Comments for Ocean acidification

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11/19/11--10:31: Comment on NSF ocean acidification research funding opportunuty by andrew (chan 1340129)

I would like to know how to get funding for a boat to be on standby for any and all marine scientist any time they need it from any organization or any individual with a new idea on the ocean ecosystem. If the fate of the ocean is becoming important to everyone all should have easy access to it.


11/28/11--17:25: Comment on The acid truth about our oceans: experts urge action to limit ocean acidification by Gail (chan 1340129)

I agree completely that the acidification of the oceans needs to become a prominent topic in the climate change discussion. Having attended the Heartland Institute denier conference last summer, I can tell you that ocean acidification scares them out of their wits, because it's more demonstrably easy to explain, for idiots, than climate change, and the effects are clearly an existential threat. However I also wonder, perhaps somebody could tell me, is anyone, anywhere, examining the possibility that phytoplankton is absorbing tropospheric ozone? Ozone precursors are traveling across oceans and continents, and it impairs the ability of terrestrial plants to photosynthesize - the creeping background levels are killing trees. Phytoplankton has reportedly been reduced by 40% in the last 50 years. Could ozone be why?


11/29/11--00:24: Comment on The acid truth about our oceans: experts urge action to limit ocean acidification by Jean-Pierre Gattuso (chan 1340129)

EPOCA has largely contributed to the guide highlighted in this press release and strongly supports the activities of the International Ocean Acidification Reference User Group. I have one reservation on the title of the press release. Although the use of "acid" is a word play that may be useful to attract attention, I think that one should not use it in this context. Hence, for consistency, I am submitting this comment as I do any time similar word plays are posted on this blog.


11/29/11--06:01: Comment on Effects of pH and temperature on fertilization and early development in the sea urchin, Lytechinus pictus by Peter Thon (chan 1340129)

please! I would like to have the above article so I can used it for my research paper. Thanks Peter


12/13/11--00:19: Comment on Ocean acidification in the freezer by Doug Mackie (chan 1340129)

Understanding the concept of OA is independent of a knowledge of pH. pH is <i>a</i> way of expressing 'acid strength' but the idea that the relative strength of acids varies probably dates back to the first mineral acids of the alchemists. In 1909 people did not suddenly say: "Well thanks to Sorenson we now know pH exists and oh my goodness what about ocean acidification?" My pick for when an understanding of OA was first all put together is far more recent: 1957 Revelle & Suess. (And +10 points for remembering who, 70 years before that, first suggested acids were substances that released hydrogen ions).


01/01/12--22:45: Comment on Happy new year from the EPOCA blog! by Rob Painting (chan 1340129)

Well I, for one, certainly hope you are able to continue this blog. It is very handy to have much of the latest science on OA consolidated in the one place.


01/03/12--22:46: Comment on Happy new year from the EPOCA blog! by Jean-Pierre Gattuso (chan 1340129)

Thanks for your kind words, Rob! We will certainly find a way to continue this service to the community.


01/09/12--00:31: Comment on Taking fears of acid oceans with a grain of salt by Jean-Pierre Gattuso (chan 1340129)

Please find below the copy of a comment posted on the Wall Street Journal web site. Jean-Pierre Gattuso ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matt Ridley does not provide an accurate account of ocean acidification science. I agree with him that some media have used catchy but inaccurate headlines and I often post comments on the ocean acidification blog (http://oceanacidification.wordpress.com/) to explain that the definition of “acidic” in the Oxford English dictionary is “having the properties of an acid; having a pH of less than 7?. Despite the process of ocean acidification (the acidity of seawater has increased about 30% since preindustrial time), the oceans are alkaline (pH higher than 7) and will not become acidic in the foreseeable future. Hence, the "acid" or “acidic” should not be used when referring to seawater. Note that there are few exceptions, seawater can be acidic in the immediate vicinity of CO2 vents or in purposeful perturbation experiments. That being said, and in contrast to Matt Ridley's statements, ocean acidification does impact marine organisms and ecosystems. Some seem to benefit from it (certain, but not all, plants), others are negatively impacted. The papers alluded to in his article precisely show that biodiversity is considerably less in the CO2 vent sites of Ischia (Italy) and Papua New Guinea. At the pH level expected at the end of this century, 30% of the species are eliminated in Ischia (Hall-Spencer et al., 2008). Likewise, in Papua New Guinea, the considerable diversity of Indo-Pacific corals takes a hit at the acidity level projected in 2100, with a taxonomic richness of hard corals down by 39% (Fabricius et al., 2011). Matt Ridley claims that "Laboratory experiments find that more marine creatures thrive than suffer when carbon dioxide lowers the pH level to 7.8". This is also incorrect. Five experts in the field have recently concluded that there is a high level of confidence that "Ocean acidification will adversely affect calcification" (Gattuso et al., 2011). Informing its readership by providing accurate accounts should be a aim of the press. The best way to achieve that goal for the Wall Street Journal and the journalists who contribute to it is to seek the input of the scientific community. Jean-Pierre Gattuso Scientific Coordinator, European Project on Ocean Acidification References cited: Fabricius K. E., Langdon C., Uthicke S., Humphrey C., Noonan S., De’ath G., Okazaki R., Muehllehner N., Glas M. S. & Lough J. M., 2011. Losers and winners in coral reefs acclimatized to elevated carbon dioxide concentrations. Nature Climate change 1:165-169. Gattuso J.-P., Bijma J., Gehlen M., Riebesell U. & Turley C., 2011. Ocean acidification: knowns, unknowns and perspectives. In: Gattuso J.-P. & Hansson L. (Eds.), Ocean acidification, pp. 291-311. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hall-Spencer J. M., Rodolfo-Metalpa R., Martin S., Ransome E., Fine M., Turner S. M., Rowley S. J., Tedesco D. & Buia M.-C., 2008. Volcanic carbon dioxide vents show ecosystem effects of ocean acidification. Nature 454:96-99.


01/09/12--00:36: Comment on Ocean acid threatens food chain by Jean-Pierre Gattuso (chan 1340129)

It is unfortunate that the terminology used in the title and content of this article is misleading. The definition of “acidic” in the Oxford English dictionary is “having the properties of an acid; having a pH of less than 7″. Despite the process of ocean acidification (the acidity of seawater has increased 26% since preindustrial time), the oceans are alkaline (pH higher than 7) and will not become acidic in the foreseeable future. Hence, the "acid" or “acidic” should not be used when referring to seawater. Note that there are few exceptions, seawater can be acidic in the immediate vicinity of CO2 vents or in purposeful perturbation experiments.


01/23/12--07:37: Comment on UNESCO: Oceans could be 150% more acidic by 2100 (video) by Jean-Pierre Gattuso (chan 1340129)

It is unfortunate that the terminology used in this article is misleading. The definition of “acidic” in the Oxford English dictionary is “having the properties of an acid; having a pH of less than 7″. Despite the process of ocean acidification (the acidity of seawater has increased 26% since preindustrial time), the oceans are alkaline (pH higher than 7) and will not become acidic in the foreseeable future. Hence, the "acid" or “acidic” should not be used when referring to seawater. Note that there are few exceptions, seawater can be acidic in the immediate vicinity of CO2 vents or in purposeful perturbation experiments.