Seagrasses in the Mid-Atlantic: Restoration Efforts and Blue Carbon Potential

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Coastal Acidification and Harmful Dinoflagellate Blooms: Interactions and Emerging Implications for Marine Ecosystems and Organisms

In MACAN's March 26 webinar, Dr. Chris Gobler discusses current research on OA and HABs interactions and implications for marine ecosystems and organisms. Marine ecosystems are warming, acidifying, and deoxygenating. In parallel, impacts of HABs on coastal zones have increased. Many eutrophic habitats in the mid-Atlantic and northeast experience recurring HABs and coastal ocean acidification (OA), making these locations focal points of these stressors. Although the fields of HABs and OA are well-established individually, the effects of OA on HABs, and HABs on OA, are poorly understood. The effect of co-occurrence of HABs and OA on marine organisms is largely unknown. This project seeks to establish a comprehensive understanding of how three of the most prominent HABs on the US East Coast ( Alexandrium catenella, Dinophysis acuminata, and Margalefidinium polykrikoides) respond to OA, how differing OA scenarios (current and future) will impact the proliferation of these HABs, and how their co-occurrence will impact economically and ecologically important bivalves and fish. The seasonal progression of OA, hypoxia, and HABs is being quantified through continuous monitoring, surface water mapping, and discrete sampling. Effects of OA on the growth and toxicity of these HABs has been quantified in field and lab experiments. The lethal and sub-lethal effects and co-effects of these HABs and OA at levels observed in an ecosystem setting and approximately future OA have been established for multiple life stages of commercially important bivalves indigenous to the entire US east coast (C. virginica, M. mercenaries, A. irradians) and early life stage forage fish (M. beryllina, C. variegatus). We have found that co-occurrence of HABs, hypoxia, and OA vary seasonally with some HABs co-occurring with levels of DO and/or pH known to be lethal to marine organisms. We found reduced larval bivalve growth and survival by up to 90% when HABs and OA co-occur, leading to survival rates &lt;5%. Economic and ecological implications will be discussed.

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Responsible Deployment of mCDR: Strategies and Case Studies

The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network’s (MACAN) Spring 2025 webinar series launches February 21, featuring “Responsible Deployment of mCDR: Strategies and Case Studies". Using case studies, Amelia will explain how to apply existing strategic frameworks to guide the responsible deployment of mCDR. Sara will discuss findings from her social science research on mCDR, particularly engagement research she has conducted with coastal communities.

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&#8216;Hooked on Ocean Acidification&#8217; Series for Recreational Anglers

The “Hooked on Ocean Acidification (OA)” mini-series, held virtually in February and March, connected recreational anglers, educators, and natural resource managers with regional scientists studying the impacts of ocean and coastal acidification in Mid-Atlantic waters. Through four evening sessions, we explored how acidification can affect recreationally important fish and shellfish, the potential for seagrasses to buffer acidic waters and help with reef restoration, and the models being developed to forecast changes in OA and hypoxia in the Chesapeake Bay. State and regional efforts to monitor and mitigate acidification were also highlighted.
Our featured speakers included: Dr. Grace Saba (Rutgers University), Dr. Hannes Baumann (University of Connecticut), and Dr. Emily Rivest, Fei Da, and Dr. Marjy Friedrichs (Virginia Institute of Marine Science). If you missed the mini-series, recordings of each session are available below.
Hooked on Ocean Acidification was sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network (MACAN) and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association for Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (MARACOOS), in collaboration with our partners at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO), and the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium.

‘Hooked on Ocean Acidification’ Series for Recreational Anglers

&#8220;How To&#8221; Guide to the Digital Atlas for Physical &amp; Biogeochemical Conditions in Chesapeake Bay

In MACAN's September webinar, Pierre St-Laurent (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) guides us through the new "Digital Atlas for Physical and Biogeochemical Conditions in the Chesapeake Bay." Learn how local stakeholders, managers, students and researchers can effectively use four decades of information about the carbonate chemistry, biogeochemistry and hydrodynamics of the Chesapeake Bay with software programs QGIS, Python, R, and Matlab. Pierre's tutorial walks through the creation of new visualizations from the NetCDF archive as well as a few real-life applications including: net calcification for the Eastern Oyster, Seasonality of Carbonate Chemistry, Habitat Suitability Index for Sand Bar Sharks, and Total Alkalinity along Transects of Chesapeake Bay tributaries.

“How To” Guide to the Digital Atlas for Physical & Biogeochemical Conditions in Chesapeake Bay

Highlights from MACAN&#8217;s 2024 Fellowship Projects

The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network’s (MACAN) 2024 webinar series concludes Nov. 15 with a spotlight on our 2024 fellowship projects. Join us from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET to celebrate the achievements of our three fellows, Teresa Schwemmer, Nichole Ruiz, and Edith Mari. Learn more about their work to map acidification hotspots in the region, analyze coastal phytoplankton bloom dynamics, and coordinate the Mid-Atlantic State-to-State OA workshop.

