Ocean & coastal acidification research at EPA's Pacific Coastal Ecology Branch
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Coastal acidification is broadly defined as the lowering of pH in coastal ocean and estuarine waters as a result of human activities, including fossil fuel combustion, land use change, and eutrophication. A growing literature shows water quality impacts from these drivers of coastal acidification can impair the fitness of coastal organisms and has negatively impacted commercial fisheries in the United States. This presentation will discuss recent and ongoing research at EPA's Pacific Coastal Ecology Branch to characterize the dynamics and drivers of coastal acidification in US estuaries. Results of these studies reveal how both global and local human activities can enhance coastal acidification in estuarine environments via multiple pathways, creating “hotspots” of water quality degredation and exceedances of physiological thresholds for endemic organisms. This presentation will cover ongoing coastal acidification research at EPA's Pacific Coastal Ecology Branch, including current acidification monitoring, a national acidification vulnerability assessment, and current support for the State of Oregon to develop ocean acidification assessment methodologies via participation in a technical workgroup.