[CINC] Ocean Acidification Workshop

[TARA BROWN]

Saturday, October 6th, Maria Ornelas, Paul Petrich and I attended an educator workshop on Ocean Acidification and its effects on marine life presented by the Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellent - West and UCLA. This interactive workshop opened my eyes and expanded about understanding of the urgency of our messages as members of the Channel Islands Naturalist Corps. Here are some important things I learned:
 
CHEMISTRY: Water and Carbon form Carbonic Acid. H20 + C02 = H2CO3.
Dry ice is solid CO2, and to see it dropped in water, and bubble with its sour, zesty order and cloud like a witches brew is a very dramatic way to illustrate the risk! For some reason, 90% of the Hydrogen atoms spin into the atmosphere leaving bicarbonate, which leaves fewer carbonate ions available for shell building and coral production, mostly in the larvae (reminds me of egg shell thinning with the DDT).
 
LOGARTHYMIC SCALE: The pH scale is not linear - a drop from pH 8.2 to 7.9 indicates a 150 percent increase in acidity! Bottom line: Relate it to earthquakes so that people understand that a small-sounding change in ocean pH is quite large. That said, pH changes with photosynthesis, so it is more acidic at night and less during the day when oxygen is being produced (especially by the kelp). This is called the "diurnal cycle of pH due to respiration" 
NOTE: Seawater is slightly basic now, around 8.1.
 
CHANNEL ISLANDS/CALIFORNIA RISK: Acidity is greatest in polar regions and East Coast Upwellings (CA/OR/WA coast) that bring the colder waters down from the north! Sea urchins, squid, and sperm whales are at risk. Best suited for an acidic environment is jellyfish and algae, including domanic acid. 
 
URGENCY: Ocean Acidification has changed 100 times faster than any change in the past 21 million years. 30% of the CO2 in the atmosphere is absorbed by the oceans. It takes centuries to remove it naturally. Swimming sea snails, called peteropods, shells are expected to dissolve by the end of this century! They are critical to the marine food web, ultimately feeding whales and humans.
 
WHAT WE CAN DO: Decrease/Eliminate Carbon burning into the atmosphere. Give positive messages such as (from the NPS website):
	* TRANSPORTATION: Avoid traveling by airplane. Walk, ride or take the bus.
	* ENERGY: Turn off lights/appliances/electronics when not in use. Install solar.
	* HEATING/COOLING: Install a tankless water heater, weatherize your home.
	* WASTE: Buy secondhand items. Don't replace items that are still useful.
	* FOOD: Chose local, seasonal food. Become vegetarian.
	* YARD: Use natives, reduce water usage - give birds and wildlife a home. 
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