The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network’s (MACAN) 2024 webinar series concludes Nov. 15 with a spotlight on our 2024 fellowship projects. Join us from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET to celebrate the achievements of our three fellows, Teresa Schwemmer, Nichole Ruiz, and Edith Mari. Learn more about their work to map acidification hotspots in the region, analyze coastal phytoplankton bloom dynamics, and coordinate the Mid-Atlantic State-to-State OA workshop.

Highlights from MACAN’s 2024 Fellowship Projects

Chesapeake Carbon and Alkalinity Study (CHALK)

During MACAN's June 26 webinar, Dr. Raymond Najjar (Pennsylvania State University) discussed the Chesapeake Carbon and Alkalinity Study (CHALK), a new three-year interdisciplinary project funded by the National Science Foundation, focused on improving understanding of the role that macrobiota play in estuarine carbon alkalinity dynamics.
The Chesapeake Carbon and Alkalinity Study, CHALK, is a coordinated program of field measurements, laboratory experiments, historical data analysis, and numerical modeling. Research is focused on two contrasting tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac River Estuary and the York River Estuary. Our interdisciplinary research team is evaluating hypotheses about the role of tidal wetlands, benthic fauna, and submerged vegetation in estuarine carbon and alkalinity dynamics. The research plan includes seven main elements: (1) carbonate system measurements, (2) benthic fauna distribution measurements, (3) measurements of macrobiota carbon and alkalinity fluxes, (4) extrapolation of those fluxes across space and time, (5) historical analysis of carbonate system measurements, (6) 3-D numerical modeling, and (7) a meta-analysis that extends findings to other systems. Mentoring and inclusion occur through the development of a research affinity group connecting existing regional undergraduate research programs. This research will advance the understanding of how macrobiota influence estuarine carbon and alkalinity dynamics and, ultimately, the large-scale marine cycles of carbon and alkalinity.

qRaymond Najjar, Maria Herrmann, Matthew S. Fantle, Jill Arriola, Seyi Ajayi, Emily Rivest, Marjorie Friedrichs, Pierre St-Laurent, Amber Hardison, Hunter Walker, Quinn Roberts, Brandylyn Thomas, Alexis Putney, Alexa Labossiere, Javier Pujols, Novia Mann, Ryan Woodland, Lora Harris, Laura Lapham, Theresa Murphy, Cindy Ross, Zhaohui Aleck Wang, Sophie Kuhl, Cassie Gurbisz, Edward Stets, and Riley Westman

How Tuesday Webinar: Coastal and Ocean Acidification Data

The March 19 edition of the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal's "How Tuesday" webinar series provided a tour of the site’s coastal and ocean acidification monitoring sites maps and an overview of acidification in the Mid-Atlantic.
A collection of seven acidification-related maps in the <a href="https://portal.midatlanticocean.org/news/where-is-coastal-and-ocean-acidification-being-monitored-in-your-area/">Portal’s Water Quality theme were recently expanded</a> to include 20,000 additional sites where sampling is currently being or has been conducted recently in the region. Taken together, the maps serve as a valuable tool for the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network (MACAN) in its goal to develop a robust network that monitors for changes to the region’s water chemistry.

The webinar featured a presentation by Carly LaRoche, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Virginia in the Department of Environmental Sciences. Her current research focuses on coastal carbonate chemistry trends at the Virginia Coast Reserve Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site and also studies the influence of wastewater effluent on coastal acidification in Buzzards Bay, off the Massachusetts coast. Over the past year, Carly has been collaborating with MACAN and MARCO to produce a Coastal and Ocean Acidification Monitoring Inventory for the Mid-Atlantic region.

MACAN Projects &#038; Priorities for 2024

MACAN's spring webinar series launched February 8th with an overview of "MACAN Priorities and Projects for 2024". Dr. Janet Reimer provided updates on MACAN's Workforce Development Fellowship, highlighted our current research, outreach, and education initiatives, discussed ways MACAN can contribute to mCDR efforts in the region, and shared information about our Fall 2024 State-to-State OA Networking Workshop.

MACAN Projects & Priorities for 2024

OA Research Highlights Around the Region: Part 2

The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network’s (MACAN) Spring 2023 webinar closed on May 22, featuring, "OA Research Highlights Around the Region: Part 2". Watch the recording to learn more about social vulnerability analyses for the Atlantic sea scallop fishery and Chesapeake Bay oyster growers in relation to OA and other climate stressors, how a 3D estuarine-carbon-biogeochemistry model is being used to assess effects of projected coastal acidification conditions on oyster growth in Virginia tributaries, and how climate resilience of selectively-bred larval aquaculture broodstock compares to that of the wild Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica. Our featured speakers include Dr. Samantha Siedlecki (UConn), Brian Katz (OSU), Catherine Czajka (VIMS), and Annie Schatz (VIMS).

