Ocean Acidification and Dissolved Carbon Dioxide

Since the beginning of industrialisation in the 18th Century, man-made CO2 emissions have progressively increased CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. Consequently, more CO2 is being absorbed by the oceans, altering the carbonate chemistry of ocean surface waters: it reduces its pH and concentrations of carbonate ions, while increasing dissolved inorganic carbon (in the form of bicarbonate and dissolved CO2). This process is called 'ocean acidification', and its effects on marine organisms and ecosystems can be profound. It is imperative to better understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of changes in the carbonate chemistry due to increased atmospheric CO2 in waters of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), to improve predictions and to validate of ocean acidification models. To fill this data gap, AIMS has developed a program to increase the availability of data on the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2), pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) data from the GBR, based on two systems: One data collection system is fitted to the RV Cape Ferguson where it complements the existing Thermosalinograph (TSG) measurements of temperature, salinity, turbidity and fluorescence; the other system is located at the foot of the weather station tower on Davies Reef, a mid-shelf reef in the central Great Barrier Reef. Under the "Ocean Acidification" program are two joint research projects, "Developing a Carbon Budget for the Great Barrier Reef" and "Increasing the Available Carbonate Chemistry Data for the GBR". These projects are a collaboration between AIMS and Southern Cross University, with funding from the Australian Government through The Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) and AIMS.