Ocean Acidification

2011 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Societal Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Capacity Limits ◽  
Marine Management ◽  
Bicarbonate Ions ◽  
Research Level ◽  
International Projects ◽  
Moderate Climate

The ocean helps moderate climate change thanks to its considerable capacity to store CO2, through the combined actions of ocean physics, chemistry, and biology. This storage capacity limits the amount of human-released CO2 remaining in the atmosphere. As CO2 reacts with seawater, it generates dramatic changes in carbonate chemistry, including decreases in pH and carbonate ions and an increase in bicarbonate ions. The consequences of this overall process, known as "ocean acidification", are raising concerns for the biological, ecological, and biogeochemical health of the world's oceans, as well as for the potential societal implications. This research level text is the first to synthesize the very latest understanding of the consequences of ocean acidification, with the intention of informing both future research agendas and marine management policy. A prestigious list of authors has been assembled, among them the coordinators of major national and international projects on ocean acidification.

Ocean Acidification: Knowns, Unknowns, and Perspectives

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Pierre Gattuso ◽  
Jelle Bijma
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Elevated Co2 ◽  
Acoustic Noise ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Co2 Enrichment ◽  
Marine Organisms ◽  
Societal Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Results ◽  
Enrichment Experiments

Although the changes in the chemistry of seawater driven by the uptake of CO2 by the oceans have been known for decades, research addressing the effects of elevated CO2 on marine organisms and ecosystems has only started recently (see Chapter 1). The first results of deliberate experiments on organisms were published in the mid 1980s (Agegian 1985) and those on communities in 2000 (Langdon et al. 2000; Leclercq et al. 2000 ). In contrast, studies focusing on the response of terrestrial plant communities began much earlier, with the first results of free-air CO2 enrichment experiments (FACE) being published in the late 1960s (see Allen 1992 ). Not surprisingly, knowledge about the effects of elevated CO2 on the marine realm lags behind that concerning the terrestrial realm. Yet ocean acidification might have significant biological, ecological, biogeochemical, and societal implications and decision-makers need to know the extent and severity of these implications in order to decide whether they should be considered, or not, when designing future policies. The goals of this chapter are to summarize key information provided in the preceding chapters by highlighting what is known and what is unknown, identify and discuss the ecosystems that are most at risk, as well as discuss prospects and recommendation for future research. The chemical, biological, ecological, biogeochemical, and societal implications of ocean acidification have been comprehensively reviewed in the previous chapters with one minor exception. Early work has shown that ocean acidification significantly affects the propagation of sound in seawater and suggested possible consequences for marine organisms sensitive to sound (Hester et al . 2008). However, sub sequent studies have shown that the changes in the upper-ocean sound absorption coefficient at future pH levels will have no or a small impact on ocean acoustic noise (Joseph and Chiu 2010; Udovydchenkov et al . 2010). The goal of this section is to condense the current knowledge about the consequences of ocean acidification in 15 key statements. Each statement is given levels of evidence and, when possible, a level of confidence as recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for use in its 5th Assessment Report (Mastrandrea et al. 2010).

scholarly journals The Moderating Role of Intellectual Capital between Relationship of Bank Specific Factors and Credit Risk of Islamic Banks

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 79-87
Author(s):  
Muhammad Nawaz ◽  
Alias Mat Nor ◽  
Habibah Tolos
Keyword(s):  
Credit Risk ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Moderating Role

Purpose-The Objective of this study is to investigate the moderating role of Intellectual Capital between the relationship of Bank internal factor and Credit Risk in Islamic banks of Pakistan. Design/Methodology-Panel data are obtained from annual reports of 4 Islamic banks of Pakistan from the period 2006 to 2017. These are analyzed using hierarchical regression techniques, via Eviews 9 software. Findings-The results showed that intellectual capital significantly moderates the relationship of bank internal variable and credit risk in Islamic banks in Pakistan. Practical Implications-The study found that Intellectual Capital is a very important driver for credit risk. The investment in Intellectual Capital may lower the credit risk which will further help in the growth and sustainability of the bank and hence the growth in the economy. The results of the study will be useful for bank management, policy maker, and regulator and academia for future research.