Dynamic social ecological systems (SES) built around fishing stocks with potential for sustainable catch and flexibility to respond to changing environmental conditions are key to achieving multiple U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
Atlantic sea scallops (sea scallops) have demonstrated the potential for sustainable yield, but are increasingly threatened by effects of ocean warming and acidification and the current management system is not climate ready. As calcifiers with limited mobility and high revenue potential, this fishery is particularly suited to a transdisciplinary approach combining coastal fishing community assessments with sea scallop population dynamics, ocean models, and sea scallop physiological response. The vulnerability and resilience of fishing communities to the effects of warming and ocean acidification (OA) on target species such as sea scallops is dependent on their adaptive capacity in relation to both social and environmental exposure and sensitivity factors.
In the Northeast United States, the contribution of sea scallops to total regional landed value has steadily increased over recent decades to more than $500 million per year. As a result, the dependence of the regional fisheries SES has shifted to this species. This dependence, and the predicted shift in sea scallop distribution and biomass decline, make this study particularly relevant. Here, we provide spatially explicit regional projections of changes within the existing sea scallop fishing zones based on ocean models and physiological assessment of the environmental conditions and likely impacts to scallop growth to harvest size. These projections have been combined with social indicators of fishing community vulnerability and reliance to structure workshops with fishery managers and fishing-dependent communities. The workshops assist stakeholders to explore scenarios to become more resilient to future change. Challenges, lessons learned, and next steps toward achieving a transdisciplinary understanding of SES vulnerability in this fishery are explored.

Chesapeake Bay relies heavily on oyster aquaculture, restoration, and harvesting by watermen for its economy and ecosystem. However, multiple stressors such as ocean acidification, changes in salinity, and temperature extremes threaten these livelihoods and have the potential to exceed social-ecological thresholds. This study integrates biophysical and social data using a top-down approach and spatialized interviews collected from the bottom-up to provide a comprehensive assessment of the factors affecting oyster livelihoods in Chesapeake Bay.
We used a random forest regression analysis to identify the relative importance of biogeochemistry and species responses on Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) aquaculture production, revealing that salinity was the most significant predictor, followed by water temperature and dissolved oxygen. Low salinity events coincide with reductions in calcite saturation state, leading to negative impacts on oyster growth and calcification and subsequent declines in production. We also conducted spatialized interviews with aquaculture producers and restoration partners to contextualize and validate our analysis, collecting qualitative data on observed stressors and responses.
Our interviews revealed that growers are concerned about the potential impacts of low salinity events and multiple stressors, and that some social-ecological thresholds may be exceeded if these impacts continue to intensify. However, we also found evidence of adaptive capacity, as growers are implementing measures such as diversifying their livelihoods and investing in new technologies to mitigate the effects of stressors.
Our study highlights the need for integrated and interdisciplinary approaches to managing Chesapeake Bay oyster livelihoods that consider the complex interactions between biophysical and social factors and account for adaptive capacity. Our findings can inform management strategies aimed at promoting sustainable oyster production and restoration in the face of multiple stressors, including ocean acidification.

Anthropogenic climate change and its associated impacts on water quality challenge marine species to acclimatize to their altered environment, particularly in estuarine and coastal systems. Increasing oceanic uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and greater riverine nutrient loads cause decreases in seawater pH and saturation states (W) of calcium carbonate, a phenomenon known as coastal acidification. Due to the natural spatiotemporal variability of biogeochemistry in estuarine systems like the York River, the effects of acidification and other interacting climate change drivers, such as atmospheric warming, will likely not be uniform throughout the bay. Furthermore, it is still unclear in which regions calcifying organisms, like Eastern oysters, will be most vulnerable to future conditions.
To determine how future coastal acidification and atmospheric warming will affect carbonate chemistry and oyster growth in the York River, simulations were run using an oyster bioenergetics model embedded in a 3-D coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemistry model. Specifically, model runs forced with future (mid-21st century) atmospheric CO2 alone, future atmospheric warming alone, and both forcings together were compared with a realistic 2016 reference run. While increased atmospheric CO2 reduced ambient W and slowed oyster shell growth, atmospheric warming offset this effect and, in some areas, led to an overall increase in shell growth. The results of this work will be used to inform stakeholders of which areas in the Bay will be most suitable for oyster aquaculture and restoration in the future.

Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) provide ecosystem (e.g. 3-D reef structures) and economic (e.g. aquaculture) services to the Chesapeake Bay and other coastal areas. Oyster aquaculture is a growing industry, and the need for traits such as fast growth and disease resistance led to the development of multiple generations of selectively-bred and refined broodstock lines. Development and preservation of selected broodstock could affect various physiological processes in offspring that could potentially result in different responses to stress compared to their wild counterparts.
As environmental conditions within the Chesapeake Bay continue to shift warmer and more acidic – which are individually and simultaneously known to decrease shell and tissue growth, decrease energy stores, change metabolic pathways and affect development – responses to these conditions may differ between selectively-bred and wild oysters, potentially affecting their success in the future. Because larval oysters are considered the most vulnerable and sensitive life stage and therefore are already a bottleneck to the success of wild oyster populations and aquaculture production, my study exposed larvae from wild oysters and selectively-bred broodstock to four treatments composed of two temperature and two acidic conditions that represent average ambient and current extreme states in the mesohaline region of the Chesapeake Bay. Growth, biomass, cellular stress, and survival were measured throughout showing that larvae from wild oysters may be more resilient to warming and acidifying waters than those from selectively-bred oysters.

