Projects
| Title | Seawater Chemistry Change in the Bahamas |
| Type | Research Project |
| URL | no url available |
| Abstract | Carbonate chemistry equilibria of the the oceans are shifting in response to increasing atmospheric CO2. Ocean pH is decreasing (termed 'ocean acidification') and the saturation state of carbonate minerals is decreasing, making it more difficult for organisms to secrete calcium carbonate shells. Unfortunately, carbonate chemistry has never been routinely measured on coral reefs, and there is a need for baseline monitoring the the carbonate system on a daily, seasonal and annual basis. This project is investigating the use of an automated water sampler in a coral reef environment, to collect water samples over several diurnal cycles, analyze the carbonate chemistry, and relate changes in the carbonate chemistry to environmental variables. The instrument is being tested on one of NOAA's Coral Reef Early Warning System platforms, to take advantage of the near-time collection of meteorological and oceanographic information at the site. |
| Participants | Joanie Kleypas Jim Hendee Chris Langdon Rik Wanninkhof |
| Start Date | October, 2004 |
| Funders | |
| Keywords | carbonate chemistry marine coral reefs |
| Research Themes | Climate-Ecosystem-Human Interactions |
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| "Because the pathway to sustainability cannot be
charted in advance, it will have to be navigated through trial and error and conscious experimentation. The urgent need is to
design strategies and institutions that can better integrate incomplete knowledge with experimental action into programs of
adaptive management and social learning." |
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