[Vision2020] NOAA: Study Details Ocean Acidification in the Caribbean

[Ted Moffett]

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20081121_coralacidification.html

Conducted by scientists from NOAA and the University of Miami's Rosenstiel
School of Marine and Atmospheric Science <http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/>, the
study was published in the Oct. 31, 2008 issue of the *Journal of
Geophysical Research – Oceans*.

Previous NOAA studies have shown that a quarter of the carbon dioxide that
humans place in the atmosphere each year ends up being dissolved into the
ocean. The result is the ocean becomes more acidic, making it harder for
corals, clams, oysters, and other marine life to build their skeletons or
shells. A number of recent studies demonstrate that ocean acidification is
likely to harm coral reefs by slowing coral growth and making reefs more
vulnerable to erosion and storms.

In the new study, NOAA scientists used four years of ocean chemistry
measurements taken aboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship *Explorer of
the Seas* together with daily satellite observations to estimate changes in
ocean chemistry over the past two decades in the Caribbean region. The
resulting new ocean acidification tracking products are available
online<http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/oa/>along with
animations of the changes since 1988.

"Ocean acidification has become an important issue to coral reef managers
and researchers," said Tim Keeney, deputy assistant secretary for oceans and
atmosphere and co-chair of the United States Coral Reef Task Force. "These
new tools provide these communities with better information to guide future
research. This is the first time that anyone has been able to track ocean
acidification on a monthly basis."

The study supports other findings that ocean acidification is likely to
reduce coral reef growth to critical levels before the end of this century
unless humans significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions. While ocean
chemistry across the region is currently deemed adequate to support coral
reefs, it is rapidly changing as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rise.
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Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
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