A Coupled Biogeochemical-Biological-Economic Modeling System to Quantify Climate Change Impacts on Oyster Aquaculture in Chesapeake Bay

The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network's (MACAN) Spring 2023 webinar series continued on April 24. Presenters Dr. Jeremy Testa, Dr. Ming Li and Matt Weber highlighted the complex interplay between acidification and other environmental stressors in impacting oyster growth and aquaculture economics.

Climate change is projected to alter the mean and variability of a wide range of physical and chemical conditions in the coastal zone, many of which act as stressors to commercially-relevant organisms. Quantifying the impact on key organisms of these multiple stressors – many of which co-vary or influence each other – is challenged by limits in our experimental data and the lack of comprehensive modeling tools. Furthermore, the translation of stressor impacts on organism health to economic outcomes of business or coastal economic vulnerability has been slow to develop. To begin the process of overcoming these limitations, we developed a coupled biogeochemical-biological-economic modeling system to quantify climate change impacts on oyster aquaculture in Chesapeake Bay. We applied a coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model forced by downscaled global climate model projections to simulate historical and mid-century salinity, phytoplankton biomass, water temperature, and carbonate system parameters throughout the estuary. These bio-physio-geochemical model outcomes were used to estimate eastern oyster growth across different regions of Chesapeake Bay, and these growth outcomes informed a stochastic dynamic economic model of Chesapeake Bay aquaculture operations. In this presentation, we will highlight the complex interplay between acidification and other environmental stressors in impacting oysters and aquaculture economics.

Jeremy M. Testa, Matthew Weber, Wei-Jun Cai, Yijun Guo, Renjian Li, Ming Li, Chunqi Shen, Lisa Wainger, George Waldbusser

Climate change is projected to alter the mean and variability of a wide range of physical and chemical conditions in the coastal zone, many of which act as stressors to commercially-relevant organisms. Quantifying the impact on key organisms of these multiple stressors – many of which co-vary or influence each other – is challenged by limits in our experimental data and the lack of comprehensive modeling tools. Furthermore, the translation of stressor impacts on organism health to economic outcomes of business or coastal economic vulnerability has been slow to develop.
To begin the process of overcoming these limitations, we developed a coupled biogeochemical-biological-economic modeling system to quantify climate change impacts on oyster aquaculture in Chesapeake Bay. We applied a coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model forced by downscaled global climate model projections to simulate historical and mid-century salinity, phytoplankton biomass, water temperature, and carbonate system parameters throughout the estuary. These bio-physio-geochemical model outcomes were used to estimate eastern oyster growth across different regions of Chesapeake Bay, and these growth outcomes informed a stochastic dynamic economic model of Chesapeake Bay aquaculture operations. In this presentation, we will highlight the complex interplay between acidification and other environmental stressors in impacting oysters and aquaculture economics.

Mitigating OA through Marine CDR: Opportunities and Challenges

MACAN's March 30, 2023 webinar "Mitigating OA through Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR): Opportunities and Challenges in the Mid-Atlantic Region." Invited speakers Dr. Wil Burns (Northwestern University), Dr. Grace Andrews (Vesta PBC), and Marty Odlin (Running Tide) will discuss the current policy framework for marine CDR in the Mid-Atlantic, innovative technologies being piloted on global to local scales, lessons learned from stakeholder engagement and permitting, and the challenges associated with scale and monitoring.

Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) strategies like Coastal Enhanced Weathering (CEW) sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and store it permanently in the ocean as a form of dissolved carbon called alkalinity, in turn reducing ocean acidification. While CEW and other ocean alkalinity enhancement strategies are believed to have significant potential for scale, real-world trials have only just begun. This talk will discuss how CEW works to capture CO2 as well as lessons learned from the world’s first pilots, which are taking place on the US eastern seaboard, regarding permitting, stakeholder engagement, scientific outcomes, future challenges and more.

Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have moved more than 2.4 trillion tons of carbon from the slow carbon cycle (deep ocean, geological reservoirs, and inorganic material like rocks) to the fast carbon cycle (the atmosphere, biosphere, and upper ocean). This mass transfer — one of the largest and quickest in human history — has unleashed a Godzilla that is destabilizing Earth’s systems, rapidly pushing the ocean outside its Goldilocks zone for sustaining life. Coastal communities and marine ecosystems are already experiencing the devastating consequences of ocean acidification and warming.
The IPCC has repeatedly called for the removal of 660 gigatons of carbon in order to have a credible chance at stabilizing the climate, and the National Academy of Sciences has identified ocean carbon removal as one of the most promising pathways. In this presentation, Marty Odlin will discuss how Running Tide is utilizing a science-for-action framework to develop and deploy the capabilities needed to both remove carbon at global scale, and restore ocean and coastal ecosystems at the local level through interventions that include restorative aquaculture, macroalgae enhancement, wild shellfish bed restocking, and more.

