Strait of Georgia Is Turning to Acid, New Research Shows
- Thread starter Derby
- Start date
I wouldn't necessarily expect a climate denial web site response on ocean acidification. The data that suggests acidification is caused by man made CO2 is quite solid and harder to argue against than global warming. In fact, you rarely see ocean acidification mentioned by the denier crowd and I suspect that the inability to argue against it is the main reason. As I've said before, I suspect acidification will bite us in the butt earlier and more dramatically than the climate change/warming aspects will. The loss of krill and other small shellfish could collapse very large food chains.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0091235
Abstract
Maintaining food production while sustaining productive ecosystems is among the central challenges of our time, yet, it has been for millennia. Ancient clam gardens, intertidal rock-walled terraces constructed by humans during the late Holocene, are thought to have improved the growing conditions for clams. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the beach slope, intertidal height, and biomass and density of bivalves at replicate clam garden and non-walled clam beaches in British Columbia, Canada. We also quantified the variation in growth and survival rates of littleneck clams (Leukoma staminea) we experimentally transplanted across these two beach types. We found that clam gardens had significantly shallower slopes than non-walled beaches and greater densities of L. staminea and Saxidomus giganteus, particularly at smaller size classes. Overall, clam gardens contained 4 times as many butter clams and over twice as many littleneck clams relative to non-walled beaches. As predicted, this relationship varied as a function of intertidal height, whereby clam density and biomass tended to be greater in clam gardens compared to non-walled beaches at relatively higher intertidal heights. Transplanted juvenile L. staminea grew 1.7 times faster and smaller size classes were more likely to survive in clam gardens than non-walled beaches, specifically at the top and bottom of beaches. Consequently, we provide strong evidence that ancient clam gardens likely increased clam productivity by altering the slope of soft-sediment beaches, expanding optimal intertidal clam habitat, thereby enhancing growing conditions for clams. These results reveal how ancient shellfish aquaculture practices may have supported food security strategies in the past and provide insight into tools for the conservation, management, and governance of intertidal seascapes today.
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/quir...aboriginal-gardens-make-happy-clams-1.2842952
Saturday April 05, 2014
Aboriginal Gardens Make Happy Clams
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/quir...aboriginal-gardens-make-happy-clams-1.2842952
Listen 9:07 http://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/abor...clams-2014-04-05-pt-2-1.2598828?autoplay=true
FULL EPISODE http://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/quirks-quarks-for-april-5-2014-1.2842945
Clam garden
Clam garden at low tide. (Courtesy of PLOS One)
Download Podcast http://www.cbc.ca/radio-content/media/quirks/2013-2014/qq-2014-04-05_02.mp3
Clam gardens are beach-terraces that were constructed by First Nations on the West Coast over many hundred of years before European contact, in a deceptively simple form of aquaculture. Dr. Anne Salomon, a marine ecologist from Simon Fraser University, and her group, investigated just how productive these clam gardens were. They cultivated clams in the gardens and on normal beaches, and found that, in the gardens, clams grew, on average, twice as large as in their natural environment. Dr. Salomon thinks that we can learn from this low-impact form of traditional aquaculture.
Related Links
Paper in PLOS One http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0091235
Simon Fraser University release http://www.sfu.ca/sfunews/stories/2014/ancient-clam-gardens-nurtured-food-security.html
Vancouver Sun story http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/clams+reveal+ancient+secret+with+video/9637658/story.html
Fish Assassin
Crew Member
Who let you guys out of the climate thread? 
LOL
Trying to recrute others are you?
LOLTrying to recrute others are you?
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
What is your point OBD? State your case.
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
Information only.
QUOTE=Whole in the Water;395432]What is your point OBD? State your case.[/QUOTE]
QUOTE=Whole in the Water;395432]What is your point OBD? State your case.[/QUOTE]
Greatest mass extinction driven by acidic oceans, study finds
Date: April 9, 2015
Source: University of Edinburgh
Summary: Changes to the Earth's oceans, caused by extreme volcanic activity, triggered the greatest extinction of all time, a study suggests. The amount of carbon added to the atmosphere that triggered the mass extinction was probably greater than today's fossil fuel reserves, the team says. However, the carbon was released at a rate similar to modern emissions. This fast rate of release was a critical factor driving ocean acidification, researchers say.
This image shows field work in the United Arab Emirates.
Credit: D. Astratti
[Click to enlarge image]
Changes to the Earth's oceans, caused by extreme volcanic activity, triggered the greatest extinction of all time, a study suggests.
