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Making Waves: Episode 8 (Dec. 19, 2008)

(INTRO)
... NEW INSIGHTS INTO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION.
... AND PROTECTING OUR LIVING COASTS.
THOSE TOPICS ARE COMING RIGHT UP ON THIS EDITION OF MAKING WAVES FROM NOAA’S NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE.

( OCEAN ACIDIFICATION)
HOW IS DRIVING YOUR CAR AFFECTING SEALIFE? LET’S START WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, SOMETHING YOU’VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT ON THE NEWS IN RECENT YEARS. A QUICK RECAP: OUR PLANET IS WARMING IN PART BECAUSE OF YOUR CAR EXHAUST. AND MY CAR EXHAUST. AND FROM THE EXHAUST FROM MILLIONS OF OTHER CARS, AND SOURCES LIKE POWER PLANTS, MANUFACTURING, AND BURNING FORESTS. ALL OF THESE MANMADE ACTIVITIES ARE RELEASING HEAT-TRAPPING GASES INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

ONE OF THE MAIN GASES THAT WE’RE RELEASING INTO THE AIR IS CARBON DIOXIDE.
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO WITH THE OCEAN? WELL, THE OCEAN AND THE ATMOSPHERE ARE CLOSELY CONNECTED. NOT ALL THAT CARBON DIOXIDE STAYS UP IN THE AIR. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A QUARTER AND A THIRD OF IT IS ABSORBED INTO THE OCEAN. THAT SHOULD BE A GOOD THING, RIGHT? WELL, IT’S NOT SO GOOD FOR THE OCEAN. ALL OF THE EXHAUST THAT WE’RE PRODUCING IS HAVING A BIG IMPACT – IT’S CHANGING THE OCEANS CHEMISTRY.

ONE IMPORTANT CHANGE THAT’S HAPPENING IS THAT EXTRA CARBON DIOXIDE IS MAKING SEAWATER MORE ACIDIC -- A PROCESS CALLED OCEAN ACIDIFICATION.

HERE’S THE CHEMISTRY PART: CARBON DIOXIDE REACTS WITH SEAWATER AND FORMS CARBONIC ACID. THIS PROCESS EATS UP CARBONATE IONS. THESE IONS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE FORMATION OF CORAL REEFS AND SHELLS OF SEA ANIMALS.

SO THE MORE ACIDIC THE OCEAN GETS, THE LESS CARBONATE IONS THERE ARE TO GO AROUND. AND THIS MEANS THAT CORAL REEF STRUCTURES AND SHELLS TAKE LONGER TO FORM. THAT MEANS THAT THESE HARDENED STRUCTURES GROW SLOWER, WHICH IN THE LONG RUN COULD MAKE THE CREATURES WHO DEPEND ON THESE STRUCTURES LESS ABLE TO HANDLE THE STRESSES IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

A RECENT STUDY BY NOS SCIENTISTS HAS ADDED A BIT MORE TO WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT OCEAN ACIDIFICATION.

WHAT THEY FOUND IS CORAL REEF GROWTH MAY SLOW TO CRITICALLY LOW LEVELS BEFORE THE END OF THIS CENTURY IF WE DON’T SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE WE’RE SENDING UP INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

THE SCIENTISTS USED FOUR YEARS OF OCEAN CHEMISTRY MEASUREMENTS TAKEN ABOARD A CRUISE LINE SHIP IN THE CARIBBEAN. THEN THEY COMBINED THAT WITH DAILY SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS TO ESTIMATE CHANGES IN OCEAN CHEMISTRY OVER THE PAST TWENTY YEARS IN THE SAME REGION.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THEY FOUND ACID LEVELS IN THE CARIBBEAN WERE STILL LOW ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN HEALTHY CORAL REEFS. BUT THE AUTHORS OF THE STUDY NOTE THAT THIS BALANCE WILL LIKELY CHANGE AS ATMOSPHERIC CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS RISE.

THE STUDY ALSO REVEALED SOMETHING ELSE THAT SCIENTISTS WILL NEED TO CONSIDER WHEN STUDYING HOW CORALS RESPOND TO ACIDIFICATION:

THE AMOUNTS OF ACID IN THE OCEAN WERE NOT EVENLY DISTRIBUTED IN THE WATERS WHERE THEY DID THEIR STUDY. THEY FOUND THAT THE CHEMICAL MAKE-UP OF THE WATER ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN REGION CHANGED FROM PLACE TO PLACE OVER TIME AND ACROSS SEASONS.

THESE STRONG VARIATIONS MEAN THAT SOME POCKETS OF OCEAN MIGHT BE STRONGLY ACIDIC AT SOME TIMES, AND MUCH LESS ACIDIC AT OTHER TIMES. WHAT ISN’T YET KNOWN IS HOW THESE SHIFTS IN OCEAN CHEMISTRY ARE AFFECTING THE REEFS.

(PROTECTING OUR LIVING COASTS)
WHAT WE DO ON LAND ALSO HAS A MORE IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON THE HEALTH OF OUR COASTAL COMMUNITIES AROUND THE NATION.

MANY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS ALONG OUR NATION’S COASTS BEGIN WITH THE DECISIONS WE MAKE ABOUT HOW TO USE OUR LAND. CHANGES IN LAND USE CAN LEAD TO POORER WATER QUALITY AND HABITAT DEGRADATION. AND DECISIONS WE MAKE TODAY ABOUT LAND USE TOMMOROW ARE GOING TO IMPACT OUR FUTURE AS WE FACE THINGS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE AND RISING SEA LEVEL.

THIS IS THE FOCUS OF THE COOPERATIVE INSTITUTE FOR COASTAL AND ESTUARINE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY, A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. IT’S CALLED CICEET FOR SHORT.

THE INSTITUTE RECENTLY BROUGHT LAND-USE PLANNING RESEARCHERS AND OUTREACH SPECIALISTS TOGETHER AS PART OF THEIR LIVING COASTS PROGRAM.

THIS PROGRAM STARTED UP IN 2007 TO HELP COASTAL COMMUNITIES ACCESS AND MAKE BETTER USE OF LAND-USE PLANNING TOOLS. THESE TOOLS ALLOW COMMUNITIES TO DEVELOP IN A WAY THAT BETTER PRESERVES WATER QUALITY, PROTECTS NATURAL AREAS, AND IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE.

UNDER THE PROGRAM, 13 TEAMS FROM 20 COASTAL STATES AROUND THE NATION HAVE RECEIVED GRANTS FROM THE INSTITUTE TO ADDRESS KEY LAND-USE ISSUES.

SOME AREAS THE TEAMS ARE TACKLING INCLUDE NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION, THE NEED TO BALANCE ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL HEALTH, AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT. THESE TEAMS, BY THE WAY, AREN’T JUST FROM U-N-H AND NOAA. THEY ARE MADE UP OF A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERTS FROM ACADEMIA, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

THE WORKSHOP PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LIVING COASTS TEAM MEMBERS TO IMPROVE THEIR PROJECTS BY SHARING LESSONS LEARNED AND SUCCESSES. PARTICIPANTS ALSO PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON HOW WELL THE LIVING COASTS PROGRAM WAS WORKING, AND HOW THEY MIGHT BROADEN THE IMPACT OF THEIR WORK TO OTHER COMMUNITIES.

TO DATE, CICEET HAS SPONSORED MORE THAN 170 ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS. TODAY, THEIR PORTFOLIO CONTAINS DOZENS OF "FIELD-READY" TOOLS THAT ARE BEING USED AROUND THE COUNTRY TO REBUILD ERODING BEACHES, RESTORE COASTAL HABITAT, CLEAN UP POLLUTION, PROTECT PUBLIC AND ECONOMIC HEALTH, AND MANAGE COMMUNITY GROWTH.

