News

Two recent science publications calculated acidification rates in the Bering Sea over the past several decades. Both studies found that surface waters on the Bering Sea shelf have acidified due to carbon accumulation in the ocean (i.e. ocean acidification). There were also some nuances.

This spring and summer, kids in Sitka, Petersburg and Angoon got hands-on experience learning about ocean monitoring, chemistry and stewardship through a collaborative program led by UAF and Sitka Cooperative Extension Service.

Each year, information collected by over 100 scientists across Alaska and beyond is gathered and synthesized into an Ecosystem Status Report (ESR) for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Starting in 2019, ocean acidification has been included in the Bering Sea chapter. Read the main take-homes from last year, and expect a new edition this winter.

A researcher team in British Columbia analyzed the effects of ocean acidification and food limitation on juvenile chum salmon. Results showed a 3-fold increase in mortality under higher acidity conditions, which was not mitigated by food availability. Learn more in this interview with the researchers.

A new journal article describes different ocean acidification monitoring systems currently in use, and decision-making considerations for entities interested in establishing a local to regional scale monitoring. The article was authored by NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program and members of the regional ocean acidification networks around the U.S., including the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network.

Earlier this month, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski reintroduced the Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act which focuses on coordination and collaboration between federal, state, local and tribal entities on ocean acidification research and monitoring.

A project called “4-H pH” works with kids to understand ocean acidification. This spring, elementary-school youth in Sitka spent 5 months measuring pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen, as described in this UAF article. The project is supported by 4-H, GLOBE and UAF’s Ocean Acidification Research Center, and NOAA Ocean Acidification Program.

This webinar hosted by the Climate Friendly Fisheries Coalition will provide overview of mCDR for commercial fishermen and their communities; review results from a set of fisherman roundtables that defined key principles of “fishery sensitive” mCDR; and provide next steps for how fishermen can stay involved.

A new Coastal Climate Radio Series explores changes in the marine ecosystem, local observations, and pathways for adaptation through the perspective of fishermen, scientists, and managers on the ground in coastal Alaska. The series, organized by NOAA Fisheries and the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network, includes four conversations each in Kodiak and Sitka. Kodiak public radio KMXT produced the shows.

This Feb 26 webinar was co-hosted by the Alaska OA Network and explored the need for responsible community engagement around mCDR, how it has been approached so far for field experiments, and developing strategies and resources for best practices. Watch the recorded session.

UAF’s Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP) hosted a webinar on Feb 25 to explore ocean acidification in Alaska including what we know about current conditions and species response. You can watch the recorded session with speakers Darcy Dugan (AOOS) and Natalie Monacci (University of Alaska Fairbanks).

Southeast Alaska is considered an ocean acidification hotspot and monitoring efforts from a multitude of groups have contributed to understanding conditions there. Check out a new 4-page brochure that includes maps of inside waters and how we can interpret what is known so far.

Members of the Alaska OA Network’s research community met on Jan 30 during the Alaska Marine Science Symposium to talk about recent science, interpretation of results, and ways to expand species response studies.

UAF’s Ocean Acidification Research Center is offering the opportunity to analyze ocean acidification samples by students. This is a great way to augment your project and work with new research partners.

January 8 is the international “Ocean Acidification Day of Action”. The date was selected because 8.1 is the current average pH of the ocean, and the collective goal is to prevent pH from decreasing below that level. The Ocean Foundation launched the inaugural day of action in 2019 and it is now observed internationally.

Oceanographer Claudine Hauri and her team at University for Alaska Fairbanks are expanding the use of sea gliders to better understand carbon chemistry in Alaska waters.

The Alaska OA Network is partnering on a coastal radio series to elevate the voices of local researchers, fishermen and community members in Kodiak and their perspectives on climate and fisheries. Check out the first two shows.

In Sept, the Alaska OA Network co-hosted a webinar on marine carbon dioxide removal. The session provided an introduction to ocean iron fertilization as a possible method, the science needed to assess potential ecosystem impacts, and the state of field experiments and alternative pathways. Watch the recorded webinar.

Researchers have put together a set of interactive climatologies (long-term average conditions) and atlases depicting OA status across North American marine ecosystems. Read an interview with NOAA’s Simone Alin to learn about what these maps show for Alaska.

Kelp provide many ecosystem services and has been identified as a potential carbon dioxide removal strategy through large-scale cultivation, though many scientific questions remain. This webinar examined the fates, timescales and effectiveness at a local or global scale, as well as ecological and cost considerations.