The event, which took place 252 million years ago, wiped out more than 90 per cent of marine species and more than two-thirds of the animals living on land.
It happened when Earth's oceans absorbed huge amounts of carbon dioxide from volcanic eruptions, researchers say.
This changed the chemical composition of the oceans -- making them more acidic -- with catastrophic consequences for life on Earth, the team says.
The study, co-ordinated by the University of Edinburgh, is the first to show that highly acidic oceans were to blame.
The findings are helping scientists understand the threat posed to marine life by modern-day ocean acidification. The amount of carbon added to the atmosphere that triggered the mass extinction was probably greater than today's fossil fuel reserves, the team says.
However, the carbon was released at a rate similar to modern emissions. This fast rate of release was a critical factor driving ocean acidification, researchers say.
The Permian-Triassic Boundary extinction took place over a 60,000 year period, researchers say. Acidification of the oceans lasted for around 10,000 years.
Ocean acidification was the driving force behind the deadliest phase of the extinction, which dealt a final blow to an already unstable ecosystem, researchers say. Increased temperatures and widespread loss of oxygen in the oceans had already put the environment under pressure.
Oceans can absorb some carbon dioxide but the large volume released -- at such a fast rate -- changed the chemistry of the oceans, the team says.
The mass extinction of both marine and land-based animals demonstrates that extreme change took place in all of Earth's ecosystems, the team says.
The team analysed rocks unearthed in the United Arab Emirates -- which were on the ocean floor at the time -- to develop a climate model to work out what drove the extinction. The rocks preserve a detailed record of changing oceanic conditions at the time.
The study, published in the journal Science, was carried out in collaboration with the University of Bremen, Germany, and the University of Exeter, together with the Universities of Graz, Leeds, and Cambridge.
Funding was provided by the International Centre for Carbonate Reservoirs, Natural Environment Research Council, The Leverhulme Trust, German Research Foundation and the Marsden Fund.
Dr Matthew Clarkson, of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, who co-ordinated the study, said: "Scientists have long suspected that an ocean acidification event occurred during the greatest mass extinction of all time, but direct evidence has been lacking until now. This is a worrying finding, considering that we can already see an increase in ocean acidity today that is the result of human carbon emissions."
Professor Rachel Wood, of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, said: "This work was highly collaborative and the results were only possible because we assembled a unique team of geochemists, geologists and modellers to tackle an important and long-standing problem."
Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by University of Edinburgh. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference: 1.M. O. Clarkson, S. A. Kasemann, R. A. Wood, T. M. Lenton, S. J. Daines, S. Richoz, F. Ohnemueller, A. Meixner, S. W. Poulton, E. T. Tipper. Ocean acidification and the Permo-Triassic mass extinction. Science, 2015 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa0193
Date: April 9, 2015
Source: University of Edinburgh
Summary: Changes to the Earth's oceans, caused by extreme volcanic activity, triggered the greatest extinction of all time, a study suggests. The amount of carbon added to the atmosphere that triggered the mass extinction was probably greater than today's fossil fuel reserves, the team says. However, the carbon was released at a rate similar to modern emissions. This fast rate of release was a critical factor driving ocean acidification, researchers say.
This image shows field work in the United Arab Emirates.
Credit: D. Astratti
[Click to enlarge image]
Changes to the Earth's oceans, caused by extreme volcanic activity, triggered the greatest extinction of all time, a study suggests.
The event, which took place 252 million years ago, wiped out more than 90 per cent of marine species and more than two-thirds of the animals living on land.
It happened when Earth's oceans absorbed huge amounts of carbon dioxide from volcanic eruptions, researchers say.
This changed the chemical composition of the oceans -- making them more acidic -- with catastrophic consequences for life on Earth, the team says.
The study, co-ordinated by the University of Edinburgh, is the first to show that highly acidic oceans were to blame.
The findings are helping scientists understand the threat posed to marine life by modern-day ocean acidification. The amount of carbon added to the atmosphere that triggered the mass extinction was probably greater than today's fossil fuel reserves, the team says.
However, the carbon was released at a rate similar to modern emissions. This fast rate of release was a critical factor driving ocean acidification, researchers say.
The Permian-Triassic Boundary extinction took place over a 60,000 year period, researchers say. Acidification of the oceans lasted for around 10,000 years.