The purpose of this presentation will be to focus on governance of marine carbon dioxide removal approaches. The presentation will discuss the role of international treaty regimes that have already intervened in this context, as well as others that may play a role in the future. It will also examine the role of U.S. domestic law at the federal and state level.

OA Research and Education Highlights around the Region

MACAN's “OA Research and Education Highlights Around the Region” webinar on March 2 featured speakers Fei Da and Abigail Sisti from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Da's research applied a modeling approach to examine impacts of extreme discharge events and climate change on the carbonate system of the York River Estuary. His work on forecasting calcite saturation states under future climate conditions can help managers evaluate potential shellfish restoration areas in the estuary. Sisti discussed lessons learned from scientist-educator partnerships to develop new ocean acidification education materials focused on American lobsters. Classroom activities for Grades 6-12 are available from <a href="https://vaseagrant.org/american-lobsters/">Virginia Sea Grant</a>.

This study uses a coupled physical-biogeochemical model to examine the impacts of extreme discharge events and climate change on the carbonate system of the York River Estuary, a tidal tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. The recent year-to-year variability in calcium carbonate saturation state (Ω) driven by changing river inputs is comparable to reductions due to 50 years of climate change. During recent record high river runoff events (e.g., May 2018), drastic reductions in Ω are associated with increased net community respiration and net advection of high dissolved inorganic carbon river water, with increased CO2 outgassing playing a minor counteracting role. These large disruptions have a lasting effect that can be measured up to one month after a single extreme event. Additionally, shallow shoals of the lower York River Estuary, where most oyster reefs are located, exhibit fewer days with Ω &lt; 1 and recover faster after a high discharge event compared to other locations within the estuary.

Building collaborative relationships between scientists and educators is an important step in improving climate change education. By providing real-world data and hands-on experiences, scientists can assist students in connecting marine processes with changes in marine and human communities. A recent project focused on understanding effects of ocean acidification on American lobsters is a strong case study for extended collaboration between scientists and educators. Three main tools were used to develop educational materials: an internship to provide hands-on research experience for science teachers, multimedia content for sharing information about the project, and the Virginia Scientist Educator Alliance (VASEA) to provide training for lesson plan design. Together, these project components can serve as a roadmap for scientists and educators looking to improve ocean acidification education.

Linking Biological Monitoring with Chemical Observations to Understand Impacts of OA

Our May 2 webinar, "Linking Biological Monitoring with Chemical Observations to Understand Impacts of OA," hosted in partnership with NECAN and SOCAN, featured guest speakers Amy Maas (BIOS) and Emily Rivest (VIMS). They discussed current research into how pteropods and oysters can be used as biological indicators for OA, how co-locating chemical and biological monitoring can help managers identify OA tipping points and improve our understanding of ecosystem impacts, and how community science programs like CSI: Oyster can engage volunteers in biological monitoring efforts. Co-located monitoring efforts currently underway in the Northeast, Southeast, and Tampa Bay were also highlighted by our partners at NECAN and SOCAN. 

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Sea Grant OA Fellows Spotlight: Research Across the Mid-Atlantic Region

On March 23, MACAN held a webinar highlighting new research from five Mid-Atlantic Sea Grant Ocean Acidification Fellows. Research topics ranged from seasonal pH monitoring with glider technology, to numerical modeling of the effects of extreme events on carbonate chemistry in Chesapeake Bay, to the biological implications of acidification. The biological talks focused on examining the impacts of acidification on the energy budget of Atlantic silversides throughout their life cycle, exploring whether the water quality history of adult oysters can translate to increased larval acidification tolerance, and validating a cellular mechanism by which oysters can mitigate the effects of acidification.

Ocean acidification has subtle and complicated effects on fish because it often affects only the earliest life stages and interacts with other stressors. This project pulled together several types of data from multistressor experiments on Atlantic silversides, an abundant fish along the East Coast, to model their energy budget throughout the life cycle. Using Dynamic Energy Budget theory (DEB) we are able to incorporate different effects at each life stage to reflect the increased tolerance adults have relative to embryos and larvae. Energy budgets can help us test hypotheses about how energy is allocated to needs like homeostasis and reproduction under acidification, and ultimately estimate population-level effects.

We previously investigated the molecular mechanisms associated with resilience to ocean acidification in Crassostrea virginica. There were significant differences in SNP and gene expression profiles among oysters reared under normal and OA conditions. Both of these approaches showed similar results, particularly in genes related to biomineralization, including perlucin. In this study, we used RNAi or gene silencing to validate findings and confirm the protective role of perlucin associated with resilience to OA. Silenced oysters under acidification stress were the smallest, had shell abnormalities, and had significantly reduced shell mineralization, thereby indicating that perlucin does help larvae mitigate the effect of OA.