(TAKING A CLOSER LOOK)
NOW LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT ONE PROJECT IN OREGON TO GIVE YOU A BETTER IDEA OF HOW THE LIVING COASTS PROGRAM IS IMPROVING LAND USE PLANNING ONE COMMUNITY AT A TIME.

WITH INCREASING DEVELOPMENT AND MORE AND MORE ASPHALT ROADS AND PARKING LOTS, OREGON’S COASTAL COMMUNITIES ARE DISCOVERING THAT MANY OF THEIR STREAMS AND BAYS ARE RECEIVING MORE AND MORE STORMWATER RUNOFF.

STORMWATER RUNOFF CONTAINS A LOT MORE THAN JUST WATER. IT’S ALSO A MAJOR SOURCE OF POLLUTION FROM THINGS LIKE SEPTIC TANKS, CARS, TRUCKS, AND BOATS. IT ALSO CONTAINS POLLUTANTS FROM LARGER SOURCES LIKE FARMS, RANCHES, AND FOREST AREAS. ASPHALT ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO THE RUNOFF PROBLEM BECAUSE MUCH OF THE ENGINE OIL AND OTHER CAR POLLUTANTS THAT LAND ON A ROAD OR IN A PARKING LOT GET WASHED AWAY WHEN IT RAINS AND END UP IN AREA ESTUARIES, RIVERS, AND BAYS.

THE METRO AREAS OF OREGON ARE ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM THROUGH LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT STORMWATER PRACTICES THAT BALANCE GROWTH WITH NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION. BUT RURAL COASTAL COMMUNITIES DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME RESOURCES.

WITH A GRANT FROM THE INSTITUTE, A PROJECT TEAM IN OREGON IS HELPING TO BRIDGE THIS GAP. THEY’RE TAKING ALL OF THE LESSONS LEARNED IN URBAN AREAS AND PACKAGING THEM UP FOR USE BY RURAL COMMUNITIES. THEY CALL IT SWAMP – THAT’S SHORT FOR AN OPEN SOURCE STORMWATER ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT DECISION SUPPORT PROCESS. WHAT SWAMP DOES IS GIVE RURAL COMMUNITIES THE TOOLS AND INFORMATION THEY NEED TO BETTER MANAGE STORMWATER RUNOFF.

THE SWAMP TEAM IS ADAPTING THE BEST LAND USE STRATEGIES FROM THE PORTLAND METRO REGION TO MEET THE NEEDS OF COASTAL COMMUNITIES. THEY ARE ALSO PARTNERING WITH SEVERAL LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS TO CREATE AN EASY TO USE, ONLINE TOOL. THIS TOOL WILL ALLOW SMALLER COMMUNITIES TO EVALUATE AND DESIGN STORMWATER PROGRAMS FOR REGIONS RANGING FROM SMALL PARCELS OF LAND TO ENTIRE WATERSHEDS.

(OUTRO)

YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT OCEAN ACIDIFICATION AND THE LIVING COASTS PROGRAM ON OUR WEB SITE. WE’RE AT OCEANSERVICE.NOAA.GOV. FROM THERE, YOU CAN SURF OVER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LIVING COASTS PROGRAM, OR YOU CAN VISIT NOAA’S CORAL REEF WATCH, A PROGRAM FOCUSED ON MANAGING, STUDYING, AND DISCOVERING THE IMPACTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE ON THE CORAL REEFS AND THE CREATURES THAT LIVE THERE.

WE’RE CHANGING OUR FORMAT UP FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. NEXT WEEK, TUNE IN TO HEAR HOW THE OCEAN SERVICE HELPS SANTA NAVIGATE AROUND THE GLOBE. AND WE’LL HAVE A SHORT N-O-S YEAR IN REVIEW FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

WELL, THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EPISODE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS WEEK’S PODCAST, ABOUT THE NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE, OR ABOUT OUR OCEAN, SEND US AN EMAIL AT NOS.WEB@NOAA.GOV.

LET’S BRING IN THE OCEAN ... THIS IS MAKING WAVES FROM NOAA'S NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE. SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

-END-

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