News about the EPOCA project. http://www.epoca-project.eu Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:25:42 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/20100222278/What-do-we-do-/News/FAQs-about-ocean-acidification.html Ocean acidification is a new field of research in which most studies have been published in the past 10 years. Hence, there are some certainties, but many questions remain. Ocean acidification is also a multi-disciplinary research area that encompasses topics such as chemistry, paleontology, biology, ecology, biogeochemistry, modeling, and social sciences. Furthermore, some aspects of ocean acidification research, for example the carbonate chemistry, are intricate and counterintuitive. For these reasons, the media and the general public find some scientific issues or results confusing.The U.S. Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB (http://www.whoi.edu)) program, supported by the European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA (http://www.epoca-project.eu)), has compiled a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs). These questions were widely distributed to the research community with the request to draft concise replies summarizing current knowledge, yet avoiding jargon. The replies were then subject to an open peer-review and revision process to ensure readability without any loss of scientific accuracy. The response of the community was enthusiastic. In total, 27 scientists from 19 institutions and 5 countries contributed to the whole process.We do hope that this FAQ list will prove useful and would like to point out that it is an on-going process. Anyone is invited to seek clarification or send comments to Sarah Cooley. The list will be revised periodically using this input.Joan Kleypas and Richard Feely (OCB) and Jean-Pierre Gattuso (EPOCA), 22 February 2010.The list is available on the OCB [http://www.whoi.edu/OCB-OA/FAQs/ (http://www.whoi.edu/OCB-OA/FAQs/)] and EPOCA [http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/FAQ.html (index.php/FAQ.html)] web sites What do we do? - News Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:56:31 +0100 http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/20100201271/What-do-we-do-/News/Training-workshop-on-the-best-practices-in-ocean-acidification-research.html A training workshop in ocean acidification research will be jointly organized by EPOCA, BIOACID, CalMarO and OCB. The workshop, which will be held at IFM-GEOMAR in Kiel during March 8-12, 2010, will build upon recommendations from the Guide of Best Practices in Ocean Acidification Research and Data Reporting. It will combine lectures and hands-on practical training on a range of key issues in OA research, includingmeasurements and calculations of the seawater carbonate systemapproaches and tools to manipulate carbonate chemistrychoice of CO2 levels in perturbation experimentsdesigning experiments and sampling to maximize statistical powerbiogeochemical assessmentscalcification rate measurementsmetabolic rates and gas exchange in heterotrophic organismsmolecular approaches and membrane transport studiesdata reporting, management and policiesIf you are interested to attend this workshop, please send a short application (half a page) explaining your background and why you would like to participate to Monika Peschke (mpeschke (at) ifm-geomar.de) until February 15, 2010. For a detailed programme see http://bioacid.ifm-geomar.de/ (http://bioacid.ifm-geomar.de/) or http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/OA-workshop-2010.html (index.php/OA-workshop-2010.html). Participants are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation expenses.Coordinators: Ulf Riebesell, Richard Bellerby, Jean-Pierre Gattuso What do we do? - News Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:46:43 +0100 http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/20091210266/What-do-we-do-/News/Un-appel-a-l-action-contre-l-acidification-de-l-ocean-EPOCA-in-French.html Un appel à l'action contre l'acidification de l'océan (EPOCA)- communiqué de presse (in French) Une réduction importante et immédiate des émissions de dioxyde de carbone (CO2) est nécessaire pour limiter significativement l'acidification des océans et empêcher l'extinction d'espèces marines, des risques sur la sécurité alimentaire et des conséquences socio-économiques significatives. Voilà ce qu'énoncent de nombreux experts, dont les membres du projet européen EPOCA, dans un guide intitulé "L'acidification de l'océan - Les faits" qui vient d'être publié dans le cadre de la conférence des Nations Unies sur le climat à Copenhague.Transmis aujourd'hui aux décideurs participant à la Conférence des Nations Unies sur le climat à Copenhague, le guide "L'acidification de l'océan - Les faits" prend acte des dernières avancées scientifiques sur l'acidification des océans