A Future with Ocean Acidification

We will likely have a 150% increase in acidity by the end of the century unless drastic changes occur and even so, the CO₂ that has already been placed in the atmosphere will still need to cycle through the oceans. The current strategies used by the shellfish industry, such as timing tank filling with less corrosive tides and adding sodium carbonate and eelgrass,  will not protect any of the species that are out in the oceans and may not be able to combat the increased corrosion by even more acidic waters.⁷

These NOAA sensors track the acidity
of the ocean during the year and have
been working to determine the patterns
in currents and throughout the year. This
monitoring has also helped shellfish growers
to protect their stock from particularly acidic
waters.
http://www.noaa.gov/features/01_economic/pacific
oysters.html

Research
There is currently an explosion in ocean acidification research. The massive oyster die offs in the Pacific Northwest in recent years were a warning sign of difficulties to come. NOAA has sensors out to monitor and analyze the acidity of the ocean as well as the calcium carbonate levels. They have been working with hatcheries to protect the vulnerable larval oysters, but these measures cannot protect the oysters and other organisms out on the coast or when the percentage of acidic tides increases.¹⁶

Although there are many separate projects researching the impacts of ocean acidification on different species, the cohesion of this research is missing. There is strong agreement on the chemical processes at play, but the biological processes are much more complicated and the social and economic results are almost impossible to predict now.⁸

Important research for ocean acidification might include the best ways to communicate this knowledge to the general public in a way that makes sense. The current dissemination of knowledge is more confusing than helpful for most people in the general public.
In addition, we will be living with ocean acidification no matter what changes we put in place now, so it is important to begin efforts to alleviate these effects and protect vulnerable populations.

A new project could investigate the international impacts of upwelling as well as any recent shifts in currents on ocean acidification. If places that experience large amounts of upwelling, like the Pacific Northwest, are forewarned, it is possible that people could begin the process of preparing for shifts in acidity. This experiment would require a number of projections and models for the amount of CO₂ sequestered in the deep ocean as well as the paths that this low pH water will take up. This will require high quality data for the location of upwelling sites and possibly sampling of the upwelling water to determine how long it has been beneath the surface because this process would not be uniform across all locations. In addition, there is a lot of fluctuation in the level of pH based on differential water flow from different depths and locations. If this could be modeled with any accuracy to determine the problem locations, it could even allow for some more directed management of the symptoms of ocean acidification in those particular areas. Since ocean acidification is happening in real time, we cannot really control the outcomes or even the starting conditions, but this research could benefit coastal communities in the same way that the NOAA sensors warn oyster farmers in real time that acidic water is coming.