Reference Library: Biological effects of OCA

Coral reefs will transition to net dissolving before end of century

  • Posted on: Mon, 02/26/2018 - 09:15
  • By: kcanesi

Ocean acidification refers to the lowering of the ocean’s pH due to the uptake of anthropogenic CO2 from the atmosphere. Coral reef calcification is expected to decrease as the oceans become more acidic. Dissolving calcium carbonate (CaCO3) sands could greatly exacerbate reef loss associated with reduced calcification but is presently poorly ...

A mineralogical record of ocean change: Decadal and centennial patterns in the California mussel

  • Posted on: Mon, 01/08/2018 - 11:51
  • By: kcanesi

Ocean acidification, a product of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide, may already have affected calcified organisms in the coastal zone, such as bivalves and other shellfish. Understanding species’ responses to climate change requires the context of long-term dynamics. This can be particularly difficult given the longevity of many important species in ...

Declining oxygen in the global ocean and coastal waters

  • Posted on: Mon, 01/08/2018 - 11:42
  • By: kcanesi

BACKGROUND Oxygen concentrations in both the open ocean and coastal waters have been declining since at least the middle of the 20th century. This oxygen loss, or deoxygenation, is one of the most important changes occurring in an ocean increasingly modified by human activities that have raised temperatures, CO2 levels, and nutrient ...

The combined effects of acidification and hypoxia on pH and aragonite saturation in the coastal waters of the California current ecosystem and the northern Gulf of Mexico

  • Posted on: Tue, 01/02/2018 - 12:31
  • By: kcanesi

Inorganic carbon chemistry data from the surface and subsurface waters of the West Coast of North America have been compared with similar data from the northern Gulf of Mexico to demonstrate how future changes in CO2 emissions will affect chemical changes in coastal waters affected by respiration-induced hypoxia ([O2] ≤ ~ 60 µmol kg−1). ...

Economic impact of ocean acidification on shellfish production in Europe

  • Posted on: Wed, 02/22/2017 - 15:51
  • By: jackie

Ocean acidification (OA) is increasingly recognized as a major global problem. Despite the scientific evidence, economic assessments of its effects are few. This analysis is an attempt to perform a national and sub-national assessment of the economic impact of OA on mollusc production in Europe. We focus on mollusc production ...

Ocean acidification decreases mussel byssal attachment strength and induces molecular byssal responses

  • Posted on: Wed, 02/22/2017 - 14:41
  • By: jackie

Mussels are an ecologically and economically important taxon that attach to solid surfaces via the byssus. To date, little is known about the effects of ocean acidification (OA) on mussel byssal attachment and the underlying molecular byssal responses. This study demonstrated that after 1 week of exposure to acidified seawater, ...

Chemical and biological impacts of ocean acidification along the west coast of North America

  • Posted on: Fri, 12/16/2016 - 10:17
  • By: jackie

The continental shelf region off the west coast of North America is seasonally exposed to water with a low aragonite saturation state by coastal upwelling of CO2-rich waters. To date, the spatial and temporal distribution of anthropogenic CO2 (Canth) within the CO2-rich waters is largely unknown. Here we adapt the multiple ...

Water quality criteria for an acidifying ocean: Challenges and opportunities for improvement

  • Posted on: Tue, 11/01/2016 - 11:50
  • By: jackie

Acidification has sparked discussion about whether regulatory agencies should place coastal waters on the Clean Water Act 303(d) impaired water bodies list. Here we describe scientific challenges in assessing impairment with existing data, exploring use of both pH and biological criteria. Application of pH criteria is challenging because present coastal ...

Overview of Coastal Acidification in the Northeast Region

  • Posted on: Tue, 10/25/2016 - 14:42
  • By: petert

This four-page brochure provides an introduction to ocean and coastal acidification, its effects on marine life, why the Northeast is especially vulnerable, research priorities for the region, and what people can do to fight coastal acidification. The information in the brochure is adapted from NECAN's 2015 Oceanography article. 

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