Better understanding the carbonate system variability during extreme events will help predict future changes and provide critical information for the local shellfish aquaculture industry. In this study, a coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemical 3-D high-resolution model is used to investigate the primary controls of the carbonate system in a small sub-estuary of the Chesapeake Bay: the York River Estuary. Net horizontal advection, air-sea CO2 flux, and net community production all play crucial roles in controlling dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and pH, while total alkalinity is relatively conservative. During extreme high discharge events, pH reductions are associated with net heterotrophy and net advection of high DIC upstream water, with increased outgassing playing a counteracting role.

One species of calcifying organisms that could be pushed beyond their physiological limits due to future acidification is the eastern oyster, C. virginica, which provides the basis for an expanding aquaculture industry.  Previous studies have shown that oyster larvae are negatively impacted by acidification, but less is known about what level of acidification initiates a stress response and how well larvae can modulate these mechanisms. Additionally, little is known about potential differences in stress tolerance among different oyster populations. Therefore, larvae were compared between two different reefs within Chesapeake Bay to assess the hypothesis that reefs exposed to lower salinity conditions will be more tolerant to future acidification due to overlap in the cellular mechanisms responsible for osmoregulation and acid-base regulation.

Currently, productive coastal systems lack vertically-resolved high-resolution ocean carbonate system measurements on timescales relevant to organism ecology and life history. To address this issue, a newly developed deep ISFET (Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistor)-based pH sensor system was modified and integrated into a Slocum G2 profiling glider. From Spring 2018 to Fall 2019, seasonal pH glider deployments were conducted in Atlantic surfclam (Spisula solidissima) and Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) commercial management zones in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. Here, we present seasonal cycles and drivers of carbonate chemistry in the Mid-Atlantic Bight based on seasonal glider deployments. Additionally, we discuss the use of glider data in conjunction with larval dispersal models to identify times and locations where shellfish stock may be at high risk of acidification.

Creating a Coastal Acidification Module for Mid-Atlantic Teachers

On Feb. 28, MACAN held its first webinar of the season, "Creating a Coastal Acidification Module for Mid-Atlantic Teachers." Sarah Nuss, Education Coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay NERR in Virginia, and Greta Olsen, NOAA Hollings Scholar, shared work underway on a new educational resource for K-12 teachers.

Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) workshops are held at each National Estuarine Research Reserve site every year. In an effort to include habitat change and impacts to our local environment, TOTE educators look to include coastal acidification into the information provided to K-12 teachers at these workshops. Come and learn about a new coastal acidification module underway for the Mid-Atlantic, created by a regional network of educators, and pilot tested with teachers last summer. We’ll include the current phase of the module, as well as next steps in its development and testing.

MACAN and OA Alliance 2021 Virtual Workshop

The majority of the Mid-Atlantic coastal states are pursuing ocean acidification (OA) action planning either as stand-alone efforts or as part of broader coastal/ocean planning efforts. Our Oct. 26 virtual workshop drew 85 participants from state and federal agencies, research institutions, NGOs and industry to help inform OA action planning in the Mid-Atlantic, identify data and information needs for management, and discuss ways our partners can work together to leverage and coordinate ocean and coastal acidification monitoring. Workshop participants also explored how the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal and MARACOOS OceansMap can be used to visualize current and past OA monitoring data and discussed lessons learned from the West Coast's regional monitoring inventory. The workshop recordings are available below. A summary report will be forthcoming.

State-Led OA Action Planning in the Mid-Atlantic

The webinar, hosted by MARCO (Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean) and the OA Alliance, focused on state-led Ocean Acidification (OA) action planning in the Mid-Atlantic region, highlighting collaborative efforts to address OA through science, policy, and stakeholder engagement.
Key speakers included Massachusetts Representative Dylan Fernandez, who shared insights from the state’s OA commission, emphasizing enhanced monitoring, regulatory updates, and funding mechanisms like Maryland’s “flush tax” model. Jesse Turner of the OA Alliance outlined the importance of tailored OA action plans, linking science to policy and integrating OA into broader climate frameworks. Dr. Jim George detailed Maryland’s OA Action Plan, which prioritizes mitigation, research, and public engagement, while Megan Rutkowski discussed New Jersey’s progress, including joining the OA Alliance and developing a statewide monitoring network. Dr. Grace Saba from Rutgers University highlighted the need for coordinated monitoring to address knowledge gaps and species vulnerability. The webinar concluded with plans for a fall 2021 workshop to further regional coordination and stakeholder engagement, underscoring the importance of balancing monitoring efforts with adaptation and mitigation strategies to protect coastal economies and ecosystems.