Ocean acidification was the driving force behind the deadliest phase of the extinction, which dealt a final blow to an already unstable ecosystem, researchers say. Increased temperatures and widespread loss of oxygen in the oceans had already put the environment under pressure.
Oceans can absorb some carbon dioxide but the large volume released -- at such a fast rate -- changed the chemistry of the oceans, the team says.
The mass extinction of both marine and land-based animals demonstrates that extreme change took place in all of Earth's ecosystems, the team says.
The team analysed rocks unearthed in the United Arab Emirates -- which were on the ocean floor at the time -- to develop a climate model to work out what drove the extinction. The rocks preserve a detailed record of changing oceanic conditions at the time.
The study, published in the journal Science, was carried out in collaboration with the University of Bremen, Germany, and the University of Exeter, together with the Universities of Graz, Leeds, and Cambridge.
Funding was provided by the International Centre for Carbonate Reservoirs, Natural Environment Research Council, The Leverhulme Trust, German Research Foundation and the Marsden Fund.
Dr Matthew Clarkson, of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, who co-ordinated the study, said: "Scientists have long suspected that an ocean acidification event occurred during the greatest mass extinction of all time, but direct evidence has been lacking until now. This is a worrying finding, considering that we can already see an increase in ocean acidity today that is the result of human carbon emissions."
Professor Rachel Wood, of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, said: "This work was highly collaborative and the results were only possible because we assembled a unique team of geochemists, geologists and modellers to tackle an important and long-standing problem."
Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by University of Edinburgh. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference: 1.M. O. Clarkson, S. A. Kasemann, R. A. Wood, T. M. Lenton, S. J. Daines, S. Richoz, F. Ohnemueller, A. Meixner, S. W. Poulton, E. T. Tipper. Ocean acidification and the Permo-Triassic mass extinction. Science, 2015 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa0193
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north...-at-risk-due-to-acidification-study-1.3118246
Beaufort Sea's fish population at risk due to acidification: study
New study shows that acid levels could threaten survival of shelled organisms in Beaufort by 2044
By David Thurton, CBC News Posted: Jun 18, 2015 6:34 AM CT| Last Updated: Jun 18, 2015 11:35 AM CT
Research teams tested ocean acidification levels aboard the United States Coast Guard Cutter Healy in 2011 and 2012. They found that the levels in the Beaufort Sea could threaten the shellfish population by 2044, which will have far-ranging impacts on the food supply of fish and whales. (Submitted by Jeremy Mathis/NOAA)
A new study http://www.tos.org/oceanography/archive/28-2_mathis2.pdf estimates that within two decades, the Beaufort Sea could reach levels so corrosive that many shelled organisms, and even fish and whales — depended on by aboriginal people in the region — could be at risk.
"They are reaching a point where they are crossing a threshold to a point that we are really worried about," says Jeremy Mathis, an oceanographer at America's National Oceanic Atmospheric Association and lead author of the study, released this week. http://tos.org/oceanography/archive/28-2_mathis2.html
Mathis and a team of scientists ventured into the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas for two month-long expeditions onboard United States Coast Guard Cutter Healy in 2011 and 2012.
Beaufort sea acidification Jeremy Mathis
Jeremy Mathis and his crew lowered sensors into the ocean that measure water temperature, salinity, and dissolved carbon. (Submitted by J. Cross/NOAA)
The Beaufort Sea is located in the Arctic Ocean, off Canada's northwest coast.
Their field tests confirmed computer modelling that showed levels of acid in arctic waters will reach levels that threaten the survival of shelled organisms by the year 2030 in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, and 2044 in the Bering Sea. The findings show that already some areas of the Beaufort Sea have reached these levels of high acidification.
"Ocean acidification is happening faster in the Arctic than anywhere else on the planet," says Mathis. "The Beaufort Sea is out front in terms of how the water chemistry is changing.
"It's the location that will change the earliest. We really need to make sure that we are understanding what's going on with the organisms and the ecosystems to make sure ocean acidification isn't already having some kind of impact."
Change 'could ripple through the marine ecosystem'
Ocean acidification is caused by the release of carbon dioxide when fossil fuels are burned.
That carbon dioxide finds its way into oceans and reduces the amount calcium carbonate in the waters that shelled organisms, like a crab, need to create their shells.
Scientists worry that many fish and whales in the Arctic Ocean will also be affected by ocean acidification because they eat many of the shelled creatures that are now or will soon be threatened.
"This change due to ocean acidification would not only affect shell-building animals but could ripple through the marine ecosystem," Mathis says.
