And on top of all that…: Coping with ocean acidification in the midst of many stressors
Date
2015-06-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Oceanography Society.
Abstract
Oceanic and coastal waters are acidifying due to processes dominated in
the open ocean by increasing atmospheric CO2 and dominated in estuaries and some
coastal waters by nutrient-fueled respiration. The patterns and severity of acidification,
as well as its effects, are modified by the host of stressors related to human activities
that also influence these habitats. Temperature, deoxygenation, and changes in food
webs are particularly important co-stressors because they are pervasive, and both their
causes and effects are often mechanistically linked to acidification. Development of a
theoretical underpinning to multiple stressor research that considers physiological,
ecological, and evolutionary perspectives is needed because testing all combinations
of stressors and stressor intensities experimentally is impossible. Nevertheless, use of a
wide variety of research approaches is a logical and promising strategy for improving
understanding of acidification and its effects. Future research that focuses on spatial
and temporal patterns of stressor interactions and on identifying mechanisms by
which multiple stressors affect individuals, populations, and ecosystems is critical. It
is also necessary to incorporate consideration of multiple stressors into management,
mitigation, and adaptation to acidification and to increase public and policy recognition
of the importance of addressing acidification in the context of the suite of other stressors
with which it potentially interacts.
Description
Publisher's PDF.
Keywords
Citation
Breitburg, D.L., J. Salisbury, J.M. Bernhard, W.-J. Cai, S. Dupont, S.C. Doney, K.J. Kroeker, L.A. Levin, W.C. Long, L.M. Milke, S.H. Miller, B. Phelan, U. Passow, B.A. Seibel, A.E. Todgham, and A.M. Tarrant. 2015. And on top of all that… Coping with ocean acidification in the midst of many stressors. Oceanography 28(2):48–61, http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/ oceanog.2015.31.