OCEAN ACIDIFICATION: A CRITICAL EMERGING PROBLEM FOR THE OCEAN SCIENCES

Author(s): SCOTT C. DONEY, WILLIAM M. BALCH, VICTORIA J. FABRY and RICHARD A.

FEELY
Source: Oceanography , Vol. 22, No. 4, Special Issue On The Future of Ocean
Biogeochemistry in a High-CO₂ World (DECEMBER 2009), pp. 16-25
Published by: Oceanography Society
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/24861020

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S P E C I A L I S S U E F E AT U R E

B Y S C O T T C . D O N E Y, W I L L I A M M . B A L C H ,
V I C T O R I A J . F A B R Y , A N D R I C H A R D A . F E E LY

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

A CRITICAL EMERGING PROBLEM

FOR THE OCEAN SCIENCES
ABSTR AC T amount to close to 560 billion tons. A
Over a period of less than a decade, ocean acidification—the change in seawater little less than half of this anthropogenic
chemistry due to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and subsequent CO2 remains in the atmosphere—
impacts on marine life—has become one of the most critical and pressing issues certainly enough to be of grave concern
facing the ocean research community and marine resource managers alike. The objec- as a greenhouse gas leading to climate
tive of this special issue of Oceanography is to provide an overview of the current change. The remainder is, at present,
scientific understanding of ocean acidification as well as to indicate the substantial removed in roughly equal parts into the
gaps in our present knowledge. Papers in the special issue discuss the past, current, ocean and by land vegetation. Revelle
and future trends in seawater chemistry; highlight potential vulnerabilities to marine and Suess (1957) wrote a prophetic
species, ecosystems, and marine resources to elevated CO2; and outline a roadmap view of our perturbations to the global
toward future research directions. In this introductory article, we present a brief carbon cycle: Thus human beings are
introduction on ocean acidification and some historical context for how it emerged so now carrying out a large scale geophysical
quickly and recently as a key research topic. experiment of a kind that could not have
happened in the past nor be reproduced
BACKGROUND about 10 billion tons of carbon annu- in the future—a sentiment that may be
When we burn gasoline in our cars, use ally (equivalent to one million tons especially true for ocean acidification.
electricity from burning natural gas or per hour or, on a per capita basis, The build-up of excess CO2 in the
coal at power plants, or chop down and ~ 0.2 kg person-1 h-1 ; note that 1 billion atmosphere is clearly evident in time
burn tropical forests for new agricul- tons equals 1 Pg or 1 x 1015 g). Of this series such as the one established in 1958
tural land, we release carbon dioxide amount, 8.7 ± 0.5 billion tons originates by Charles David Keeling from the top
(CO2) gas into the air. The quantity of from fossil fuel combustion and cement of Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii, the
carbon released by human activities is production and another 1.2 ± 0.7 billion longest atmospheric CO2 instrumental
enormous. For 2008, the most recent tons from deforestation (Le Quéré et al., record. When Keeling started making
year for which we have published 2009). The cumulative human CO2 measurements, atmospheric CO2 was
data, total human CO2 emissions were emissions over the industrial era now about 315 parts per million (ppm)

16 Oceanography Vol.22, No.4

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(Keeling, 1960); present values (387 ppm) of when this might happen varied greatly 2004). Now, the alteration of seawater
are already more than 37% greater than because of a lack of agreement on carbon chemistry from the invasion of excess
pre-industrial levels (~ 280 ppm) (Feely system equilibrium in seawater at that CO2 into the ocean is also clear from
et al., 2009; Tans, 2009). If fossil fuel time. As more laboratory and field results these ongoing field observations (Dore
consumption continues unabated, it were published in the 1980s, it became et al., 2009; Fabry et al., 2009; Feely et al.,
could double or triple before the end of clear that the high-latitude regions of the 2009; Hauri et al., 2009). The analytical
this century (Tans, 2009). The current ocean would first become undersaturated methods for seawater carbonate chem-
rapid rise in atmospheric CO2 is as much with respect to aragonite sometime istry are now well established (Dickson
as 30 times faster than natural rates in in the twenty-first century (Feely and et al., 2007). Coordinated observational
the geological past, and present levels are Chen, 1982; Mucci, 1983; Byrne et al., strategies for monitoring ocean acidifica-
higher than at anytime in at least the last 1984; Feely et al., 1984, 1988) and that tion (and its potential biological impacts;
850,000 years and likely several million tropical regions would remain super- see below) are underway (Feely et al.,
years (Kump et al., 2009). saturated with respect to these minerals in open review), applying traditional
As atmospheric CO2 rises, thermody- throughout the twenty-first century. techniques as well as new approaches
namics and air-sea gas transfer processes By the 1990s, an intense effort of that employ satellite remote sensing
drive some of the extra CO2 into ocean ship-based surveys and ocean time series (Gledhill et al., 2009; Balch and Utgoff,
surface waters, leading to substantial was underway to quantify the ocean’s 2009) and autonomous platforms such
shifts in seawater acid-base chemistry role in the climate system as a sink for as floats and gliders (Johnson et al.,
and, importantly, the chemical speciation human-released CO2 (Sabine et al., 2009; Bishop, 2009).
of the large reservoir of inorganic carbon
dissolved in seawater (Figure 1). In aggre-
gate, these chemical changes are termed
400 8.40
“ocean acidification.” The basic principles 160°W 158°W 156°W
23°N
for these reactions have been appreciated Station Aloha 8.35
22°N
for some time, and even before the start 375 Honolulu
Kailua