Rashid Sumalia
Rashid Sumalia, one of the study's co-authors, says that the team saw 'significant potential impacts on indigenous people in the Arctic.' (Submitted by Rashid Sumalia)
A 2013 Arctic Council report warned that, "ocean acidification, poses challenges in economic, social, cultural and environmental terms," for the Arctic's indigenous peoples. http://eprints.uni-kiel.de/22736/1/AOA-science report 2013.pdf
This worries Rashid Sumaila, who is one of the report's authors, and the director of UBC's Fisheries Economics Research Centre.
"There's going to be less fish to be caught," said Sumalia. "And then that feeds into the whole economy — food for people, food security.
"So we really saw significant potential impacts on indigenous people in the Arctic."
Carbon dioxide, fisheries management needed
As ocean acidification becomes the new normal, experts like Mathis and Sumalia say governments and indigenous peoples in the Arctic have to adapt.
Both men say that countries must reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted.
"That's ultimately what's causing ocean acidification," Mathis says.
Mathis also says countries need to adopt regional fisheries management practices that help better manage fish populations that are in danger due to ocean acidification, "because it is just another stressor on the ecosystem."
Designating marine protected areas is another way that governments can protect fish and marine life in the Arctic Ocean, says Sumalia.
"Just to protect sensitive areas so that would make the system more resilient in the case of shocks like ocean acidification."
Sumalia also says that aboriginal peoples also need to adapt to a future where they might not be able to earn a living off the seas.
"I am big on education," he says, "because a well-trained mind is able to adapt more."
Beaufort Sea's fish population at risk due to acidification: study
New study shows that acid levels could threaten survival of shelled organisms in Beaufort by 2044
By David Thurton, CBC News Posted: Jun 18, 2015 6:34 AM CT| Last Updated: Jun 18, 2015 11:35 AM CT
Research teams tested ocean acidification levels aboard the United States Coast Guard Cutter Healy in 2011 and 2012. They found that the levels in the Beaufort Sea could threaten the shellfish population by 2044, which will have far-ranging impacts on the food supply of fish and whales. (Submitted by Jeremy Mathis/NOAA)
A new study http://www.tos.org/oceanography/archive/28-2_mathis2.pdf estimates that within two decades, the Beaufort Sea could reach levels so corrosive that many shelled organisms, and even fish and whales — depended on by aboriginal people in the region — could be at risk.
"They are reaching a point where they are crossing a threshold to a point that we are really worried about," says Jeremy Mathis, an oceanographer at America's National Oceanic Atmospheric Association and lead author of the study, released this week. http://tos.org/oceanography/archive/28-2_mathis2.html
Mathis and a team of scientists ventured into the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas for two month-long expeditions onboard United States Coast Guard Cutter Healy in 2011 and 2012.
Beaufort sea acidification Jeremy Mathis
Jeremy Mathis and his crew lowered sensors into the ocean that measure water temperature, salinity, and dissolved carbon. (Submitted by J. Cross/NOAA)
The Beaufort Sea is located in the Arctic Ocean, off Canada's northwest coast.
Their field tests confirmed computer modelling that showed levels of acid in arctic waters will reach levels that threaten the survival of shelled organisms by the year 2030 in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, and 2044 in the Bering Sea. The findings show that already some areas of the Beaufort Sea have reached these levels of high acidification.
"Ocean acidification is happening faster in the Arctic than anywhere else on the planet," says Mathis. "The Beaufort Sea is out front in terms of how the water chemistry is changing.
"It's the location that will change the earliest. We really need to make sure that we are understanding what's going on with the organisms and the ecosystems to make sure ocean acidification isn't already having some kind of impact."
Change 'could ripple through the marine ecosystem'
Ocean acidification is caused by the release of carbon dioxide when fossil fuels are burned.
That carbon dioxide finds its way into oceans and reduces the amount calcium carbonate in the waters that shelled organisms, like a crab, need to create their shells.
Scientists worry that many fish and whales in the Arctic Ocean will also be affected by ocean acidification because they eat many of the shelled creatures that are now or will soon be threatened.
"This change due to ocean acidification would not only affect shell-building animals but could ripple through the marine ecosystem," Mathis says.
