UNEP on Ocean Acidification

UNEP - Scientific Synthesis of the Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Marine Biological Diversity

Monday, 14 December 2009 - The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity released today a major study, Scientific Synthesis of the Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Marine Biological Diversity.

The launch of the study, which was prepared in collaboration with the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), is a major event to mark Oceans Day during the current climate change negotiations in Copenhagen and highlights the direct link between climate change, ocean health, and human well-being.

According to the study, seas and oceans absorb approximately one quarter of the carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other human activities. As more and more carbon dioxide (CO2) has been emitted into the atmosphere, the oceans have absorbed greater amounts at increasingly rapid rates. Without this level of absorption by the oceans, atmospheric CO2 levels would be significantly higher than at present and the effects of global climate change would be more marked.

However, the absorption of atmospheric CO2 has resulted in changes to the chemical balance of the oceans, causing them to become more acidic. It is predicted that by 2050, ocean acidity could increase by 150%. This dramatic increase is 100 times faster than any change in acidity experienced in the marine environment over the last 20 million years, giving little time for evolutionary adaptation within biological systems.

"Ocean acidification is irreversible on timescales of at least tens of thousands of years, and substantial damage to ocean ecosystems can only be avoided by urgent and rapid reductions in global emissions of CO2. Attention must be given for integration of this critical issue at the global climate change debate in Copenhagen," said Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention.

"This CBD study provides a valuable synthesis of scientific information on the impacts of ocean acidification, based on the analysis of more than 300 scientific literatures, and it describes an alarming picture of possible ecological scenarios and adverse impacts of ocean acidification on marine biodiversity," he added.

Among other findings, the study shows that increasing ocean acidification will mean that by 2100 some 70% of cold water corals, a key refuge and feeding ground for commercial fish species, will be exposed to corrosive waters. In addition, given the current emission rates, it is predicted that the surface water of the highly productive Arctic Ocean will become under-saturated with respect to essential carbonate minerals by the year 2032, and the Southern Ocean by 2050 with disruptions to large components of the marine food source, in particular those calcifying species, such as foraminifera, pteropods, coccolithophores, mussels, oysters, shrimps, crabs and lobsters, which rely on calcium to grow and mature.

An emerging body of research suggests that many of the effects of ocean acidification on marine organisms and ecosystems will be variable and complex and will affect different species in different ways. Evidence from naturally acidified locations confirms, however, that although some species may benefit, biological communities under acidified seawater conditions are less diverse and calcifying (calcium-reliant) species absent.

Many questions remain regarding the biological and biogeochemical consequences of ocean acidification for marine biodiversity and ecosystems, and the impacts of these changes on oceanic ecosystems and the services they provide, for example, in fisheries, coastal protection, tourism, carbon sequestration and climate regulation.

Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy, Biodiversity Chair of Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment, in the Preface to the publication, noted: "This publication by the CBD on the impacts of ocean acidification on marine biodiversity is very timely and germane, as it confirms again how great the stakes of sustainability are in the climate change negotiations".

"It is expected that a continuing effort be made within CBD, in collaboration with relevant international organizations and scientific communities, to build upon this publication, further enhancing scientific research on ocean acidification, particularly its biological and biogeochemical consequences, including the accurate determination of sub-critical levels of impacts or tipping points for global marine species, ecosystems and the services and functions they provide," he added.

The CBD Technical Series No.46 is available at www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-ts-46-en.pdf.

For More Information on the Report:

Jihyun Lee (CBD Secretariat), Email: jihyun.lee@cbd.int

Nicola Barnard (UNEP-WCMC), Email: Nicola.Barnard@unep-wcmc.org

Nick Nuttall (UNEP), Email: Nick.Nuttall@unep.org

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Launched at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits from the utilization of genetic resources. With 192 members, the CBD has near-universal participation among countries committed to preserving life on Earth. The CBD seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through scientific assessments, the development of tools, incentives and processes, the transfer of technologies and good practices and the full and active involvement of relevant stakeholders including indigenous and local communities, youth, non-governmental organizations, women and the business community. The headquarters of the Secretariat of the Convention is located in Montreal.

For More Information on CBD:

Marie Aminata Khan, Tel. +1 514 287 8701, Email: marie.khan@cbd.int

Johan Hedlund, Tel. + 1 514 287-6670 Email: johan.hedlund@cbd.int.

Fw: Trajano Paiva has forwarded an article to you from Mother Nature Network

A ACIDIFICAÇÂO DOS OCEANOS JÁ AFETA A ECONOMIA.