et décrit les étapes qui seront nécessaires à l'arrêt de son accélération. Ce guide introductif est destiné aux conseillers et décideurs politiques. Il a été conçu par le Groupe d'utilisateurs(1) (http://www.insu.cnrs.fr/a3317,appel-action-contre-acidification-ocean-epoca.html#n1) sur l'acidification de l'océan, partie intégrante du projet européen EPOCA, et validé par des scientifiques du projet. Sa réalisation a été financée par Natural England et EPOCA. Il est disponible en cinq langues (anglais, français, espagnol, arabe et chinois).Télécharger le guide dans la langue de votre choix (index.php/Ocean-Acidification-the-facts.html)"L'acidification des océans est "le problème jumeau" du changement climatique dans la mesure où tous deux sont la conséquence de l'augmentation des émissions de CO2" déclare Dan Laffoley, vice président de la Commission mondiale de l'IUCN (International union for conservation of nature) sur les aires marines protégées et responsable éditorial du guide. "Nous avons employé le mode du récit pour peindre un tableau des nombreux mécanismes par lesquels l'acidification de l'océan peut altérer la manière dont l'océan fonctionne. Compte tenu des conséquences de grande envergure possibles, nous espérons que ce guide aura un impact auprès des décideurs et qu'ils placeront l'océan au centre des discussions sur le climat".Ce que ce guide dit en substance : Environ le quart du CO2 émis par les activités humaines (25 millions de tonnes par jour). Cette absorption, qui va croissant compte tenu de la croissance des émissions, rend l'eau de mer de plus en plus acide, menaçant écosystèmes et espèces importantes pour l'alimentation et l'économie. En outre, cette augmentation de l'acidité de l'océan tend à réduire sa capacité à absorber le CO2 et donc à réguler le climat.L'acidité de l'eau de mer a augmentée de 30 % depuis le début de la période industrielle, il y a 250 ans. Si, comme il est prévu, ce phénomène s'accélère au cours des 4 prochaines décennies, elle pourrait augmenter de 120 % d'ici à 2060, soit un niveau supérieur à ceux qu'a connu notre planète au cours des 21 derniers millions d'années.Les précédents épisodes d'acidification de l'océan ont donné lieu à des extinctions massives d'espèces.Certaines régions atteignent déjà un niveau d'acidité qui empêche la survie de larves d'espèces commerciales (moules et huîtres).De nombreux organismes fabriquant un squelette ou une coquille calcaire sont déjà affectés, ce qui réduit leur rôle de producteurs primaires et de constructeurs de récifs.D'ici 2050, les récifs coralliens vont se trouver dans des eaux inhospitalières (plus chaudes et plus acides), qui menaceront leur rôle de protection contre les effets destructeurs de la houle et des tempêtes. D'ici 2100, 70 % des coraux profonds seront dans des eaux corrosives pour leur squelette. Seuls une réduction immédiate et substantielle des émissions de CO2 et le développement de technologies permettant son élimination permettront de limiter l'acidification des océans et son effet sur les écosystèmes marins. Selon Jean-Pierre Gattuso, coordonnateur d'EPOCA et océanographe au Laboratoire d'océanographie de Villefranche (CNRS, UPMC), "Le problème de l'acidification de l'océan n'est contesté par personne, même si l'ampleur de ses effets sur les organismes marins et de son impact socio-économique restent mal connus. Ce guide a pour objet de faire comprendre aux décideurs que les négociations sur les émissions futures de CO2 doivent prendre en compte non seulement le changement climatique mais aussi le problème de l'acidification des océans." EPOCA (European project on ocean acidification) Le projet européen (FP 7) IUCN (http://www.iucn.org/) est l'organisation environnementale globale la plus ancienne et la plus importante, avec plus de 1000 gouvernements et membres d'ONG et près de 11000 experts volontaires d'environ 160 pays. Elle a pour objectif d'identifier des solutions pragmatiques aux défis environnementaux et de développement les plus pressants et de soutenir la recherche scientifique, dans les domaines de la biodiversité, du changement climatique, de l'énergie, des modes de vie et de la sensibilisation à l'environnement. Note(s) Ce groupe est constitué de décideurs politiques, d'industriels, d'ONG... Contact(s) Jean-Pierre Gattuso (mailto:gattuso@obs-vlfr.fr), LOV/OOV CNRS-INSU, 10 December 2009. Communiqué de presse. (http://www.insu.cnrs.fr/a3317,appel-action-contre-acidification-ocean-epoca.html) What do we do? - News Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:29:45 +0100 http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/20091210264/What-do-we-do-/News/Ocean-acidification-an-underwater-time-bomb.html Alarming progression of ocean acidity posing major threat to marine ecosystems Ocean acidity has increased by 30 per cent since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and the rate of acidification will accelerate in the coming decades, according to a new guide launched at the UN Copenhagen Climate Change summit today (10 Dec 09). The results could spell disaster for critical parts of the marine food chain, with knock-on consequences for fishing communities and the global fishing industry, and wide-scale destruction of marine reefs. Sponsored by Natural England, the European Project on Ocean Acidification’s (EPOCA) guide called ‘Ocean Acidification: The Facts’ highlights the severity of an underwater time-bomb that could have massive implications for marine wildlife and the health of the marine environment. Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England, said: “Acidification of our seas is being directly linked to the growing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and our oceans are struggling to cope. The threat to the delicate balance of the marine environment cannot be overstated - this is a conservation challenge of unprecedented scale and highlights the urgent need for effective marine management and protection.” The EPOCA guide to ‘Ocean Acidification: The Facts’ reveals that: The current rate of ocean acidification is many times faster than anything experienced over the last 55 million years. Underwater reefs – a vital habitat for marine wildlife – may be severely affected. More acidic sea water harms the ability of many ocean animals and plants to build skeletons or shells, disrupting their role as reef builders and removing essential primary food sources for marine wildlife. By 2050, conditions for warm water coral reefs will be marginal, compromising the reefs’ ability to protect low-lying areas from erosion and flooding.Acidic sea water may be corrosive enough to kill oyster larvae in hatcheries and other shallower marine habitats and species closer to the coast. Economic interests and food security are at risk, particularly in regions especially dependent on seafood protein. Natural England’s Professor Dan Laffoley, co-editor of the guide and also Marine Vice-Chair of IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas, said: “Ocean acidification only really came to the fore about five years ago, and yet already an amazing number of scientific statements are being published worldwide, showing a real depth of concern about this issue. As acidity and sea temperature increase, the ocean’s ability to absorb atmospheric CO2 will be reduced, exacerbating the rate of climate change. Much is unknown about the impacts but one possible consequence is that this could trigger a chain reaction that reverberates throughout the marine food web … starting with vulnerable species such as larval fish and shell fish, and ending with detrimental effects to the global fishing industry and the food security of many of the world’s poorest people.” The EPOCA ocean acidification guide draws on the experience of the Ocean Acidification Reference User Group (RUG), coupled with the knowledge of some of the world’s leading experts on ocean acidification, to provide an introduction for policy advisers and decision makers on this urgent issue. It has been translated into five languages to highlight the global nature of the problem and the need for urgent international action to address it. - Ends - Notes to Editors: 1. The EPOCA guide is called ‘Ocean Acidification: The Facts. A special introductory guide for policy advisers and decision makers’ (12pp) co-edited by Professor Dan Laffoley and John Baxter. The guide was produced with financial support from Natural England and EPOCA and is based on best practice communication approaches pioneered by the UK’s Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership. Leading scientists and organisations worldwide freely gave their time and expertise. A PDF of the guide, with embedded hyperlinks to relevant material, is available on: http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/Outreach/RUG/ (index.php/Outreach/RUG/). 2. The guide is published in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese. 3. About EPOCA: The EU FP7 large-scale integrating project EPOCA (European Project on OCean Acidification) was launched in May 2008 with the overall goal to fill the numerous gaps in our understanding of ocean acidification and its consequences. The EPOCA consortium brings together more than 100 researchers from 27 institutes and 9 European countries. The research of this four-year long project is partly funded by the European Commission. Natural England (http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/), 10 December 2009. Press release (http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/news/2009/101209.aspx). What do we do? - News Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:39:44 +0100 http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/20091210263/What-do-we-do-/News/Acid-Oceans-warning-to-Copenhagen-negotiators.html