Rashid Sumalia
Rashid Sumalia, one of the study's co-authors, says that the team saw 'significant potential impacts on indigenous people in the Arctic.' (Submitted by Rashid Sumalia)
A 2013 Arctic Council report warned that, "ocean acidification, poses challenges in economic, social, cultural and environmental terms," for the Arctic's indigenous peoples. http://eprints.uni-kiel.de/22736/1/AOA-science report 2013.pdf
This worries Rashid Sumaila, who is one of the report's authors, and the director of UBC's Fisheries Economics Research Centre.
"There's going to be less fish to be caught," said Sumalia. "And then that feeds into the whole economy — food for people, food security.
"So we really saw significant potential impacts on indigenous people in the Arctic."
Carbon dioxide, fisheries management needed
As ocean acidification becomes the new normal, experts like Mathis and Sumalia say governments and indigenous peoples in the Arctic have to adapt.
Both men say that countries must reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted.
"That's ultimately what's causing ocean acidification," Mathis says.
Mathis also says countries need to adopt regional fisheries management practices that help better manage fish populations that are in danger due to ocean acidification, "because it is just another stressor on the ecosystem."
Designating marine protected areas is another way that governments can protect fish and marine life in the Arctic Ocean, says Sumalia.
"Just to protect sensitive areas so that would make the system more resilient in the case of shocks like ocean acidification."
Sumalia also says that aboriginal peoples also need to adapt to a future where they might not be able to earn a living off the seas.
"I am big on education," he says, "because a well-trained mind is able to adapt more."
Last edited by a moderator:
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
New study that shows what is really going on.
Again, nothing to do with global warming.
Virulent bacteria affecting oysters found to be a case of mistaken identity
CORVALLIS, Ore. - The bacteria that helped cause the near-ruin of two large oyster hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest have been mistakenly identified for years, researchers say in a recent report.
In addition, the study shows that the bacteria now believed to have participated in that problem are even more widespread and deadly than the previous suspect.
Although the hatchery industry has largely recovered, primarily by better control of ocean water acidity that was also part of the problem, the bacterial pathogens remain a significant concern for wild oysters along the coast, researchers said.
For many years, it had been believed that the primary bacteria causing oyster larvaldeath in the Pacific Northwest was Vibrio tubiashii. Now, scientists say that most, or possibly all of the bacterial problem was caused by a different pathogen, Vibrio coralliilyticus, a close cousin that’s now known to be even more virulent to Pacific oysters.
The findings were published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, by researchers from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Rutgers University. The research was supported by the USDA.
“These bacteria are very similar, they’re close cousins,” said Claudia Häse, an OSU associate professor and expert in microbial pathogenesis. “V. coralliilyticus was believed to primarily infect warm water corals and contributes to coral bleaching around the world. It shares some gene sequences with V. tubiashii, but when we finally were able to compare the entire genomes, it became apparent that most of what we’re dealing with in the Pacific Northwest is V. coralliilyticus.”
Scientists now say that V. coralliilyticus is not only far more widespread than previously believed, but that it can infect a variety of fish, shellfish and oysters, including rainbow trout and larval brine shrimp. And it appears to be the primary offender in bacterial attacks on Pacific Northwest oyster larvae.
OSU experts have developed a rapid diagnostic assay for this bacteria that is nearing commercialization, and it may help assess problems both in oyster and coral health, Häse said.
“Although we’ve largely addressed the problems the hatcheries face, these bacteria continue to pose threats to wild oysters,” Häse said. “And corals are still declining in many places, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is dying at an alarming rate. Better diagnostics might help in all of these situations.”
In what’s now understood to be a problem with multiple causes, these pathogenic bacteria were involved in major crashes of oyster hatcheries, causing shortages in seed oysters for commercial producers. Dramatic losses were suffered in a Netarts Bay, Oregon, hatchery in 2005, and Washington hatcheries were also hard hit. Bacterial infection, water acidity, oxygen depletion and rising seawater temperatures are all believed to have been part of the problem.
By better monitoring and control of water acidity, which was one serious concern, hatcheries have been able to regain most of their productive capabilities. Wild oysters, however, continue to face the multiple pressures from rising acidity, pathogenic bacteria and other forces that have led to serious hatchery mortality.
Those problems have not been made any easier by the lack of funding for identification and studies of the bacteria that researchers now know to be causing infection.
In laboratory tests, strains of V. tubiashii did not show significant pathogenicity to Pacific oysters. V. coralliilyticus, by contrast, is highly infectious to both Pacific and Eastern oyster larvae, and perhaps other shellfish species.
