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Applied monitoring of coastal acidification

Mid-Atlantic OA Workshop, 09-11-2024

Micah Horwith, micah.horwith@ecy.wa.gov

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Acidification so far

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Acidification so far

mineral

stability

(Ω)

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less CO2 & higher pH

favorable water

Acidification so far

mineral

stability

(Ω)

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more CO2 & lower pH

corrosive water

less CO2 & higher pH

favorable water

Acidification so far

mineral

stability

(Ω)

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Acidification so far

Bednaršek et al. 2020

mineral

stability

(Ω)

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Acidification so far

Bednaršek et al. 2020

Waldbusser et al. 2016; Williams et al. 2018

mineral

stability

(Ω)

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Acidification so far

Bednaršek et al. 2020

Waldbusser et al. 2016; Williams et al. 2018

mineral

stability

(Ω)

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Acidification so far

Global

Lauvset et al. 2020

Jiang et al. 2015

mineral

stability

(Ω)

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Acidification so far

  • oceans everywhere are more corrosive

Global

Lauvset et al. 2020

Jiang et al. 2015

mineral

stability

(Ω)

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Acidification so far

  • oceans everywhere are more corrosive

Global

Salish Sea ∆

Lauvset et al. 2020

Jiang et al. 2015; Hare et al. 2020

mineral

stability

(Ω)

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Acidification so far

  • oceans everywhere are more corrosive

  • Washington waters are near risk zones

Global

Salish Sea ∆

Lauvset et al. 2020

Jiang et al. 2015; Hare et al. 2020

mineral

stability

(Ω)

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Salish Sea ∆

Global

Lauvset et al. 2020

Jiang et al. 2015; Hare et al. 2020

mineral

stability

(Ω)

Acidification so far

  • oceans everywhere are more corrosive

  • Washington waters are near risk zones

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Acidification so far

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Acidification so far

  • shellfish growers have adapted

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Acidification so far

  • shellfish growers have adapted

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Acidification so far

  • shellfish growers have adapted

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Acidification so far

  • shellfish growers have adapted

  • rising CO2 will limit efficacy

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Biological sensitivity

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Biological sensitivity

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Biological sensitivity

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Biological sensitivity

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Measuring the problem

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Measuring the problem

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Measuring the problem

  • OA monitoring in WA is robust

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Timing & sensitivity

Ifremer

1d

6d

10d

15d

21d

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Timing & sensitivity

Ifremer

1d

6d

10d

15d

21d

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Timing & sensitivity

Ifremer

1d

6d

10d

15d

21d

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Timing & sensitivity

Ifremer

1d

6d

10d

15d

21d

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Timing & sensitivity

  • early life stages are more sensitive

Ifremer

1d

6d

10d

15d

21d

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Timing & sensitivity

  • early life stages are more sensitive

  • OA impacts hinge on exposure

Ifremer

1d

6d

10d

15d

21d

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

  • 28 stations

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

  • 28 stations

  • monthly sampling since Oct 2018

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

  • 28 stations

  • monthly sampling since Oct 2018

  • discrete samples at 0m & 30m

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

Chemistry

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

NOAA West Coast OA cruises 2007 →

Chemistry

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

NOAA West Coast OA cruises 2007 →

Chemistry Washington OA Center cruises 2014 →

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

NOAA West Coast OA cruises 2007 →

Chemistry Washington OA Center cruises 2014 →

• WA Ecology sampling 2018 →

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

NOAA West Coast OA cruises 2007 →

Chemistry Washington OA Center cruises 2014 →

• WA Ecology sampling 2018 →

Larvae

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

NOAA West Coast OA cruises 2007 →

Chemistry Washington OA Center cruises 2014 →

• WA Ecology sampling 2018 →

Zooplankton monitoring program 2014 →

Larvae

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WA Ecology monitors OA seasonality

NOAA West Coast OA cruises 2007 →

Chemistry Washington OA Center cruises 2014 →

• WA Ecology sampling 2018 →

Zooplankton monitoring program 2014 →

Pacific Crab Research Group 2019 →

Larvae

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OA indicator

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OA indicator

  • annual ‘window of opportunity’

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OA indicator

  • annual ‘window of opportunity’

Example

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OA indicator

  • annual ‘window of opportunity’

Example

  • 194 days in 2022

194 days

2022

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OA indicator

  • annual ‘window of opportunity’

Example

  • 194 days in 2022

Technical definition

194 days

2022

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OA indicator

  • annual ‘window of opportunity’

Example

  • 194 days in 2022

Technical definition

  • est. # of consecutive days in greater Puget Sound with mean surface Ω > 1

194 days

2022

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OA indicator

  • annual ‘window of opportunity’

Examples

  • 194 days in 2022
  • 188 days in 2021

Technical definition

  • est. # of consecutive days in greater Puget Sound with mean surface Ω > 1

188 days

2021

194 days

2022

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OA indicator

  • annual ‘window of opportunity’

Examples

  • 194 days in 2022
  • 188 days in 2021
  • 178 days in 2019

Technical definition

  • est. # of consecutive days in greater Puget Sound with mean surface Ω > 1

188 days

178 days

2021

2019

194 days

2022

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OA indicator

  • annual ‘window of opportunity’

Examples

  • 194 days in 2022
  • 188 days in 2021
  • 178 days in 2019

Technical definition

  • est. # of consecutive days in greater Puget Sound with mean surface Ω > 1

188 days

178 days

257 days

2021

2019

~1700

194 days

2022

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Telling the story

188 days

178 days

257 days

2021

2019

~1700

194 days

2022

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Telling the story

  • annual ‘window of opportunity’

188 days

178 days

257 days

2021

2019

~1700

194 days

2022

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Telling the story

  • annual ‘window of opportunity’

  • 2022 had 194 days of favorable water

188 days

178 days

257 days

2021

2019

~1700

194 days

2022

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Telling the story

  • annual ‘window of opportunity’

  • 2022 had 194 days of favorable water

  • CO2 has already narrowed window

188 days

178 days

257 days

2021

2019

~1700

194 days

2022

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Telling the story

  • annual ‘window of opportunity’

  • 2022 had 194 days of favorable water

  • CO2 has already narrowed window

  • reducing CO2 emissions can preserve window

188 days

178 days

257 days

2021

2019

~1700

194 days

2022

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Applied OA monitoring in Washington State

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Applied OA monitoring in Washington State

surface

Ω

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Applied OA monitoring in Washington State

surface

Ω

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Applied OA monitoring

in Washington State

  • gauges seasonality

surface

Ω

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Applied OA monitoring

in Washington State

  • gauges seasonality

  • yields data products

surface

Ω

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Applied OA monitoring

in Washington State

  • gauges seasonality

  • yields data products

  • advances regional modeling

surface

Ω

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Applied OA monitoring

in Washington State

  • gauges seasonality

  • yields data products

  • advances regional modeling

  • reveals natural & human drivers & regional ‘hot spots’

surface

Ω

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Questions?�Micah Horwith, micah.horwith@ecy.wa.gov

Monitoring Ocean Acidification within State Borders: Lessons from Washington State (USA)

https://doi.org/10.1080/08920753.2021.1947130