A scientific summary on ocean acidification, written by a team of researchers from France, Germany, the UK, the USA, and Australia, and coordinated by the European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA), was released today in Copenhagen. The guide aims to increase understanding of the science of ocean acidification and shows in clear and simple terms how the ocean is being made more acidic by human-produced carbon dioxide emissions. The guide, written for policymakers worldwide, illustrates the double impact of climate change and ocean acidification on our seas, both caused by increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide. It sets out the basic facts about the progressive acidification of the ocean and its impact on marine ecosystems. The 30% increase in ocean acidity since the Industrial Revolution represents a pace of chemical change faster than any in the past 55 million years. “We now have data from nature that ocean acidification is already having an impact on some marine organisms,” says guide contributor Dr Will Howard of the Antarctic Climate Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC) in Hobart, Tasmania. “Until recently the impact on marine life had only been predicted from computer models and laboratory experiments; now we have demonstrated the effect in the ocean itself.” The broader implications for ocean ecosystems are still poorly understood, says guide co- editor Dr John Baxter of Scottish Natural Heritage and the UK Marine Climate Impacts Partnership. “Ocean acidification impacts may ripple up through food webs, affecting fisheries and the benefits we derive from the marine environment,” according to Dr Baxter, who is participating in an Antarctic voyage with ACE CRC researchers to gather data on the vulnerability of Southern Ocean plankton to ocean acidification. The guide also stresses that polar oceans are among the most vulnerable to ocean acidification, and the current voyage seeks to gather baseline data on plankton there. “We urgently need data on the current state of organisms affected by ocean acidification to give a benchmark for assessing future changes,” notes ACE CRC researcher and guide contributor Dr Donna Roberts, who will be leading the team on the voyage. The guide distinguishes between climate change and ocean acidification. Acidification is largely independent of climate as it is driven by carbon dioxide’s chemical behaviour in seawater rather than its activity as a greenhouse gas. The long time lags between CO2 emissions and the ocean’s buffering capacity also put a premium on early emissions cuts and a penalty on delay. Dr Howard says “We are committing ourselves to further acidification of the oceans as we continue emissions, and policymakers need to be aware of the broader implications of carbon dioxide beyond the risks posed by climate change.” • Dr Will Howard can be contacted on +61 437 662 656 • High-quality vision and images available. Ocean Acidification: the facts. A special introductory guide for policy advisers and decision makers was produced by the European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA). Australian advisers on the development of the guide were Drs Donna Roberts and Will Howard of the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC). The Antarctic Climate Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC) is a collaborative partnership dedicated to the study of atmospheric and oceanic processes of the Southern Ocean, their role in global and regional climate change, and their impact on sustainable management of Antarctic marine ecosystems. The ACE CRC’s core partners are the Australian Antarctic Division, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, and the University of Tasmania. Supporting partners are the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (Germany), the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, the Australian National University, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (New Zealand), Silicon Graphics International, and the Tasmanian Department of Economic Development. Established and supported under the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centre Program. Antarctic Climate Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre. www.acecrc.org.au (http://www.acecrc.org.au/) What do we do? - News Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:33:08 +0100 http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/20091210262/What-do-we-do-/News/Stop-our-oceans-souring-a-new-guide-calls-for-action-against-ocean-acidification.html Copenhagen, Denmark, 10 December 2009 (IUCN) – Deep and immediate cuts in emissions are needed to stall ocean acidification and prevent mass extinction of marine species, food insecurity and serious damage to the world economy, according to IUCN. Released