“The Vibrio genus and many bacteria associated with it are a huge problem in fish and shellfish aquaculture, and we should be studying them more aggressively,” Häse said. “V. coralliilyticus, in particular, has a very powerful toxin delivery system, and vibrios are some of the smartest of all bacteria. They can smell, sense things and swim toward a host.”
It’s believed that increasing environmental stresses may make oysters and other marine life more vulnerable to these types of bacterial infection, researchers say.
Again, nothing to do with global warming.
Virulent bacteria affecting oysters found to be a case of mistaken identity
CORVALLIS, Ore. - The bacteria that helped cause the near-ruin of two large oyster hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest have been mistakenly identified for years, researchers say in a recent report.
In addition, the study shows that the bacteria now believed to have participated in that problem are even more widespread and deadly than the previous suspect.
Although the hatchery industry has largely recovered, primarily by better control of ocean water acidity that was also part of the problem, the bacterial pathogens remain a significant concern for wild oysters along the coast, researchers said.
For many years, it had been believed that the primary bacteria causing oyster larvaldeath in the Pacific Northwest was Vibrio tubiashii. Now, scientists say that most, or possibly all of the bacterial problem was caused by a different pathogen, Vibrio coralliilyticus, a close cousin that’s now known to be even more virulent to Pacific oysters.
The findings were published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, by researchers from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Rutgers University. The research was supported by the USDA.
“These bacteria are very similar, they’re close cousins,” said Claudia Häse, an OSU associate professor and expert in microbial pathogenesis. “V. coralliilyticus was believed to primarily infect warm water corals and contributes to coral bleaching around the world. It shares some gene sequences with V. tubiashii, but when we finally were able to compare the entire genomes, it became apparent that most of what we’re dealing with in the Pacific Northwest is V. coralliilyticus.”
Scientists now say that V. coralliilyticus is not only far more widespread than previously believed, but that it can infect a variety of fish, shellfish and oysters, including rainbow trout and larval brine shrimp. And it appears to be the primary offender in bacterial attacks on Pacific Northwest oyster larvae.
OSU experts have developed a rapid diagnostic assay for this bacteria that is nearing commercialization, and it may help assess problems both in oyster and coral health, Häse said.
“Although we’ve largely addressed the problems the hatcheries face, these bacteria continue to pose threats to wild oysters,” Häse said. “And corals are still declining in many places, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is dying at an alarming rate. Better diagnostics might help in all of these situations.”
In what’s now understood to be a problem with multiple causes, these pathogenic bacteria were involved in major crashes of oyster hatcheries, causing shortages in seed oysters for commercial producers. Dramatic losses were suffered in a Netarts Bay, Oregon, hatchery in 2005, and Washington hatcheries were also hard hit. Bacterial infection, water acidity, oxygen depletion and rising seawater temperatures are all believed to have been part of the problem.
By better monitoring and control of water acidity, which was one serious concern, hatcheries have been able to regain most of their productive capabilities. Wild oysters, however, continue to face the multiple pressures from rising acidity, pathogenic bacteria and other forces that have led to serious hatchery mortality.
Those problems have not been made any easier by the lack of funding for identification and studies of the bacteria that researchers now know to be causing infection.
In laboratory tests, strains of V. tubiashii did not show significant pathogenicity to Pacific oysters. V. coralliilyticus, by contrast, is highly infectious to both Pacific and Eastern oyster larvae, and perhaps other shellfish species.
“The Vibrio genus and many bacteria associated with it are a huge problem in fish and shellfish aquaculture, and we should be studying them more aggressively,” Häse said. “V. coralliilyticus, in particular, has a very powerful toxin delivery system, and vibrios are some of the smartest of all bacteria. They can smell, sense things and swim toward a host.”
It’s believed that increasing environmental stresses may make oysters and other marine life more vulnerable to these types of bacterial infection, researchers say.
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/storie...tion-risks-to-alaskan-shellfish-hatchery.html
Monitoring seawater reveals ocean acidification risks to Alaskan shellfish hatchery
NOAA, University of Alaska collaborate with shellfish hatchery
July 1, 2015
NOAA and the University of Alaska worked with the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery in Seward, Alaska, to research the effects of ocean acidification. (Credit: Wiley Evans, NOAA)
New collaborative research between NOAA, University of Alaska and an Alaskan shellfish hatchery shows that ocean acidification may make it difficult for Alaskan coastal waters to support shellfish hatcheries by 2040 unless costly mitigation efforts are installed to modify seawater used in the hatcheries.
