Impacts of ocean acidification on key benthic ecosystems, communities, habitats, species and life cycles
Lead Research Organisation:
Scottish Association For Marine Science
Department Name: Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory
Abstract
The average acidity (pH) of the world's oceans has been stable for the last 25 million years. However, the oceans are now absorbing so much man made CO2 from the atmosphere that measurable changes in seawater pH and carbonate chemistry can be seen. It is predicted that this could affect the basic biological functions of many marine organisms. This in turn could have implications for the survival of populations and communities, as well as the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem function. In the seas around the UK, the habitats that make up the seafloor, along with the animals associated with them, play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy and productive marine ecosystem. This is important considering 40% of the world's population lives within 100 km of the coast and many of these people depend on coastal systems for food, economic prosperity and well-being. Given that coastal habitats also harbour incredibly high levels of biodiversity, any environmental change that affects these important ecosystems could have substantial environmental and economical impacts. During several recent international meetings scientific experts have concluded that new research is urgently needed. In particular we need long-term studies that determine: which organisms are likely to be tolerant to high CO2 and which are vulnerable; whether organisms will have time to adapt or acclimatise to this rapid environmental change; and how the interactions between individuals that determine ecosystem structure will be affected. This current lack of understanding is a major problem as ocean acidification is a rapidly evolving management issue and, with an insufficient knowledge base, policy makers and managers are struggling to formulate effective strategies to sustain and protect the marine environment in the face of ocean acidification. This consortium brings together 25 key researchers from 12 UK organisations to begin to provide the knowledge and understanding so desperately needed. These researchers share a unified vision to quantify, predict and communicate the impact of ocean acidification on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in coastal habitats. They will use laboratory experiments to determine the ways in which ocean acidification will change key physiological processes, organism behaviour, animal interactions, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The understanding gained will be used to build and run conceptual, statistical and numerical models which will predict the impact of future ocean pH scenarios on the biodiversity and function of coastal ecosystems. The consortium will also act as a focal point for UK ocean acidification research promoting communication between many different interested parties; UK and international scientists, policy makers, environmental managers, fisherman, conservationists, the media, students and the general public.
Publications
Santos I
(2012)
Influence of porewater advection on denitrification in carbonate sands: Evidence from repacked sediment column experiments
in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Natalie Hicks (Author)
(2004)
Interactive effects of multiple stressors and temporal variability on benthic ecosystem function in a model system
in Global Change
Currie AR
(2017)
Marine Microbial Gene Abundance and Community Composition in Response to Ocean Acidification and Elevated Temperature in Two Contrasting Coastal Marine Sediments.
in Frontiers in microbiology
Natalie Hicks (Author)
(2013)
Ocean acidification and elevated temperature effects on oxygen flux in cohesive and permeable coastal sediments
in Biogeosciences
Queirós A
(2015)
Optical assessment of impact and recovery of sedimentary pH profiles in ocean acidification and carbon capture and storage research
in International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
Jovanovic Z
(2014)
Oxygen dynamics and porewater transport in sediments inhabited by the invasive polychaete Marenzelleria viridis
in Marine Ecology Progress Series
Kessler A
(2012)
Quantifying denitrification in rippled permeable sands through combined flume experiments and modeling
in Limnology and Oceanography
Jovanovic Z
(2015)
Rhizosphere O2 dynamics in young Zostera marina and Ruppia maritima
in Marine Ecology Progress Series
Sejr M
(2014)
Seasonal dynamics of autotrophic and heterotrophic plankton metabolism and P CO2 in a subarctic Greenland fjord
in Limnology and Oceanography
Ingels J
(2018)
Short-term CO 2 exposure and temperature rise effects on metazoan meiofauna and free-living nematodes in sandy and muddy sediments: Results from a flume experiment
in Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
Description | In short, we have developed and optimized novel sensing approaches for combined two-dimensional measurements of trace metal fluxes, oxygen and pH in complex systems - like sediments. The work has demonstrated the importance of rhizospheres, infauna and tidal dynamics for inducing redox oscillation which has great implications for transport and mobility of trace metals. The project inspired and initiated a wide range of novel sensor developments that still are ongoing. |
Exploitation Route | Our findings have been presented in more than 20 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and several international conferences. Several international research teams have contacted us and received training in these new measuring approaches. This has also initiated new collaborations and research projects. |
Sectors | Environment |
Description | The work has been included in teaching activities on undergraduate and graduate level |
First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
Sector | Education,Environment |
Impact Types | Societal |