today at UNFCCC COP 15 in Copenhagen, ‘Ocean acidification – the facts’ takes stock of the latest science on oceans acidification and spells out the steps that are urgently needed to stop its acceleration. Increased release of CO2 in the atmosphere is making seawater more acidic and is threatening ecosystems and species precious for our food and economy. It is also reducing the ocean’s ability to absorb CO2 and regulate climate. Previous episodes of ocean acidification were linked to mass extinctions of some species, and it is reasonable to assume that this episode could have the same consequences. There can be little doubt that the ocean is undergoing dramatic changes that will impact many human lives now and in coming generations, unless we act quickly and decisively. “Ocean acidification can be best described as the evil twin of climate change,” says Dan Laffoley, lead editor of the guide, Marine Vice Chair of IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas and member of Natural England’s Chief Scientist’s team. “We have used story-telling to paint a picture of the many ways in which ocean acidification may alter how the ocean works – given the possible far-reaching consequences we hope this guide acts as a wake-up call to decision makers to place the ocean centre stage in climate discussions and conclusions” The ocean provides about half of the Earth’s natural resources and humankind takes direct advantage of this through our fisheries and shellfisheries. The ocean also absorbs 25 percent of all the carbon dioxide we emit each year, and produces half the oxygen we breathe. Ocean acidity has increased by 30 percent since industrialization began 250 years ago. If CO2 levels in the atmosphere continue to rise, sea water acidity could increase by 120 percent by 2060 – greater than anything experienced in the past 21 million years. By 2100, 70 percent of cold water corals may be exposed to corrosive water. Given the lag between CO2 emissions and a stabilisation of acidification, it could take tens of thousands of years before the ocean’s properties are restored and even longer for full biological recovery. This demands immediate and substantial emissions cuts and technology that actively removes CO2. “There is an increasingly real and very urgent need to dramatically cut emissions. The ocean is what makes Earth habitable and different from anywhere else we know in our solar system and beyond – now’s the time to act to minimise the impacts on our life support system while we still have time,” says Carl Gustaf Lundin, Head of IUCN’s Marine Programme. Notes to editors Ocean Acidification: The Facts, a special introductory guide for policy advisers and decision makers, is a product of the Ocean Acidification Reference User Group, an Initiative of the European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA). Production of the guide was sponsored by Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage, EPOCA, IUCN and leading scientists and organisations worldwide who freely gave their time and expertise. Download the guide at http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/Outreach/RUG/ (index.php/Outreach/RUG/) B-Roll will be available at the press conference in Copenhagen from Antinea Foundation. For more information or to set up interviews, please contact: Pia Drzewinski, Media Relations Officer, IUCN Tel. +41 76 505 8865, e pia.drzewinski@iunc.org About IUCN IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. IUCN works on biodiversity, climate change, energy, human livelihoods and greening the world economy by supporting scientific research, managing field projects all over the world, and bringing governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization, with more than 1,000 government and NGO members and almost 11,000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by over 1,000 staff in 60 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. www.iucn.org (http://www.iucn.org/) About EPOCA The EU FP7 large-scale integrating project EPOCA (European Project on Ocean Acidification) was launched in May 2008 with the overall goal to fill the numerous gaps in our understanding of ocean acidification and its consequences. The EPOCA consortium brings together more than 100 researchers from 27 institutes and 9 European countries. The research of this four-year long project is partly funded by the European Commission. www.naturalengland.org.uk (http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/) About Antinea Foundation (B-Roll provider) The Antinea Foundation, an NGO based in Switzerland, contributes to better protection of the oceans. In 2009 it launched the Changing Oceans Expedition which will visit 100 of the world’s most important marine eco-regions over the next 10 years. In partnership with IUCN and UNESCO research carried out onboard its flagship “Fleur de