"Our research shows there could be significant effects from ocean acidification on Alaska's emerging shellfish hatchery industry in a matter of two and half decades," said Jeremy Mathis, Ph.D., an oceanographer at NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and a co-author of the study, "On the Frontline: Tracking Ocean Acidification in an Alaskan Shellfish Hatchery," appearing today in PLOS ONE. "We need to continue to partner with industry and other stakeholders to make sure we're providing the environmental intelligence needed by industry to answer key questions and make decisions to meet these challenges."
The absorption of carbon dioxide primarily from human sources is making global oceans more corrosive to calcium carbonate minerals which shellfish need to build and maintain shells. The waters off Alaska are especially vulnerable to ocean acidification because the absorption of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions is not the only process contributing to acidity. Melting glaciers, upwelling of carbon-dioxide rich deep waters, the natural decomposition of plant-life that gives off carbon dioxide and the fact that cold water more readily absorbs carbon dioxide all exacerbate ocean acidification in the region.
This system, called a Burkolator because it was developed by Burke Hales at Oregon State, measures carbon dioxide in seawater to help monitor ocean acidification. (Credit: NOAA).
This system, called a Burkolator because it was developed by Burke Hales at Oregon State, measures carbon dioxide in seawater to help monitor ocean acidification. (Credit: NOAA)
A team of scientists from NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle and the University of Alaska Fairbanks worked with the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery in Seward, Alaska, to monitor seawater chemistry over a 10-month period from October 2013 to August 2014 to measure the potential effects of changing ocean chemistry on the growth of oyster, clam, scallop and other shellfish larvae or seed.
Researchers found that ocean chemistry off Seward fluctuates significantly by season. There is currently a five-month window during spring and summer when growing conditions favor larval shellfish, followed by periods of poor growing conditions in autumn and winter. But under some predicted scenarios for carbon dioxide emissions this five-month window for growing shellfish could close as early as 2040. The hatchery would then only be able to produce viable shellfish seed if it installed costly mitigation efforts to modify ocean water entering the facility.
While shellfish farming in Alaska involves mostly small-scale operations focused on oysters and mussels, stakeholder interest is growing and there is an effort underway to increase farmed shellfish production to a multi-million dollar annual level. Communities are embracing shellfish farming to diversify the local economy and create jobs. Currently, Alutiiq Pride is the only shellfish hatchery in Alaska that can provide seed stock to local residents that otherwise have to buy seed from outside the state. However, as the cost of producing seed stock increases in states like Washington and Oregon due to rising ocean acidification levels, hatcheries will be looking for alternative locations to supply large-scale operations. The growth of shellfish farming increases the need for effective monitoring of ocean waters.
"A key to tracking ocean acidification and its effects is our ability to make continuous robust measurements of the carbonate system in hatchery settings to understand how it varies over time," said Wiley Evans, Ph.D., of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the lead scientist on the project. "We've come a long way in our ability to monitor ocean acidification."
Jeff Hetrick, owner of Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery in Seward, Alaska, worked with NOAA scientists on research to better understand how ocean acidification would affect his hatchery business over time. (Credit: Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery).
Jeff Hetrick, owner of Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery in Seward, Alaska, worked with NOAA scientists on research to better understand how ocean acidification would affect his hatchery business over time. (Credit: Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery)
Jeff Hetrick, owner of Alutiiq Pride and a longtime Alaska resident, explained why he wanted to participate in the research. "Ocean acidification has had major impacts on hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest and we wanted to evaluate what, if any, impacts could be expected here in Seward," Hetrick said. "The results have been alarming."
The study reinforces broader research showing that Alaska's commercial and subsistence fisheries are vulnerable to ocean acidification. Alaska is home to some of our nation's most valuable commercial and subsistence fisheries. NOAA's latest Fisheries of the U.S. report estimates that nearly 60 percent of U.S. commercial fisheries landings by weight are harvested in Alaska. These 5.8 billion pounds brought in $1.9 billion in wholesale values or one third of all landings by value in the U.S. in 2013.
Ocean acidification monitoring will continue at the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery and will expand to at least one other site along the southeast Alaska coast in late 2015.
NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our other social media channels.
Monitoring seawater reveals ocean acidification risks to Alaskan shellfish hatchery
NOAA, University of Alaska collaborate with shellfish hatchery
July 1, 2015
NOAA and the University of Alaska worked with the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery in Seward, Alaska, to research the effects of ocean acidification. (Credit: Wiley Evans, NOAA)
New collaborative research between NOAA, University of Alaska and an Alaskan shellfish hatchery shows that ocean acidification may make it difficult for Alaskan coastal waters to support shellfish hatcheries by 2040 unless costly mitigation efforts are installed to modify seawater used in the hatcheries.