Climate Change and Submerged Cultural Resources in the Mid-Atlantic

Although our maritime heritage is young compared to the Vikings', our country has thousands of cultural resources such as shipwrecks, shell middens, and sunken vessels from WWII, that lie under or adjacent to the  Mid-Atlantic's coastal waters. This presentation examines how different aspects of climate change, including ocean acidification, impact our heritage resources. It defines the diverse cultural materials affected, and considers the potential and resulting effects on archaeological research, the environment, and the economy. In addition, means of  addressing these effects, both active and proposed are discussed. One example involves a survey of archaeologists associated with government agencies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations who all  placed ocean acidification in the top three most damaging climate change threats they face in their work. This has led to increased networking at a global level as we enter the U.N. Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Examining the Biological Responses of Ocean Acidification in Early Life-Stages of Fishes of Inshore Waters of the Mid-Atlantic

The 1/26/21 MACAN webinar "Examining the Biological Responses of Ocean Acidification in Early Life-Stages of Fishes of Inshore Waters of the Mid-Atlantic" with Dr. Chris Chambers, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

NOAA National and Mid-Atlantic Ocean Acidification Research Plan

MACAN's May 28, 2020, webinar explored NOAA's 2020-2029 Ocean Acidification Research Plan, providing an overview of the National and Mid-Atlantic OA research priorities for the next decade.

Intro to Ocean Acidification Action Planning

MACAN and NECAN's 4/22/20 webinar provided an overview of Ocean Alliance's OA Action Plans and the processes and partnerships that led to Maine and New York's OA Action Plans.

Responding to Change Perspectives from Commercial Shellfish Industry Members

Meredith White (Mook Sea Farms), Mike Congrove (Oyster Seed Holdings) and Peter Hughes (Atlantic Cape Fisheries) shared their perspectives about the challenges related to ocean acidification facing the commercial shellfish industry and discussed the research and technology they've invested in to mitigate the impacts of acidification. Their presentations were followed by a Q&A discussion with scientists Joe Salisbury, Jeremy Testa, and Daphne Munroe, whose areas of expertise focus on carbonate chemistry and how it relates to sustainable management of shellfish and aquaculture resources.

Acidification Effects upon the Atlantic Surfclam

Surfclam fisheries rely upon wild-caught populations that currently are managed sustainably and responsibly. This species, however, may be sensitive to physicochemical changes, such as ocean acidification, in the habitat. As elevated carbon dioxide effects upon juvenile surfclam physiology have not been reported, a 3-month laboratory experiment was carried out to investigate this interaction. 1,200 surfclams, either fed or unfed, were exposed to three pCO2 levels (576, 1405, 2203 ppm). Every other week, growth, as well as physiological rates (feeding, respiration, ammonia excretion), were measured. Results revealed an appreciable decline in shell length and mass growth proportional to pCO2 concentration.This decline can be attributed to reduced feeding (clearance rate, assimilation efficiency) and/or increased in metabolic activity (respiration, ammonia excretion). Finally, experimental data have been used to calibrate a DynamicEnergy Budget (DEB) model describing energetic fluxes within an individual under simulated environmental conditions. The model was adapted to include pCO2 effects upon physiological rates to project the consequences of varied pCO2 upon whole-animal bioenergetics.

State and Federal Ocean Acidification Policy Action

MACAN's Jan. 23 webinar focused on State and Federal Ocean Acidification Policy Action. With presenters Beth Turner of NOAA and Sarah Cooley of the Ocean Conservancy

The OADS and OCAD Projects (Series 3, Webinar 3)

MACAN's 5/8/19 webinar, “The Ocean Acidification Data Stewardship (OADS) and the Ocean Carbon Data System (OCADS) Projects," was presented by Liqing Jiang, a chemical oceanographer at NOAA/National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and associate research scientist at the University of Maryland.
OADS was established in 2012 with funding from NOAA's Ocean Acidification Program (OAP). It features rich metadata management and covers all types of ocean acidification data, including chemical, biological, model output, etc. Currently, it only serves data producers from NOAA/OAP funded projects investigators only. OCADS was created in 2016 as NOAA’s replacement for the Ocean component of the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC-Oceans, Oak Ridge National Laboratory) which was closed on September 2016.
OCADS is focused on inorganic ocean carbon data only, but its audience is much broader. OCADS serves data producers from the entire international ocean carbon community. Both OADS and OCADS leverage the data management infrastructure at NCEI and at the same time maintain their own rich metadata management system to
<ul>
	<li>to help their PIs to meet their data management requirements, including the NOAA Public Access for Research Results (PARR)</li>
	<li>to help advance research towards the better understanding of Global Climate Change and Ocean Acidification.</li>
</ul>
Data access for both of the projects is provided through a newly established Ocean Carbon and Acidification Portal, which allows users to discover OA data from the entire NCEI's ocean archive. In addition, some synthesis results on the global distribution of pH and calcium carbonate saturation states were presented.

Profiling Glider (Series 3, Webinar 2)

Elizabeth (Liza) Wright-Fairbanks from Rutgers University explains how her team integrated a new pH sensor into an ocean-profiling Slocum glider to monitor acidification in the Mid-Atlantic. She describes the multiple drivers of acidification—ranging from CO₂ absorption to nutrient runoff—and their effects on marine life, particularly shellfish, which are economically vital to the region. Traditional monitoring methods (fixed buoys and occasional research cruises) often miss short-term or subsurface low-pH events. By contrast, the glider’s “sawtooth” path can provide high-resolution data of the full water column over several weeks.