Produtores de ostras da California, Oregon, paralizam as atividades (
trabalhei com isso 22 anos cultivando em laboratorio Ostras, e Coquille
St´jacques em Angra dos Reis).
Isso é uma luz vermelha que se acendeu para tomarmos iniciativas de corte
das emissões de CO2. Não amanhã, mas agora!
A acidificação pode romper a cadeia trófica dos Oceanos (produção
primária) e ameaçar diretamente a vida dos Oceanos e a nossa na Terra.
Se matarmos os Oceanos mataremos a nós mesmos.
Abs
Trajano
>
> http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/climate-change/stories/so-long-shellfish-oysters-falling-victim-to-ocean-acidification
>

Ocean acidification - Science daily

SOBRE A ACIDIFICAÇÃO DOS OCEANOS - ABOUT OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

This spring, chemical oceanographer Jeremy Mathis returned from a cruise armed with seawater samples collected from the depths of the Gulf of Alaska. When he tested the samples' acidity in his lab, the results were higher than expected. They show that ocean acidification is likely more severe and is happening more rapidly in Alaska than in tropical waters. The results also matched his recent findings in the Chukchi and Bering Seas.

"It seems like everywhere we look in Alaska's coastal oceans, we see signs of increased ocean acidification," said Mathis.

Often referred to as the "sister problem to climate change," ocean acidification is a term to describe increasing acidity in the world's oceans. The ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. As the ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide, seawater becomes more acidic. Scientists estimate that the ocean is 25 percent more acidic today than it was 300 years ago.

"The increasing acidification of Alaska waters could have a destructive effect on all of our commercial fisheries. This is a problem that we have to think about in terms of the next decade instead of the next century," said Mathis.

The ocean contains minerals that organisms like oysters and crabs use to build their shells. Ocean acidification makes it more difficult to build shells, and in some cases the water can become acidic enough to break down existing shells. Mathis' recent research in the Gulf of Alaska uncovered multiple sites where the concentrations of shell-building minerals were so low that shellfish and other organisms in the region would be unable to build strong shells.

"We're not saying that crab shells are going to start dissolving, but these organisms have adapted their physiology to a certain range of acidity. Early results have shown that when some species of crabs and fish are exposed to more acidic water, certain stress hormones increase and their metabolism slows down. If they are spending energy responding to acidity changes, then that energy is diverted away from growth, foraging and reproduction," said Mathis.

Another organism that could be affected by ocean acidification is the tiny pteropod, also known as a sea butterfly or swimming sea snail. The pteropod is at the base of the food chain and makes up nearly half of the pink salmon's diet. A 10 percent decrease in the population of pteropods could mean a 20 percent decrease in an adult salmon's body weight.

"This is a case where we see ocean acidification having an indirect effect on a commercially viable species by reducing its food supply," said Mathis.

The cold waters and broad, shallow continental shelves around Alaska's coast could be accelerating the process of ocean acidification in the North, Mathis said. Cold water can hold more gas than warmer water, which means that the frigid waters off Alaska's coasts can absorb more carbon dioxide. The shallow waters of Alaska's continental shelves also retain more carbon dioxide because there is less mixing of seawater from deeper ocean waters.

Ask any coastal Alaskan and they will tell you that Alaska's waters are teeming with biological life, from tiny plankton to humpback whales. All of these animals use oxygen and emit carbon dioxide. Mathis and other scientists call this the "biological pump."

"We are blessed with highly productive coastal areas that support vast commercial fisheries, but this productivity acts like a pump, absorbing more and more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere," said Mathis. "Because of this, the acidity of Alaska's coastal seas will continue to increase, and likely accelerate, over the next decade."

Mathis said that it is still unclear what the full range of effects of ocean acidification will be, but that it is a clear threat to Alaska's commercial fisheries and subsistence communities.

"We need to give our policy makers and industry managers information and forecasts on ocean acidification in Alaska so they can make decisions that will keep our fisheries viable," said Mathis. "Ecosystems in Alaska are going to take a hit from ocean acidification. Right now, we don't know how they are going to respond."

Fw: NYTimes.com: First Offshore Wind Farm in U.S. Is Approved

SCIENCE | April 29, 2010 First Offshore Wind Farm in U.S. Is Approved By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE After nine years of review, the approval of a 130-turbine farm off the coast of Cape Cod gives a significant boost to the nascent offshore wind industry in the U.S.