21°N Kahului

8.30
of the Mauna Loa record, Revelle and
Kihei

20°N Hilo

Suess (1957) argued that the ocean would 19°N

Station Mauna Loa
8.25
350
quite effectively remove a large fraction
CO 2

pH
of fossil fuel CO2 from the atmosphere 8.20

(see also Bolin and Eriksson, 1959). 325 8.15

The basic chemistry of ocean acidifica-
tion was first described in the early 1970s, 8.10
300 Legend
based on early models of CO2 exchange Mauna Loa atmospheric CO 2 (ppmv)
Aloha seawater pCO 2 (µatm) 8.05
at the air-sea interface and the thermody-
Aloha seawater pH
namics of the carbon system in seawater 275 8.00
(Broecker et al., 1971, 1979; Broecker and 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year
Takahashi, 1977; Fairhall, 1973; Zimen
Figure 1: Time series of atmospheric CO2 at Mauna Loa (in parts per million
and Altenhein, 1973; Whitfield, 1974; volume, ppmv; red), surface ocean pCO2 (μatm; blue) and surface ocean pH
Skirrow and Whitfield, 1975; Pytkowicz (green) at Ocean Station ALOHA in the subtropical North Pacific Ocean.
Note that the increase in oceanic CO2 over the past 17 years is consistent
and Small, 1977). Although these early with the atmospheric increase within the statistical limits of the measure-
authors all presented calculations to show ments. Mauna Loa data courtesy of Pieter Tans, National Oceanic and
that CO2 emissions would likely cause Atmospheric Administration/Earth System Research Laboratory (http://www.
esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends); Hawaii Ocean Time-Series (HOT)/ALOHA data
undersaturation with respect to aragonite courtesy of David Karl, University of Hawaii (http://hahana.soest.hawaii.edu;
and calcite at some point, their estimates see also Dore et al., 2009)