scholarly journals A gender bias in the calcification response to ocean acidification

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 8485-8513 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Holcomb ◽  
A. L. Cohen ◽  
D. C. McCorkle
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Elevated Co2 ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Elevated Pco2 ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Astrangia Poculata ◽  
Population Structures ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
Increased Sensitivity ◽  
Ambient Co2

Abstract. The effects of nutrients and pCO2 on zooxanthellate and azooxanthellate colonies of the temperate scleractinian coral Astrangia poculata (Ellis and Solander, 1786) were investigated at two different temperatures (16 °C and 24 °C). Corals exposed to elevated pCO2 tended to have lower relative calcification rates, as estimated from changes in buoyant weights. No nutrient effect was observed. At 16 °C, gamete release was not observed, and no gender differences in calcification rate were observed. However, corals grown at 24 °C spawned repeatedly and male and female corals exhibited two different growth rate patterns. Female corals grown at 24 °C and exposed to CO2 had calcification rates 39 % lower than females grown at ambient CO2, while males showed only a 5 % decline in calcification under elevated CO2. At 16 °C, female and male corals showed similar reductions in calcification rates in response to elevated CO2 (15 % and 19 % respectively). At 24 °C, corals spawned repeatedly, while no spawning was observed at 16 °C. The increased sensitivity of females to elevated pCO2 may reflect a greater investment of energy in reproduction (egg production) relative to males (sperm production). These results suggest that both gender and spawning are important factors in determining the sensitivity of corals to ocean acidification and their inclusion in future research may be critical to predicting how the population structures of marine calcifiers will change in response to ocean acidification.

scholarly journals A Multiscale Productivity Assessment of High Andean Peatlands across the Chilean Altiplano Using 31 Years of Landsat Imagery

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 2955 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto O. Chávez ◽  
Duncan A. Christie ◽  
Matías Olea ◽  
Talia G. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Landsat Imagery ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Regional Patterns ◽  
Unique Type ◽  
Study Region ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Productivity Dynamics ◽  
Productivity Assessment

The high Andean peatlands, locally known as “bofedales”, are a unique type of wetland distributed across the high-elevation South American Altiplano plateau. This extensive peatland network stores significant amounts of carbon, regulates local and regional hydrological cycles, supports habitats for a variety of plant and animal species, and has provided critical water and forage resources for the livestock of the indigenous Aymara communities for thousands of years. Nevertheless, little is known about the productivity dynamics of the high Andean peatlands, particularly in the drier western Altiplano region bordering the Atacama desert. Here, we provide the first digital peatland inventory and multiscale productivity assessment for the entire western Altiplano (63,705 km2) using 31 years of Landsat data (about 9000 scenes) and a non-parametric approach for estimating phenological metrics. We identified 5665 peatland units, covering an area of 510 km2, and evaluated the spatiotemporal productivity patterns at the regional, peatland polygon, and individual pixel scales. The regional assessment shows that the peatland areas and peatlands with higher productivity are concentrated towards the northern part of our study region, which is consistent with the Altiplano north–south aridity gradient. Regional patterns further reveal that the last seven years (2011–2017) have been the most productive period over the past three decades. While individual pixels show contrasting patterns of reductions and gains in local productivity during the most recent time period, most of the study area has experienced increases in annual productivity, supporting the regional results. Our novel database can be used not only to explore future research questions related to the social, biological, and hydrological influences on peatland productivity patterns, but also to provide technical support for the sustainable development of livestock practices and conservation and water management policy in the Altiplano region.

scholarly journals THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ON CORAL REEFS