Passion” will allow gathering data on the gradient of human impact on the oceans. http://www.antinea-foundation.org/ International Union for Conservation of Nature (http://www.iucn.org/), 10 December 2009, press release (http://www.iucn.org/what/climate/resources/news/?4327/Stop-our-oceans-souring). What do we do? - News Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:30:09 +0100 http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/20091210261/What-do-we-do-/News/Ocean-Acidification-the-facts.html A special introductory guide for policy advisers and decision makers Release date: 10th December 2009 Copenhagen, December 2009, is when the world will wait to see how we will meet the greatest challenge of our generation – climate change. Today, the Reference User Group of EPOCA, the European Project on Ocean Acidification, releases a ground-breaking new guide to ocean acidification – how the ocean is becoming progressively more acidic due to the carbon dioxide we emit. With an overall message to dramatically cut our emissions of carbon dioxide the guide places the ocean centre stage. It shows in simple and clear words how our ocean is being driven towards unnaturally more acidic conditions and why this matters. It explains what this means now and in the future for all of us, and what is being done about it. For the first time an easy to understand guide on this most critical of issues is simultaneously available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese, with global distribution. Pick up your copy from: http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/Outreach/RUG/ (index.php/Ocean-Acidification-the-facts.html) This guide is the first product prepared by the Ocean Acidification Reference User Group, an initiative of the European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA), whose role is to work with leading scientists to rapidly communicate key messages to policy advisers, decision makers and, beyond that, a mass public audience. Production of the guide was sponsored by Natural England, EPOCA and leading scientists and organizations worldwide who freely gave their time and expertise to create this landmark product. What do we do? - News Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:05:56 +0100 http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/20091026254/What-do-we-do-/News/EPOCA-will-release-a-special-introductory-guide-for-policy-advisers-and-decision-makers.html Ocean Acidification - the facts Release date: 10th December 2009Copenhagen, December 2009, is when the world will wait to see how we will meet the greatest challenge of our generation - climate change. Copenhagen is where we will also release a ground-breaking new guide to ocean acidification - how the ocean is becoming progressively more acidic due to the carbon dioxide we emit.With an overall message to dramatically cut our emissions of carbon dioxide the guide places the ocean centre stage. It shows in simple and clear words how our ocean is being driven towards unnaturally more acidic conditions and why this matters. It explains what this means now and in the future for all of us, and what is being done about it. For the first time an easy to understand guide on this most critical of issues will be simultaneously available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese, with global distribution. Pick up your copy from 10th December onwards from:http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/Outreach/RUG/ (index.php/Outreach/RUG/) The guide is the first product to be prepared by the Ocean Acidification Reference User Group, an initiative of the European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA), whose role is to work with leading scientists to rapidly communicate key messages to policy advisers, decision makers and, beyond that, a mass public audience. Production of the guide was sponsored by Natural England and EPOCA by leading scientists and organizations worldwide who freely gave their time and expertise to create this landmark product. What do we do? - News Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:04:04 +0100 http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/20091013251/What-do-we-do-/News/Seacarb-gets-updated-to-v.