Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Although there is a risk of duplication of research
which funding agencies might want to avoid dur-
ing a dire economic situation, it has been minimized
among some European projects (EPOCA, BIOACID,
and UKOA) thanks to tight integration. A reasona-
ble level of duplication is useful anyway because
the replicability of results increases the level of con-
i dence. There are also many activities that would
be performed better and more efi ciently at the
international level. The SOLAS-IMBER Working
Group on Ocean Acidii cation has outlined several
priority areas for action: including biological varia-
bles in observing networks, launch of joint plat-
forms and facilities, intercomparison exercises, the
update of the
Guide to best practices for ocean acidii ca-
tion research and data reporting
, management of ocean
acidii cation data, training, and outreach. However,
there are currently no human resources and very
limited funding to support such activities at the
international level. The community may need to
make a large effort in order to raise support for an
international coordination ofi ce.
provide an additional reason for reducing CO
2
emissions but the knowledge generated until now
is patchy (many processes and functional groups
have not been investigated) and sometimes uncer-
tain and conl icting, making it difi cult for policy-
makers to put ocean acidii cation high on the
agenda.
There is a much more optimistic reading of the
levels of certainty summarized in Table 15.1.
Although it has been known for a relatively long
time that ocean pH will decrease due to the uptake
of CO
2
, it is only very recently that the biological
consequences have been identii ed. Considering the
small number of scientists engaged in ocean acidii -
cation research during most of the last 20 years, the
level of knowledge reached in less than 20 years is
remarkable and compares very favourably with the
development of research on the impact of climate
change on terrestrial ecosystems. A considerable
improvement in the levels of uncertainty can be
expected in the coming years due to the recent
launch of major national and international projects
on ocean acidii cation, the build-up of a strong com-
munity of researchers, and ongoing synthesis efforts
of the IPCC. There is no doubt that the near future
will be exciting for ocean acidii cation research.
Whether the outcome will coni rm the pessimistic
view of some scientists in the i eld or not, it is hoped
that human society will consider ocean acidii cation
together with climate change to decide on the best
course for its future.
15.5 Conclusions
Some effects of the uptake of anthropogenic CO
2
by
the oceans, such as the changes in the carbonate
chemistry, are known with a high degree of cer-
tainty (Table 15.1). Most biological and ecological
effects are much less certain. Nevertheless, there is
no doubt that calcii cation, primary production and
nitrogen i xation, and biodiversity will be altered
but by a magnitude that is unknown. These changes
will in turn generate changes in the biogeochemical
cycles, society, and the economy. Whether these
changes will be signii cant or not is also unknown.
The levels of coni dence for these changes, esti-
mated for the i rst time in Table 15.1, can be evalu-
ated either with a pessimistic or with an optimistic
view. It is unfortunate that so much uncertainty
remains, because human society needs to get infor-
mation with a relatively high degree of coni dence
before it decides to regulate its activities. Even with
a high degree of certainty on future climate change
and its likely impacts on society and economy, the
reduction of CO
2
emissions is proving extremely
slow and difi cult to implement. Ocean acidii cation
and its impacts on marine ecosystems may well
15.6 Acknowledgements
Lina Hansson and Anne-Marin Nisumaa are gratefully
acknowledged for their assistance with Fig. 15.2. This
work is a contribution to the 'European Project on
Ocean Acidii cation' (EPOCA) which received funding
from the European Community's Seventh Framework
Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement
no 211384. C.T. received additional support from the
UK Ocean Acidii cation Research Programme.
References
Agegian, C.R. (1985).
The biogeochemical ecology of
Porolithon gardiner
i (Foslie)
, 178 pp. PhD Thesis,
University of Hawaii, Honolulu , HI.