2012 ◽  
Vol 03 (01) ◽  
pp. 1250002 ◽  
Author(s):  
LUKE M. BRANDER ◽  
KATRIN REHDANZ ◽  
RICHARD S. J. TOL ◽  
PIETER J. H. VAN BEUKERING
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Economic Impact ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Atmospheric Concentration ◽  
Value Transfer ◽  
Rapid Economic Growth ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Coral Reef Area

Because ocean acidification has only recently been recognized as a problem caused by CO2 emissions, impact studies are still rare and estimates of the economic impact are absent. This paper estimates the economic impact of ocean acidification on coral reefs which are generally considered to be economically as well as ecologically important ecosystems. First, we conduct an impact assessment in which atmospheric concentration of CO2 is linked to ocean acidity causing coral reef area loss. Next, a meta-analytic value transfer is applied to determine the economic value of coral reefs around the world. Finally, these two analyses are combined to estimate the economic impact of ocean acidification on coral reefs for the four IPCC marker scenarios. We find that the annual economic impact rapidly escalates over time, because the scenarios have rapid economic growth in the relevant countries and coral reefs are a luxury good. Nonetheless, the annual value in 2100 in still only a fraction of total income, one order of magnitude smaller than the previously estimated impact of climate change. Although the estimated impact is uncertain, the estimated confidence interval spans one order of magnitude only. Future research should seek to extend the estimates presented here to other impacts of ocean acidification and investigate the implications of our findings for climate policy.

scholarly journals The Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Marine Ecosystems and Reliant Human Communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott C. Doney ◽  
D. Shallin Busch ◽  
Sarah R. Cooley ◽  
Kristy J. Kroeker
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Shoreline Protection ◽  
Biological Impacts ◽  
Estuarine Coastal

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation, along with agriculture and land-use practices are causing wholesale increases in seawater CO2 and inorganic carbon levels; reductions in pH; and alterations in acid-base chemistry of estuarine, coastal, and surface open-ocean waters. On the basis of laboratory experiments and field studies of naturally elevated CO2 marine environments, widespread biological impacts of human-driven ocean acidification have been posited, ranging from changes in organism physiology and population dynamics to altered communities and ecosystems. Acidification, in conjunction with other climate change–related environmental stresses, particularly under future climate change and further elevated atmospheric CO2 levels, potentially puts at risk many of the valuable ecosystem services that the ocean provides to society, such as fisheries, aquaculture, and shoreline protection. Thisreview emphasizes both current scientific understanding and knowledge gaps, highlighting directions for future research and recognizing the information needs of policymakers and stakeholders.

scholarly journals A new wave of marine evidence-based management: emerging challenges and solutions to transform monitoring, evaluating, and reporting

2017 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 941-952 ◽  
Author(s):  
P F E Addison ◽  
D J Collins ◽  
R Trebilco ◽  
S Howe ◽  
N Bax ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
New Wave ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Rigorous Evaluation ◽  
Marine Management ◽  
Science Management ◽  
Management And Conservation

Abstract Sustainable management and conservation of the world’s oceans requires effective monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (MER). Despite the growing political and social imperative for these activities, there are some persistent and emerging challenges that marine practitioners face in undertaking these activities. In 2015, a diverse group of marine practitioners came together to discuss the emerging challenges associated with marine MER, and potential solutions to address these challenges. Three emerging challenges were identified: (i) the need to incorporate environmental, social and economic dimensions in evaluation and reporting; (ii) the implications of big data, creating challenges in data management and interpretation; and (iii) dealing with uncertainty throughout MER activities. We point to key solutions to address these challenges across MER activities: (i) integrating models into marine management systems to help understand, interpret, and manage the environmental and socio-economic dimensions of uncertain and complex marine systems; (ii) utilizing big data sources and new technologies to collect, process, store, and analyze data; and (iii) applying approaches to evaluate, account for, and report on the multiple sources and types of uncertainty. These solutions point towards a potential for a new wave of evidence-based marine management, through more innovative monitoring, rigorous evaluation and transparent reporting. Effective collaboration and institutional support across the science–management–policy interface will be crucial to deal with emerging challenges, and implement the tools and approaches embedded within these solutions.

