Hannigan had a seminar a while back about the effects of OA on the otoliths
~Disrupting mutualistic relationship of coral and zooxanthellae. Still a lot of studies as to why but temp and
Picture: (IMAGE)

6. What is the cause of the problem?!

7. What is the cause of the problem?
Atmospheric CO2 is 100 ppm more than it has been in 400,000 years
Due to fossil fuel combustion and deforestation
These human behaviors are increasing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere that would otherwise not make it there for a very long time.
Picture:
1950…………………………………………………….…..2020

8. What is the cause of the problem?
Air-sea exchange is always trying to reach equilibrium, so more CO2 in atmosphere means more dissolved CO2 in the ocean
Once absorbed, the CO2 reacts with water to form carbonic acid (H2CO3) which then dissociates in to H+ ions and carbonate and bicarbonate ions.
The increase in H+ ions cause the water to become more acidic.
The increase of H+ ions also results in a decrease in carbonate ions, which negatively affects the calcifying organisms.

9. What does this mean?! In a nutshell… Kelly
Picture:

10. Experiment set up to determine the effect of higher pCO2 on barnacles:
Kelly

11. Kelly: this slide needs a title or something

12. Pteropods
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.
As carbon dioxide emissions dissolve in seawater they lower the pH of the oceans making them more acidic and more corrosive to shells.
shelled pteropods: the major planktonic producers of aragonite.

13. Bottom Up Trophic Cascade
Pteropods and shellfish
“Acidification of our oceans may impact marine ecosystems in a way that threatens the sustainability of the marine resources we depend on,” said Libby Jewett, Director of the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program.

14. Coral Reefs
Kato, A., Hikami, M., Kumagai, N. H., Suzuki, A., & Nojiri, Y. (2014). Negative effects of ocean acidification on two crustose coralline species using genetically homogeneous samples, 94, 1–6.
two crustose coralline algal species

15. Parrotfish Ecosystem Engineers
Ecosystem Engineers

16. How to remediate the problem?
We must reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
National, State and local governments must regulate the amount of CO2 emissions by human activities.
Zoning and permitting in areas to reduce direct and indirect sources of CO2 .
For example; limit the amount of driving/vehicle miles traveled for individuals in a certain area.
Indirect: reduce deforestation by limiting the amount of trees that may be cut down.
Global cap on carbon emissions. Countries must emit less than a set limit and will be fined if they exceed or rewarded if they stay below it.
Return crushed shell material to ecosystems can increase pH and facilitate shell growth in calcifying organisms.
Kelly

17. References
Doney, S., Fabrey, V., et al. (2009). Ocean Acidification: The Other CO2 Problem. Annual Review of Marine Science 1: DOI: / annurev.marine
Fabry, V., Seibel, B., Feely, R., & Orr, J. (2008). Impacts Of Ocean Acidification On Marine Fauna And Ecosystem Processes. ICES Journal of Marine Science 65:
Feely, R. A., et al. (2004). Impact Of Anthropogenic CO2 On The CaCO3 System In The Oceans. Science, 305,
Kato, A., Hikami, M., Kumagai, N. H., Suzuki, A., & Nojiri, Y. (2014). Negative effects of ocean acidification on two crustose coralline species using genetically homogeneous samples, 94, 1–6.
Kelly, P., Foley, M., et al. (2011). Mitigating Local Causes of Ocean Acidification with Excisting Laws. Policy Forum 332:
Orr, J. C, et al. (2005). Anthropogenic ocean acidification over the twenty-first century and its impact on calcifying organisms. . Nature, 437,
Pansch, C., Schaub, I., Havenhand, J., & Wahl, M. (2013). Habitat traits and food availability determine the response of marine invertebrates to ocean acidification. Global Change Biology, 20: