JANUARY 2018 NEWSLETTER
NEWS FROM THE SOUTHEAST:
ACIDIFICATION TRENDS IN FLORIDA SHELLFISH ESTUARIES:
A 20+ YEAR PERSPECTIVE
Robbins and Lisle (2017) found significant rates of change in pH, oxygen, salinity and temperature across Florida shellfish estuaries. Of the parameters measured, pH showed the most significant and consistent rate of change, decreasing in 8 out of 10 of the estuaries. Though cautious in interpreting the pH data given known complexities of pH measurements, rates of decrease were 2-3.4 times slower than offshore waters. The authors suggested decreases in pH from atmospheric carbon dioxide may be mitigated by dissolution of the Florida carbonate platform beneath the estuaries, increasing the buffering capacity of the seawater. Learn more...
ACIDIFICATION WEAKENS CORAL SKELETON

A new study by Mollica et al. (2018) has shown that acidification can affect skeletal density, but not elongation, of Porites coral growth. Though the research was conducted on Pacific corals the scientists utilized data from other studies to model results globally. The authors noted this study may help explain the large variability found in other studies that evaluated the response of coral calcification to acidification. Find out more...
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE OA WORLD

July 16-August 17, 2018 | Friday Harbor Laboratories
This graduate level course introduces students to the theory, methods, and techniques needed to conduct successful experiments on the biological effects of ocean acidification.

The Department of Oceanography and Coastal Studies at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge invites PhD and Masters applicants to join the Marine Geochemistry group on a number of recently funded projects to understand the fate, transformation and transport of carbon in estuarine and shelf sediments of coastal Louisiana and their impact on water quality.

California Ocean Trust is offering an 11-week summer internship with potential program areas that include "Expanding and Integrating Knowledge on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia (OAH)"

Join a research team at NOAA Fisheries to conduct an "analysis of ocean acidification and co-stressor effects on fish early life processes"
ATTENDING THE ASLO OCEAN SCIENCES MEETING?
The ASLO Ocean Sciences meeting will take place February 11-16 in Portland, OR and there will be plenty of acidification science on the agenda!


GET INVOLVED WITH SOCAN!

Attend a workshop!
SOCAN will host acidification stakeholder workshops in South Carolina and Georgia in spring of 2018. These workshops seek to engage stakeholders in acidification science and offer the opportunity for SOCAN to learn more about their data needs. 

Engage in collaborative research!
SOCAN is actively pursuing multiple funding opportunities to understand acidification and its impacts in the Southeast. Join the effort!

Contribute data!
A new SOCAN data portal is currently in development to visualize acidification data in the Southeast. Do we have your assets on the map? If you'd like to contribute, please submit here.

Become a member!
SOCAN is starting a membership option that will provide access to a growing network of ocean acidification scientists and stakeholders. Sign up and find out more  >
SECOORA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Ocean Acidification Program are facilitating the operation of the SOCAN to support and encourage discussions on ocean and coastal acidification in the Southeast region.