Early lab and field tests confirm that the integrated sensor achieves accuracy better than the manufacturer’s rating, although biofouling in warm, productive waters can pose challenges (e.g., barnacles). The team mitigates these by adding antifouling cartridges, scheduling mid-deployment cleanings, and optimizing flight paths. Future plans include seasonal deployments across shellfish grounds, with data feeding into fisheries assessments and informing models of larval distribution. This work underscores the promise of glider-based acidification monitoring networks on both regional and global scales.

Monitoring in the New York Bight

Like many coastal states, ocean acidification is a subject of deep concern for New York State. Bipartisan legislation created the New York State Ocean Acidification Task Force in late 2016 and ocean acidification is a major topic of concern as outlined in the New York State Ocean Action Plan released in 2017. The NY OAP contains sixty-one actions that will be implemented to achieve better-managed and healthier ocean ecosystems that will benefit people, communities, and the natural world.
To reach these long-term goals, the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) seeks to coordinate short-term actions that will guide State government funding, research, management, outreach, and education choices. Recognizing the need for better monitoring of carbonate chemistry in the coastal ocean, NYS DEC funded a bold new plan to simultaneously monitor carbonate chemistry and the pelagic food web from zooplankton to whales. Cruises will be conducted seasonally over the next 10 years and these data will be combined with censuses of marine mammals, fisheries acoustics and data collected in other efforts using state of the art modeling and visualization. We present data from our first cruise conducted in July 2018 and discuss our ongoing plans to monitor carbonate chemistry at intense spatial and temporal scales in the New York Bight.

Managing Global Acidification on a Regional Scale

Managing Global Acidification on a Regional Scale: How the US Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Coastal Acidification Networks (MACAN and NECAN) Are Working to Understand Impacts through Partnerships.
The chemistry of the ocean is changing. Carbon dioxide released through emissions and deforestation is absorbed and dissolved into the ocean. The regional Coastal Acidification Networks of the US Northeast and Mid-Atlantic (NECAN and MACAN) are consortiums of scientists, marine industry, and resource managers with a central goal of sharing information to better understand the impacts of acidification to appropriately manage and adapt to these conditions. Coordinators for NECAN and MACAN will discuss how these regional efforts work towards identifying and pursuing opportunities to understand coastal and ocean acidification in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, building upon the skills and interests of individual members and providing a forum to share best practices in monitoring, sampling collection, and researching effects to collectively meet the challenges of our changing coastal and ocean waters.

MACAN Monitoring Plan Webinar

MACAN's Monitoring Plan Work Group (MPWG) is a sub-group within MACAN working to develop a monitoring plan to help in understanding the trends of regional acidification that can be used as a framework for focusing monitoring efforts. The MPWG focuses on monitoring from estuaries, to coasts, to open ocean. This webinar, held 3/6/18, provided the MACAN membership with an update on the progress of work done since September 2017.

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MACAN’s committed to understanding, predicting, and mitigating the impact of acidification on our oceans and coastal ecosystems.

A collaborative team committed to addressing the pressing environmental issue of coastal acidification in our region.

What is Acidification

Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide drives ocean acidification, lowering pH.

Diverse monitoring addresses complex coastal and estuarine acidification drivers.

Factors such as geography, climate, and human activities vary across different regions, impacting the extent and rate of ocean acidification.

Ocean acidification is driven by excess global carbon dioxide and water pollution from land runoff, and there are ways communities can help.

Species Impact

Converting ocean acidification data into insights about the species living in our water.

Microscopic marine plants that form the base of ocean food webs.

Blue crabs are crucial to Mid-Atlantic ecology and economy.

Gorgonian sea fans and bamboo corals create vital deep-sea habitats.

A diverse group of animals vital to fisheries.

Mid-Atlantic finfish are essential to marine ecosystems and economies alike.

Vital food web organisms with varying responses.

SAV, including eelgrass, provide vital coastal habitat.

Highly complex webs of species that mix in space and time.

News & Events

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OA Policy and mCDR

Ocean acidification action planning is states coordinating efforts to monitor, mitigate, and build resilience against acidification threats.

Marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) is a technique being investigated to mitigate climate change.

Resources

A wealth of informational resources on estuarine, coastal, and ocean acidification in the Mid-Atlantic.

References on estuarine, coastal, and ocean acidification in the Mid-Atlantic.

Explore concise fact sheets and publications for key insights and actionable information.

Access and utilize data resources for in-depth analysis and informed decision-making.

Discover tools and materials designed to support educators in teaching and inspiring students.

Review detailed workshop reports for insights, outcomes, and actionable recommendations.

Visualize key information and data through engaging and easy-to-understand infographics.

Highlights from MACAN's 2024 Fellowship Projects

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