-2.2.html Andreas Hofmann kindly reported some bugs in the pressure corrections used in seacarb. Note that this did not affect calculations for surface waters (P=0). Hopefully, version 2.2 fixes all bugs and provides accurate values at depth too. The latest version can be downloaded here (http://cran.at.r-project.org/web/packages/seacarb/index.html). Note that it may take a few days before the new version propagates through all CRAN servers. Make sure that you are using version 2.2. seacarb is a product of the European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA). Comments are welcome (bug reports too!). Jean-Pierre Gattuso (gattuso(at)obs-vlfr.fr) and Héloïse Lavigne (heloise.lavigne(at)gmail.com) What do we do? - News Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:05:55 +0100 http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/20090915244/What-do-we-do-/News/Ocean-acidification-impact-on-key-organisms-of-oceanic-fauna.html In addition to global warming, carbon dioxide emissions cause another, less well-known but equally serious and worrying phenomenon: ocean acidification. Researchers in the Laboratoire d'Océanographie at Villefranche (LOV) (CNRS / UPMC) have just demonstrated that key marine organisms, such as deep-water corals and pteropods (shelled pelagic mollusks) will be profoundly affected by this phenomenon during the years to come. Two studies have been published in the journal Biogeosciences. Since 1800, one third of anthropogenic CO2 emissions has been absorbed by the oceans, corresponding to an annual uptake of one ton of CO2 per person. This massive absorption has allowed to partly mitigate climate change but it has also caused a major disruption to the chemistry of seawater. Indeed, this absorbed CO2 causes an acidification of the oceans and, at the current rate of emissions, it is estimated that their pH will fall by 0.4 units between now and 2100. This corresponds to a 3-fold increase of the mean acidity of the oceans, which is unprecedented during the past 20 million years. The LOV team, led by Jean-Pierre Gattuso, studied the impact of such a reduction in pH on calcifying organisms. Pteropods (pelagic marine mollusks) and deep-water corals, both playing essential roles in their respective ecosystems, live in areas that will be among the first to be affected by ocean acidification. The pteropod Limacina helicina thus has an important part to play in the food chain and functioning of the Arctic marine ecosystem. Its calcium carbonate shell provides vital protection. However, the LOV study has shown that the shell of this mollusk develops at a rate that is 30% slower when it is kept in seawater with the characteristics anticipated in 2100. An even more marked reduction (50%) has been measured in the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa. While tropical coral reefs are built by a large number of species, coral communities in cold waters are constructed by one or two species but provide shelter for many others. A reduction in the growth of reef-building corals due to ocean acidification may therefore threaten the very existence of these biological structures. These first results raise major concerns about the future of pteropods, deep-water corals and the organisms that depend on them for nutrition or habitat. Research programs such as EPOCA(1), coordinated by CNRS, are planning new studies on other marine organisms and ecosystems. They are carrying out long-term experiments to study the combined impact of ocean acidification and other parameters that will also be modified during the decades to come, such as temperature and nutrient concentrations. Ocean acidification can only be controlled by limiting future atmospheric levels of CO2. Negotiations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions (COP 15) are under way and should be finalized in Copenhagen next December. These negotiations must take account not only of increased temperature but also of the acidic nature of CO2 which, once absorbed by the oceans, will have potentially dramatic effects on numerous marine organisms and ecosystems. Notes: (1) The EU FP7 large-scale integrating project EPOCA (European Project on OCean Acidification) was launched in May 2008 with the overall goal to fill the numerous gaps in our understanding of ocean acidification and its consequences. The EPOCA consortium brings together more than 100 researchers from 27 institutes and 9 European countries. The research of this four-year long project is partly funded by the European Commission. Project web site: View web site (http://epoca-project.eu./) Previous press release: View web site (http://www2.cnrs.fr/presse/communique/1345.htm) References:Impact of ocean acidification on a key Arctic pelagic mollusc (Limacina helicina). Comeau S., Gorsky G., Jeffree R., Teyssié J. L., Gattuso J.-P. Published in September in Biogeosciences Calcification of the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa under ambient and reduced pH. Maier C., Hegeman J., Weinbauer M. G., Gattuso J.-P. Published in August in Biogeosciences Contact information:Researcher l Jean-Pierre Gattuso l T 04 93 76 38 59 l gattuso@obs-vlfr.fr (mailto:gattuso@obs-vlfr.fr) CNRS press office l Jonathan Rangapanaiken l T 01 44 96 51 37 l jonathan.rangapanaiken@cnrs-dir.fr (mailto:jonathan.rangapanaiken@cnrs-dir.fr) CNRS Press release. 15 September 2009. Article (http://www2.cnrs.fr/en/1544.htm). What do we do? - News Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:30:42 +0100