Mancha de Oleo no Golfo do México - Imagem da NOAA

IMAGEM DA NOAA SOBRE A MANCHA DE OLEO NO GOLFO DO MÉXICO

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <osei@noaa.gov>
> To: <wpifilmes@terra.com.br>
> Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2010 6:35 PM
> Subject: Daily Operational Significant Event Imagery For April 29, 2010

>> Significant events identified by Satellite Analysis Branch meteorologists
>> and reviewed by the Operational Significant Event Imagery support
>> team Thursday April 29, 2010 are as follows:
>>
>> A federal official says the leading edge of a massive oil spill in the
>> Gulf of Mexico is expected to reach the Mississippi
>> River delta by Thursday night. If the well cannot be closed, almost
>> 100,000 barrels of oil, or 4.2 million gallons,
>> could spill into the Gulf before crews can drill a relief well to
>> alleviate the pressure. By comparison, the Exxon
>> Valdez, the worst oil spill in U.S. history, leaked 11 million gallons
>> into Alaska's Prince William Sound in 1989.
>>
>> LINK PARA IMAGEM DE SATÉLITE DA NOAA
>> Standard (800x550)
>> {http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Current/FSMgulfmexico119_MO.jpg}
>> http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Current/FSMgulfmexico119_MO.jpg
>>
>>
>> The NOAA Operational Significant Event Imagery Support Team
>> Interactive Processing Branch, (E/SP22)
>> tel: (301) 763-8142
>> fax: (301) 899-9196
>>
>> If you have any questions or comments, please contact the appropriate
>> OSEI scientist:
>>
>> Curtis Holland OSEI Team Leader
>>
>> Curtis.Holland@noaa.gov 301-763-8142
>>
>> --------

Correntes Oceanicas

Link para Columbia University - Prof. Wallace Broecker´s new Book on Ocean currents and Climate.
http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/blog/2010/04/13/new-book-explores-link-between-climate-and-ocean-currents/#comment-7067

Sobre a projeção do Filme " A SEA CHANGE" - Imaginem um Mundo sem Peixes.
por SAPNT e INVERDE

A Sociedade dos Amigos do Parque Nacional da Tijuca SAPNT e a INVERDE, promoveram hoje, no Horto, na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, a projeção do filme " A SEA CHANGE" que trata do assunto " ACIDIFICAÇÃO DOS OCEANOS", ou seja, a diminuição gradativa do PH da água do mar, que é causada pela ação cumulativa do CO2 ( gas carbônico) contido na atmosfera que é absorvido pelos Oceanos.

O aumento dessa absorção do dióxido de carbono pelos Oceanos, causa uma má formação nos organismos marinhos que necessitam de Carbonato de Calcio para sua estrutura corpórea, ex. mexilhões, ostras,vieiras e outros moluscos com conchas além do microscópico Fitoplancton e zooplancton que fazem parte da Base  da Cadeia Alimentar dos Oceanos.

Cerca de 40 pessoas participaram do evento.

No final da projeção foi montada uma mesa para a discussão do tema com o Oceanog. David Zee da Univ. Veiga de Almeida e UERJ, Daniel de la Calle da Niijii Films que produziu a fotografia do documentário, a jornalista Amélia, do jornal O Globo ( que trata de assuntos ecológicos sobre o tema Sustentabilidade) e a Sra. Cecília Herzog da ong Inverde.

O debate foi um sucesso pois despertou a maioria das pessoas presentes para um problema que se agrava a cada dia, ameaçando as Nossas Vidas e as Futuras Gerações.

por Trajano Paiva /  sosoceanos

A SOS OCEANOS iniciou suas atividades de registro de informações através da criação de um método para a produção de imagens sobre as condições diversas de uso da região litorânea, que compreende a pesca industrial, artesanal, submarina, mergulho contemplativo amador, científico, atividades de preservação, esportivas e lazer.

Estaremos abrindo um canal de participação para as pessoas enviarem imagens, fotografias e/ou videos, para divulgação desses eventos.

O material enviado será analizado e selecionado para a postagem no website da SOSOCEANOS.ORG

Nosso objetivo é criar um formato de WEBTV que funcione como ferramenta de INFORMAÇÃO & EDUCAÇÃO ambiental, específico sobre assuntos hídricos,costeiros, insulares e oceânicos.

VIDEO DE APRESENTAÇÃO

SOBRE A ACIDIFICAÇÂO DOS OCEANOS / About Ocean Acidification and the Oyster Industry
Video da National Science Foundation - E.U.A.
As Fazendas de Ostras estão com sérios problemas para manterem vivas as larvas cultivadas em laboratório.