"Our research shows there could be significant effects from ocean acidification on Alaska's emerging shellfish hatchery industry in a matter of two and half decades," said Jeremy Mathis, Ph.D., an oceanographer at NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and a co-author of the study, "On the Frontline: Tracking Ocean Acidification in an Alaskan Shellfish Hatchery," appearing today in PLOS ONE. "We need to continue to partner with industry and other stakeholders to make sure we're providing the environmental intelligence needed by industry to answer key questions and make decisions to meet these challenges."
The absorption of carbon dioxide primarily from human sources is making global oceans more corrosive to calcium carbonate minerals which shellfish need to build and maintain shells. The waters off Alaska are especially vulnerable to ocean acidification because the absorption of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions is not the only process contributing to acidity. Melting glaciers, upwelling of carbon-dioxide rich deep waters, the natural decomposition of plant-life that gives off carbon dioxide and the fact that cold water more readily absorbs carbon dioxide all exacerbate ocean acidification in the region.
This system, called a Burkolator because it was developed by Burke Hales at Oregon State, measures carbon dioxide in seawater to help monitor ocean acidification. (Credit: NOAA).
This system, called a Burkolator because it was developed by Burke Hales at Oregon State, measures carbon dioxide in seawater to help monitor ocean acidification. (Credit: NOAA)
A team of scientists from NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle and the University of Alaska Fairbanks worked with the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery in Seward, Alaska, to monitor seawater chemistry over a 10-month period from October 2013 to August 2014 to measure the potential effects of changing ocean chemistry on the growth of oyster, clam, scallop and other shellfish larvae or seed.
Researchers found that ocean chemistry off Seward fluctuates significantly by season. There is currently a five-month window during spring and summer when growing conditions favor larval shellfish, followed by periods of poor growing conditions in autumn and winter. But under some predicted scenarios for carbon dioxide emissions this five-month window for growing shellfish could close as early as 2040. The hatchery would then only be able to produce viable shellfish seed if it installed costly mitigation efforts to modify ocean water entering the facility.
While shellfish farming in Alaska involves mostly small-scale operations focused on oysters and mussels, stakeholder interest is growing and there is an effort underway to increase farmed shellfish production to a multi-million dollar annual level. Communities are embracing shellfish farming to diversify the local economy and create jobs. Currently, Alutiiq Pride is the only shellfish hatchery in Alaska that can provide seed stock to local residents that otherwise have to buy seed from outside the state. However, as the cost of producing seed stock increases in states like Washington and Oregon due to rising ocean acidification levels, hatcheries will be looking for alternative locations to supply large-scale operations. The growth of shellfish farming increases the need for effective monitoring of ocean waters.
"A key to tracking ocean acidification and its effects is our ability to make continuous robust measurements of the carbonate system in hatchery settings to understand how it varies over time," said Wiley Evans, Ph.D., of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the lead scientist on the project. "We've come a long way in our ability to monitor ocean acidification."
Jeff Hetrick, owner of Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery in Seward, Alaska, worked with NOAA scientists on research to better understand how ocean acidification would affect his hatchery business over time. (Credit: Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery).
Jeff Hetrick, owner of Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery in Seward, Alaska, worked with NOAA scientists on research to better understand how ocean acidification would affect his hatchery business over time. (Credit: Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery)
Jeff Hetrick, owner of Alutiiq Pride and a longtime Alaska resident, explained why he wanted to participate in the research. "Ocean acidification has had major impacts on hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest and we wanted to evaluate what, if any, impacts could be expected here in Seward," Hetrick said. "The results have been alarming."
The study reinforces broader research showing that Alaska's commercial and subsistence fisheries are vulnerable to ocean acidification. Alaska is home to some of our nation's most valuable commercial and subsistence fisheries. NOAA's latest Fisheries of the U.S. report estimates that nearly 60 percent of U.S. commercial fisheries landings by weight are harvested in Alaska. These 5.8 billion pounds brought in $1.9 billion in wholesale values or one third of all landings by value in the U.S. in 2013.
Ocean acidification monitoring will continue at the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery and will expand to at least one other site along the southeast Alaska coast in late 2015.
NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our other social media channels.
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