Oceanography December 2009 17

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 Concerns also arose about how (e.g., see recent review papers: Kleypas by mechanisms that are just beginning
marine ecosystems might respond to et al., 2006; Fabry et al., 2008; Guinotte to be understood (Cohen and Holcomb,
ocean warming and changes in circula- and Fabry, 2008; Doney et al., 2009; 2009). In fact, the response of calci-
tion caused by alterations in the planet’s Kleypas and Yates, 2009). fying organisms to ocean acidification
radiative balance from the elevated CO2 may be more varied than first thought,
in the atmosphere (Boyd and Doney, BIOLOGICAL IMPAC TS as indicated in recent experiments
2002). By contrast, the biological effects Unlike the case for terrestrial plants, showing elevated calcification rates
of rising atmospheric and oceanic CO2 many marine phytoplankton species are for some taxa under higher CO2 (Ries
directly on marine life was a rather not limited by aqueous CO2 gas concen- et al., 2009). Decreased calcification
obscure topic through much of the trations, having developed biochemical could have negative impacts on marine
1980s and early 1990s, explored by techniques for concentrating CO2 inside ecosystems, with consequent effects on
only a few scientists. Several ground- their cells or by tapping into the much local marine fisheries and coastal protec-
breaking studies, specifically designed larger seawater pool of dissolved inor- tion from storms. The abundance of
to test atmospheric CO2 impacts, ganic carbon (e.g., Tortell et al., 1997). commercially important shellfish species
revealed potentially dramatic responses Recent work, however, suggests that (i.e., clams, oysters, sea urchins) could
in corals and coral reef communities photosynthesis rates of some cyanobac- also decline, which could have serious
(e.g., Gattuso et al., 1998; Marubini and teria may be enhanced under elevated consequences for marine food resources
Atkinson, 1999; Kleypas et al., 1999; aqueous CO2, especially in conjunc- (Cooley et al., 2009).
Langdon et al., 2000) and planktonic tion with warming, and that there may
organisms (e.g., Riebesell et al., 2000). be a wide range of possible effects on PHYSICAL IMPAC TS
Broad interest and visibility on the topic nutrient cycling, including increased A generally unappreciated physical
were spurred by an influential Royal nitrogen fixation rates (Hutchins et al., impact of ocean acidification is the
Society report (Royal Society, 2005) and 2009). Phytoplankton growth may also reduction of low-frequency sound
the 2004 Symposium on the Ocean in be influenced by CO2-driven changes adsorption because of the pH-dependent
a High-CO2 World (Orr et al., 2009). in acid-base chemistry and trace decline in dissolved borate ions
Toward the end of this decade, there is metal availability (Millero et al., 2009). (Brewer and Hester, 2009). As noted
now striking evidence from the labora- Similarly, the pH gradient across cell by Brewer and Hester (2009), the effect
tory and field that many marine species membranes is coupled to numerous can be significant: “a decline in pH of
may be affected by ocean acidification critical physiological/biochemical only 0.3 causes a 40% decrease in the
reactions within marine organisms, intrinsic sound absorption coefficient
Scott C. Doney (sdoney@whoi.edu) is ranging from such diverse processes as (α, dB km-1).” Nevertheless, the envi-
Senior Scientist, Marine Chemistry and photosynthesis, to nutrient transport, to ronmental consequences of increased
Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic respiratory metabolism. The impact of “noise” in the ocean, particularly with
Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA. ocean acidification (and changing pH respect to whales and other marine
William M. Balch is Senior Research gradients) on this biochemistry is barely mammals, is largely unknown.
Scientist, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean understood (Figure 2). Along with sound propagation, light
Sciences, West Boothbay Harbor, ME, USA. Increased solubility of calcium propagation might also be affected. In a
Victoria J. Fabry is Professor, Department carbonate minerals used as skeleton “decalcified” ocean, devoid of the ubiqui-
of Biological Sciences, California State and shell material by corals (Cohen and tous calcium carbonate particles such as
University, San Marcos, San Marcos, CA, Holcomb, 2009; Kleypas and Yates, 2009) microscopic coccoliths, light scattering
USA. Richard A. Feely is Senior Scientist, and other pelagic and benthic calcifiers and attenuation would be reduced,
Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, (Fabry et al., 2009a, 2009b; Balch and resulting in deeper euphotic zones. This
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Utgoff, 2009) generally results in a slow- scenario could have consequences for
Administration, Seattle, WA, USA. down of the overall calcification process such biogeochemical aspects as export

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 Figure 2. Repre-
RESPONSE TO INCREASING CO2 sentative examples
a b c d of impacts of ocean
PHYSIOLOGICAL # SPECIES acidification on
RESPONSE MAJOR GROUP STUDIED major groups of
marine biota derived
CALCIFICATION from experimental
manipulation studies.
The response curves
Coccolithophores 4 2 1 1 1 on the right indicate
four cases: (a) linear
negative, (b) linear
Planktonic Foraminifera 2 2 – – – positive, (c) level,
and (d) nonlinear
parabolic responses
to increasing levels
Molluscs 6 5 – 1 – of seawater pCO2 for
each of the groups.
Adapted from Doney
Echinoderms 3 2 1 – – et al. (2009)

Tropical Corals 11 11 – – –

Coralline Red Algae 1 1 1 – –

PHOTOSYNTHESIS1
PHOTOSYNTH

Coccolithophores 2 2 – 2 2 –

Prokaryotes 2 – 1 1 –

Seagrasses 5 – 5 – –

NITROGEN FIXATION

Cyanobacteria 4 – 3 1 –

REPRODUCTION
REPRODUCTI

Molluscs 4 4 – – –

Echinoderms 1 1 – – –

1 Strong interactive effects with nutrient and trace metal availability, light, and temperature
2 Under nutrient replete conditions

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BOX 1. ORGANIZ ATIONS DEVOTING SIGNIFICANT
RESOURCES TO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

