Acidification/Coral Reefs
See also Global Warming, as well as Ocean and Water Info on Marine Bio Major, and Plastic. As well as Marine Mammals and Ocean Research UCSC Library resources.
Overviews
Info on eutrophication aka dead zones from nitrogen runoff.
A Dangerous Fixation: Synthetic nitrogen was born 100 years ago; it’s why half of us are alive, but leads to dead zones. RadioLab program Fritz Haber saved a billion people with synthetic fertilizer but also created chemical weapons (audio).
PBS Newshour coverage includes overview (video).
News/Reports
Scientists say most diverse coral site ever seen on Great Barrier Reef discovered: In a space no longer than 500 metres, researchers say they recorded at least 195 different species of corals 12/18
Hawaii Lawmakers Pass Ban on Coral-Damaging Sunscreen 5/18.
Great Barrier Reef at ‘Unprecedented’ Risk of Collapse After Major Bleaching Event 4/18 but Hope for Great Barrier Reef? New Study Shows Genetic Diversity of Coral Could Extend Our Chance to Save It 4/18.
Ocean Acidification from Climate Change Could Cost $1 Trillion 10/14.
Scientists try to regrow a dying coral reef 25 times faster than nature 2/15 PBS Newshour (see videos section).
Our Once And Future Oceans: Taking Lessons From Earth's Past acidification 8/13 audio.
Great Barrier Reef Has Seen Major Decline In Past 3 Decades PBS video *** 10/12
New report on coral reefs (and animated overview) 7/12 9/12 UPDATE
Great Barrier Reef in trouble. 6/12.
California (audio) 9/12.
Coral Reef research. Some copes better with climate change than others.
Ocean Acidification discussion on PBS NewsHour 11/10.
New Report : A "deadly trio" of carbon-related ocean impacts (ocean acidification, warming, and oxygen depletion) may lead to global marine extinctions on a scale unprecedented in human history. This is one of the main conclusions of a new report by an international panel of marine scientists (see my previous post Ocean of Trouble for more details). The panel's main findings were summarized as follows: The combination of stressors on the ocean is creating the conditions associated with every previous major extinction of species in Earth's history. Further: The speed and rate of degeneration in the ocean is far faster than anyone has predicted. Many of the negative impacts previously identified are greater than the worst predictions. Although difficult to assess because of the unprecedented speed of change, the first steps to globally significant extinction may have begun with a rise in the extinction threat to marine species such as reef-forming corals. More. Related PBS Newshour story. 6/11
Coral reefs as source of medicine.
avoiding sunscreen that bleaches coral.
Maps/Interactive/Infographics
Groundbreaking Maps Detail Acidity of the Earth’s Oceans 11/14.
Video
Coral reefs Scripps Oceanography marine ecologist Stuart Sandi describes his travels to untouched parts of the globe to conduct scientific research aimed at understanding and protecting these fragile ecosystems. See also Microbial seas and coral. 12/11.
Short Attention Span Science Theater video has good coverage of ocean acidification and its effect on coral reefs, the "rainforests of the ocean." Here's a plan to use ocean pumps to cool reefs, boost their food and generate electricity.
Short Attention Span Science Theater video has good coverage of ocean acidification and its effect on coral reefs, the "rainforests of the ocean."
Richard Pyle shows us thriving life on the cliffs of coral reefs and groundbreaking diving technologies he has pioneered to explore it. He and his team risk everything to reveal the secrets of undiscovered species. TEDtalk.
Rob Dunbar hunts for data on our climate from 12,000 years ago, finding clues inside ancient seabeds and corals and inside ice sheets. His work is vital in setting baselines for fixing our current climate -- and in tracking the rise of deadly ocean acidification. TEDtalk.
UCSC Research
UCSC's Giacomo Bernardi is in Evolutionary Biology. His Post Doc was at Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station at Pacific Grove. His research focus is on the molecular ecology and evolution of coral reef fishes. He does his research in California, the Sea of Cortez, French Polynesia, the Caribbean, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Africa and the Mozambique Channel. His research areas include speciation, population genetics, and ecology of coral reef fishes. (video of fish tool use).
Brent Constantz developed technology to make "green" cement that could help slow global warming and ocean acidification based on a revolutionary product for healing broken bones inspired by the research on coral reefs he had conducted as a UCSC graduate student.
Engineering students develop a coral reef monitoring system.
Matthew McCarthy, associate professor of ocean sciences and partners have found compelling evidence for an extensive biological community living in porous rock deep beneath the seafloor. The microbes in this hidden world appear to be an important source of dissolved organic matter in deep ocean water, a finding that could dramatically change ideas about the ocean carbon cycle. More 12/10. Deep-sea corals record dramatic long-term shift in Pacific Ocean ecosystem 12/13.
Adina Paytan does research on how dust affects algae in oceans. Her recent work looks at ocean acidification which affects coral.
Donald Potts, a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology is studying increasing ocean acidification, which has often focused on its potential effects on coral reefs, but broader disruptions of biological processes in the oceans may be more significant.