scholarly journals Interactive effects of metal pollution and ocean acidification on physiology of marine organisms

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 653-668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna V. Ivanina ◽  
Inna M. Sokolova
Keyword(s):  
Trace Metals ◽  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Elevated Co2 ◽  
Marine Ecosystems ◽  
Marine Organisms ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Acid Base ◽  
Physiological Basis ◽  
Physiological Functions

Abstract Changes in the global environment such as ocean acidification (OA) may interact with anthropogenic pollutants including trace metals threatening the integrity of marine ecosystems. We analyze recent studies on the interactive effects of OA and trace metals on marine organisms with a focus on the physiological basis of these interactions. Our analysis shows that the responses to elevated CO2 and metals are strongly dependent on the species, developmental stage, metal biochemistry and the degree of environmental hypercapnia, and cannot be directly predicted from the CO2-induced changes in metal solubility and speciation. The key physiological functions affected by both the OA and trace metal exposures involve acid-base regulation, protein turnover and mitochondrial bioenergetics, reflecting the sensitivity of the underlying molecular and cellular pathways to CO2and metals. Physiological interactions between elevated CO2 and metals may impact the organisms’ capacity to maintain acid-base homeostasis and reduce the amount of energy available for fitness-related functions such as growth, development and reproduction thereby affecting survival and performance of estuarine populations. Environmental hypercapnia may also affect the marine food webs by altering predator-prey interactions and the trophic transfer of metals in the food chain. However, our understanding of the degree to which these effects can impact the function and integrity of marine ecosystems is limited due the scarcity of the published research and its bias towards certain taxonomic groups. Future research priorities should include studies of metal x PCO2 interactions focusing on critical physiological functions (including acid-base, protein and energy homeostasis) in a greater range of ecologically and economically important marine species, as well as including the field populations naturally exposed (and potentially adapted) to different levels of metals and CO2 in their environments.

scholarly journals An investigation of the calcification response of the scleractinian coral <i>Astrangia</i> <i>poculata</i> to elevated <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> and the effects of nutrients, zooxanthellae and gender

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Holcomb ◽  
A. L. Cohen ◽  
D. C. McCorkle
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Elevated Co2 ◽  
Scleractinian Coral ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Elevated Pco2 ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Population Structures ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
Increased Sensitivity ◽  
And Gender

Abstract. The effects of nutrients and pCO2 on zooxanthellate and azooxanthellate colonies of the temperate scleractinian coral Astrangia poculata (Ellis and Solander, 1786) were investigated at two different temperatures (16 °C and 24 °C). Corals exposed to elevated pCO2 tended to have lower relative calcification rates, as estimated from changes in buoyant weights. Experimental nutrient enrichments had no significant effect nor did there appear to be any interaction between pCO2 and nutrients. Elevated pCO2 appeared to have a similar effect on coral calcification whether zooxanthellae were present or absent at 16 °C. However, at 24 °C, the interpretation of the results is complicated by a significant interaction between gender and pCO2 for spawning corals. At 16 °C, gamete release was not observed, and no gender differences in calcification rates were observed – female and male corals showed similar reductions in calcification rates in response to elevated CO2 (15% and 19% respectively). Corals grown at 24 °C spawned repeatedly and male and female corals exhibited two different growth rate patterns – female corals grown at 24 °C and exposed to CO2 had calcification rates 39% lower than females grown at ambient CO2, while males showed a non-significant decline of 5% under elevated CO2. The increased sensitivity of females to elevated pCO2 may reflect a greater investment of energy in reproduction (egg production) relative to males (sperm production). These results suggest that both gender and spawning are important factors in determining the sensitivity of corals to ocean acidification, and considering these factors in future research may be critical to predicting how the population structures of marine calcifiers will change in response to ocean acidification.

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