SCIENTIFIC RESE ARCH CONSORTIA NONPROFIT ORGANIZ ATIONS

The European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA) Natural Resources Defense Council
http://www.epoca-project.eu http://www.nrdc.org/oceans/acidification/default.asp
A consortium of European researchers examining ocean acidi- A United States-based environmental action group working to
fication’s progress and effects on marine life, and using scien- protect Earth’s natural assets.
tific results to develop educational materials for stakeholders.
Ocean Conservancy
Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem http://www.oceanconservancy.org
Research (IMBER)/Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere A United States-based conservation organization dedicated to
Study (SOLAS) Joint Carbon Working Group educating citizens about the current challenges facing ocean
http://www.imber.info/C_WG_SubGroup3.html ecosystems and promoting conservation-based legislation.
A working group composed of international researchers
tasked with coordinating and synthesizing ocean acidification
research activities worldwide.
EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZ ATIONS
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP)
and the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research CarboSchools
(SCOR) Fast Track Initiative http://www.carboeurope.org/education
http://igbp-scor.pages.unibe.ch EPOCA-affiliated organization promoting partnerships
A research consortium of international researchers studying between researchers and secondary educators and facilitating
ocean acidification from a paleoenvironmental perspective several regional projects designed to help students connect
climate change issues with their local environment.
Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP)
http://www.mccip.org.uk Center for Microbial Oceanography:
A coordinating body of United Kingdom-based researchers Research and Education (C-MORE)
cooperating to provide information to decision makers. http://cmore.soest.hawaii.edu/index.htm
A consortium of American institutions bringing together
Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) Office scientists, educators, and communities to highlight the impor-
http://www.us-ocb.org tance of marine microbes.
A United States-based coordinating body composed of scien-
tific researchers tasked with promoting dialogue and collabora-
tion among researchers and developing educational materials
in support of national funding agencies’ goals.

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BOX 2. INFOR MATION ABOUT OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

EDUCATIONAL TOOL S BRIEFINGS, FAC T SHEETS,

AND HELPFUL INFOR MATION
Acid Test: The Global Challenge of Ocean Acidification
http://www.nrdc.org/oceans/acidification/aboutthefilm.asp European Science Foundation Science Policy Briefing:
NRDC-produced short documentary narrated by Sigourney Impacts of Ocean Acidification
Weaver providing an overview of ocean acidification. http://www.esf.org/publications/policy-briefings.html

C-MORE Ocean Acidification Teaching Module EUR-Oceans Ocean Acidification Fact Sheet
http://cmore.soest.hawaii.edu/education/teachers/science_kits/ http://www.eur-oceans.info/EN/education/pdf/
ocean_acid_kit.htm FS7_ocean%20acidification.pdf
Three-lesson kit for grades 6–12 including DVD, presentations,
worksheets, and experiment materials that can be borrowed EPOCA Guide To Best Practices in Ocean Acidification
from a C-MORE partner institution. Research and Data Reporting
http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/Home/
OCB Ocean Acidification Lab Kit Guide-to-OA-Research
http://www.us-ocb.org/publications/OCB-OA_labkit102609.pdf (Draft available now, final document expected early 2010)
OCB-produced lab kit for teachers of grades 5–12 providing
complete plans, worksheets, and shopping lists for two inex- The Honolulu Declaration on Ocean Acidification
pensive laboratory activities and one demonstration. and Reef Management
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/
Acid Ocean Virtual Lab hawaii/files/final_declaration_with_appendices.pdf
http://i2i.stanford.edu/carbonlab/co2lab.swf
Stanford University-developed online laboratory activities National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ocean
teaching about ocean acidification’s impact on marine organ- Acidification Fact Sheet and Web Site
isms, especially sea urchins. http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/OA/Ocean_Acidification
%20FINAL.pdf
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/OA

NEWS The Ocean in a High-CO 2 World: Ocean Acidification

Summary for Policymakers from SCOR, UNESCO, IGBP,
http://oceanacidification.wordpress.com/ and IAEA (Also known as “The Monaco Declaration”)
EPOCA maintains a blog, updated nearly every day, containing http://ioc3.unesco.org/oanet/OAdocs/SPM-lorezv2.pdf
news and abstracts about ocean acidification, and links to
ocean acidification coverage in the media.

http://iodeweb3.vliz.be/oanet/index.html MOVIES ON OCE AN ACIDIFICATION

The Ocean Acidification Network collects information for the
scientific community about ocean acidification. Natural Resource Defense Council Web Site
On Ocean Acidification
http://www.nrdc.org/oceans/acidification
http://www.nrdc.org/oceans/acidification/aboutthefilm.asp

