Ocean Acidification's Effects on Marine Ecosystems and Biogeochemistry: Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry Scoping Workshop on Ocean Acidification Research; La Jolla, California, 9–11 October 2007

Abstract

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration is causing global warming and ocean acidification. Nearly one third of the total anthropogenic CO2 produced in the past 200 years has been taken up by the oceans. While oceanic uptake of anthropogenic CO2 may lessen the extent of global warming, evidence suggests that effects of anthropogenic CO2 on ocean chemistry have profound consequences for marine organisms, potentially altering ecosystem structure, food webs, and biogeochemical processes. An assemblage of 93 scientists participated in a 3‐day workshop to develop research strategies that address present and future ocean acidification impacts. The Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry program (http://www.us‐ocb.org) sponsored this workshop, with support from the U.S. National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA, U.S. Geological Survey, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.