Impacts of ocean acidification on mollusk fisheries and coral reefs

Impacts of ocean acidification on mollusk fisheries and coral reefs

Scott Doney & Sarah CooleyWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution

center for Climate and Energy Decision Making (CEDM) 2012

Ocean Acidification

Doney et al. Ann. Rev. Mar. Sci. 2009Dore et al. PNAS 2009

Observed trends-rising seawater CO2

-declining pH & carbonate saturation

Marine Life Susceptible to Ocean Acidification

-Reduced shell formation -Habitat loss-Less available prey

New biological effects still being discovered

Social & Economic Impacts

Cooley, Kite-Powell, and Doney Oceanography (2009)Cooley & Doney, Environmental Research Letters (2009)

-Marine fisheries & aquaculture•food supply•jobs, livelihoods & trade

-Coral reefs•reef fisheries•tourism•shoreline protection

-Globally, largest impacts may be on developing island and coastal nations

U.S. ex-vessel revenue; NOAA NMFS; Cooley & Doney ERL 2009

Net importers

Net exporters

Cooley, Lucey, Kite-Powell, & Doney, Fish & Fisheries, 2012

Vulnerability to Ocean Acidification

Index Based on Mollusk Fisheries

Protein insufficientMollusks ≥ 1% of

proteinBoth

Least adaptable Most adaptable

-Exposure•chemistry change-Sensitivity•mollusk fisheries•seafood imports•protein supply-Adaptive capacity•per capita GNP

Modeling Coupled Natural-Human Systems

Atlantic Sea Scallop Integrated Assessment Model

Howarth figure

Collaboration with J. Hare & D. Hart, NOAA/NMFS

South Florida Coral Reef Modeling

Modeled Aragonite Saturation

Aragonite Saturation Trend

-Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide causes well-understood changes in seawater chemistry

-Acidification threatens coral reefs & shellfish

-Human impacts through impaired fisheries, tourism & coastal protection

-Adaptation strategies:•Ocean monitoring networks •Reduce other human stresses on ocean•Scientist-stakeholder partnerships•Coupled natural-human system models

Special Thanks To: Alan Barton, William Cheung, Charlie Colgan, Richard Feely, Hauke Kite-Powell & Noelle Lucey

Summary Points

In Gulf of Mexico

CESM 1.0 20th Century transient run with prescribed CO2 and fully coupled climate

South Florida Field Observations

Hofmann PLoS 2011

Coral Reefs

Days

Ongoing R/V Gordon Gunter DataWanninkhof et al. NOAA/AOMLhttp://www.aoml.noaa.gov/ocd/gcc/rvgunter_introduction.php

2−[CO3 ][CO2]

100−150% 50%

2100

8.2

8.1

8.0

7.9

7.81800 1900 2000 2100

50

40

30

20

10

0

300

240

180

120

60

0

pHμm

ol kg−1

Year

pH

CO2(aq)

CO32−

30% acidity16% [CO3 ]

2000

2−

Wolf-Gladrow et al. (1999)

Ocean Acidification

CO2 + H2O H2CO3 H+ + CO32- HCO3

-H+ + HCO3-CO2 + CO3 + H2O2- 2HCO3-−−<>−−