“A Sea Change”
http://www.aseachange.net

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production (Balch and Utgoff, 2009). BOX 3. GUIDE TO BEST PR AC TICES
It is not a stretch of the imagination to
assume that the physical chemistry of IN OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
seawater will change such that rates of RESEARCH AND DATA REPORTING
redox reactions associated with metal
oxidation and electolysis would change. BY U L F R I E B E S E L L , V I C TO R I A J . FA B RY, L I N A H A N S S O N ,
This more applied chemistry would be A N D J E A N - P I E R R E G AT T U S O
of strategic importance to both shipping
and naval interests, particularly as it
affects the integrity of ship hulls. Growing concern about the effects of ocean acidification on marine
organisms and ecosystems has stimulated a wide range of research
NATIONAL AND activities over the past few years. With new national and international
INTERNATIONAL RE SPONSE programs recently started and others still in preparation, research aimed
TO OCE AN ACIDIFICATION at detecting potential effects of ocean acidification on various processes
Over the last several years, the rapid and organisms will increase in the coming decade. Due to the cross-
pace of scientific discoveries has led to a cutting nature of the scientific problem, research on ocean acidification
dramatic rise in the visibility of, concern brings together a spectrum of disciplines, from paleo- and chemical
about, and urgency of ocean acidifica- oceanography, to marine biogeochemistry and climate modeling, to
tion. Nongovernmental organizations marine ecology, physiology, and molecular and evolutionary biology.
are issuing communiqués and declara- The various scientific communities have their own disciplinary heritage,
tions, and research programs on ocean and frequently use specific terminology, research approaches, and meth-
acidification are being launched around odologies. Moreover, with new funding opportunities now becoming
the world at national and international available for ocean acidification research, many researchers, postdoctoral
levels (e.g., the European Project on investigators, and PhD students with no or limited previous experience
Ocean Acidification [EPOCA] in in ocean acidification research will enter the field. To ensure compa-
the European Union; Gattuso et al., rability of the vast amount of data generated in this rapidly expanding
2009; http://www.epoca-project.eu/; field of marine sciences and to achieve the highest possible data quality,
Orr et al., 2009). EPOCA has also it is important to agree on standardized protocols for observational
developed a Guide for Best Practices in and experimental approaches, carbonate chemistry manipulations and
Ocean Acidification Research and Data measurements, and data reporting.
Reporting for conducting research on In November 2008, the European Project on Ocean Acidification
ocean acidification under controlled (EPOCA) and the International Oceanographic Commission (IOC)
laboratory conditions (Box 3; Riebesell of UNESCO, organized an international workshop in Kiel, Germany,
et al., in press). In the United States, a
key scientific workshop on the topic Ulf Riebesell (uriebesell@ifm-geomar.de) is Professor, Biological
was organized under the Ocean Carbon Oceanography, Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences (IFM-GEOMAR), Kiel,
and Biogeochemistry (OCB) Program Germany. Victoria J. Fabry is Professor, Department of Biological Sciences,
(http://us-ocb.org/; Fabry et al., 2009b). California State University, San Marcos, San Marcos CA, USA. Lina Hansson
Following the passage of the Federal is Project Manager, European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA),
Ocean Acidification Research And Laboratoire d’Océanographie, CNRS-Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6,
Monitoring (FOARAM) Act of 2009 Villefranche-sur-mer, France. Jean-Pierre Gattuso is Research Professor
(Public Law 111-11), the United States and Scientific Coordinator, EPOCA, Laboratoire d’Océanographie, CNRS-
is formulating its own strategy for an Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, Villefranche-sur-mer, France.”
integrated national research program on

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on Best Practices in Ocean Acidification Research. TABLE OF CONTENTS
The workshop received funding from the Scientific Editors: Ulf Riebesell, Victoria J. Fabry, Lina Hansson, Jean-Pierre Gattuso
Council on Oceanic Research (SCOR), the US Ocean
CHAPTER 1: SEAWATER CARBONATE CHEMISTRY
Carbon Biogeochemistry program (OCB), and Chapter Editors: Richard A. Feely, Kitack Lee
the Kiel Excellence Cluster The Future Ocean. The 1.1 The Carbon Dioxide System in Sea Water: Equilibrium Chemistry
meeting brought together about 40 scientists from and Measurements
Andrew G. Dickson
the European Union, United States, Japan, Korea,
1.2 Approaches and Tools to Manipulate the Carbonate Chemistry
China, and Australia with expertise in different Jean-Pierre Gattuso, Kunshan Gao, Kitack Lee, Björn Rost, Kai G. Schulz
areas of ocean acidification research. Workshop
participants reviewed best practices in this field CHAPTER 2: EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN OF PERTURBATION EXPERIMENTS
Chapter Editors: Mike Thorndyke, Jens Nejstgaard
and prepared an outline for a guide that served as a
2.1 Atmospheric CO2 Targets for Ocean Acidification Perturbation
basis to produce—with the help of additional invited Experiments
experts—a comprehensive set of guidelines on ocean James P. Barry, Toby Tyrrell, Lina Hansson, Gian-Kasper Plattner,
acidification research1. Jean-Pierre Gattuso
2.2 Designing Ocean Acidification Experiments to Maximize Inference
After a first round of anonymous expert reviews,
Jon Havenhand, Sam Dupont, Gerry Quinn
revised sections were made available online for four 2.3 Bioassays, Batch Culture and Chemostat Experimentation
months of open access community review starting in Julie LaRoche, Björn Rost, Anja Engel
May 2009. Based on the comments and input of the 2.4 Pelagic Mesocosms
Ulf Riebesell, Kitack Lee, Jens Nejstgaard
international scientific community and the assigned
2.5 Laboratory Experiments and Benthic Mesocosm Studies
chapter editors, the sections were further revised Steve Widdicombe, Sam Dupont, Mike Thorndyke
(drafts available at http://www.epoca-project.eu/ 2.6 In situ Perturbation Experiments: Natural Venting Sites, Spatial/Temporal
index.php/Best-Practices-Guide/). Notation, style, Gradients in Ocean pH, Manipulative in situ p(CO2) Perturbations
James P. Barry, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Toby Tyrell
and structure were harmonized in a final round
of editing by the chief editors. The Guide to Best CHAPTER 3: MEASUREMENTS OF CO2 SENSITIVE PROCESSES
Practices in Ocean Acidification Research and Data Chapter Editors: Victoria J. Fabry, Debora Iglesias-Rodriguez
Reporting will be published as an EU report and 3.1 Studies of Acid-Base Status and Regulation
Hans-Otto Pörtner, Ulf Bickmeyer, Markus Bleich, Christian Bock,
made available online in early 2010. Its recommen-
Colin Brownlee, Frank Melzner, Vasilios Michaelidis, Franz Josef Sartoris,
dations will be presented to the wider community, Daniela Storch
with a special emphasis on students and scientists 3.2 Production and Export of Organic Matter
new to ocean acidification research, in training Anja Engel, Joana Barcelos e Ramos, Richard Geider, David A. Hutchins,
Cindy Lee, Björn Rost, Rüdiger Röttgers, Frede Thingstad
workshops to be conducted within the framework
3.3 Direct Measurements of Calcification Rates in Planktonic Organisms
of existing and upcoming ocean acidification proj- Victoria J. Fabry, William M. Balch
ects. It is envisioned that the guide’s recommenda- 3.4 Measurements of Calcification of Benthic Organisms and Communities
tions will be revisited and—where appropriate— Chris Langdon, Jean-Pierre Gattuso, Andreas Andersson
further refined in a few years as understanding of
CHAPTER 4: DATA REPORTING AND DATA USAGE
ocean acidification advances and new techniques Chapter Editors: Bronte Tilbrook, Marion Gehlen
and approaches emerge. 4.1 Modeling Considerations
Andreas Oschlies, Jeremy Blackford, Scott Doney, Marion Gehlen
1 It 4.2 Safeguarding and Sharing Ocean Acidification Knowledge
is recognized that the paleosciences will continue to provide
important contributions to unraveling the consequences of Stéphane Pesant, Leslie Allan Hook, Roy Lowry, Gwenaelle Moncoiffe,
ocean acidification. However, this field entails another broad Anne-Marin Nissuma, Benjamin Pfeil
spectrum of scientific approaches not covered in this guide to best
practices. The paleo community may find it beneficial to formulate
guidelines and standardized protocols specific for research on past
acidification events.

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ocean acidification (National Research stresses like global warming, pollution, Bolin, B., and E. Eriksson. 1959. Changes in the
carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere and the
Council, in press). overfishing, and coastal nutrient inputs. sea due to fossil fuel combustion. Pp. 130–142 in
Ocean acidification is inherently an The solutions to ocean acidification are The Atmosphere and the Sea in Motion. Rockefeller
Institute Press, New York, NY.
interdisciplinary topic, as reflected in clear—slowing and eventually elimi-
Boyd, P.W., and S.C. Doney. 2002. Modeling regional
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