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.
Using Gene Silencing to Validate the Role of Perlucin Gene in Oyster Resilience to Ocean Acidification
Caroline Schwaner, Stony Brook University
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.
Impacts of extreme events on carbonate system variability in the York River Estuary: a numerical model study
Fei Da, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
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.
Influence of water quality history on future ocean acidification tolerance in larval eastern oysters in Chesapeake Bay
Anthony Himes, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
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.
Development and applications of pH glider technology in the Mid-Atlantic Bight
Liza Wright-Fairbanks, Sea Grant Knauss Fellow, NOAA OAP
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.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) contracted with Industrial Economics, Incorporated (IEc) and the RPS Group to model possible oil spill scenarios off the Delaware coast and the resulting economic impacts.
In partnership with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) DNREC is hosting two webinars, March 24 and March 31. that will provide attendees a high-level overview of the report results and an opportunity to ask questions of the IEc and RPS staff who completed the work.
Although the results are Delaware specific DNREC and MARCO are hopeful that the results and processes used in the analysis can be used to support other states in the Mid-Atlantic to conduct their own analyses.
Integrated Oil Spill and Transport Modeling
Thursday, March 24, 2022
11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) contracted with Industrial Economics, Incorporated (IEc) and the RPS Group to model possible oil spill scenarios off the Delaware coast and the resulting economic impacts.
In partnership with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) DNREC is hosting two webinars, March 24 and March 31. that will provide attendees a high-level overview of the report results and an opportunity to ask questions of the IEc and RPS staff who completed the work.
Although the results are Delaware specific DNREC and MARCO are hopeful that the results and processes used in the analysis can be used to support other states in the Mid-Atlantic to conduct their own analyses.
Economic Impacts from an Offshore Oil Spill
Thursday, March 31, 2022
11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
To Register: https://attendee.got
Over the past year, East Coast fishery management bodies have been collaborating on a climate change scenario planning initiative designed to prepare fishing communities and fishery managers for an era of climate change. The goals of this project are to assess how climate change might affect stock distribution and availability of East Coast marine fisheries over the next 20 years and to identify the implications for fishery management and governance.
In June 2022, a group of about 70 stakeholders attended a workshop to develop an initial set of scenarios, describing several different possible futures facing East Coast fisheries out to 2042. As the next step in the scenario planning process, two Scenario Deepening webinars will be held in August 2022. These webinars will offer all interested stakeholders an opportunity to review, validate, and add details to the draft scenarios.
Webinar Details
Each 2-hour session will begin with an overview of the outputs and stories from the draft scenarios. Participants will then have an opportunity to add comments and suggestions to make the scenarios more plausible, challenging, relevant, memorable, and divergent. For each scenario, participants will be encouraged to imagine specific examples about impacts to particular species, regions, and communities. Participants only need to attend one of the two webinars. Please use the links below to register:
- Wednesday, August 17, 2022, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, August 23, 2022, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The scenario creation workshop summary, including a description of the draft scenarios, is being developed and will be posted here once available. Participants are encouraged to review this summary before the webinars and come prepared to share comments on the specific scenarios.
Once again, stakeholder involvement is key, and these webinars are open to the public. The outcome of the two webinars will be a more detailed set of scenarios that will be used as a platform for later stages of the process, looking specifically at how fishery management and governance must change to be prepared for a future of climate change.
Learn More
Additional information is available on the Climate Change Scenario Planning Web Page and in the Introductory brochure.
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact a core team member.
- Examining impacts of extreme discharge events and climate change on the carbonate system of the York River Estuary using a coupled physical-biogeochemical model
- Comparing climate resilience of selectively-bred larval aquaculture broodstock to that of the wild Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica
- Building collaborative partnerships between scientists and educators to develop new education materials focused on the effects of ocean acidification on American lobsters
Abstracts and Speaker Information:
Wild-n-wacky or Bred-n-butter: Are Larvae from Selectively-bred Aquaculture Broodstock More Resilient to Climate Change than those from Wild Eastern Oysters,Crassostrea virginica?
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.
Annie Schatz, Ph.D candidate at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. She works with Dr. Emily Rivest to study the potential physiological impacts of climate change on the early-life stages of marine invertebrate species. Her research focuses on effects from multiple environmental stressors, ocean acidification, how environmental history may impact performance of later life stages and shellfish aquaculture. Annie received her B.S. from Pitzer College in Claremont, CA where she studied how the respiration rates of two populations of Acorn barnacles differed across a range of temperatures.
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.
Abbey Sisti, PhD candidate at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. She has a B.S. and M.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Alabama. Her research focuses on understanding marine invertebrate responses to climate change conditions. Abbey is interested in translating climate change science to educational and policy contexts.
Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) Program Director Avalon Bristow will present an overview of the MARCO work plan for the next two years supported with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Investment and Infrastructure Jobs Act. An update on the 2023 Ocean Forum will also be provided. Participants will be welcome to provide input to MARCO/MACO work groups.
CLICK HERE to watch the recording.
The Mid-Atlantic Committee on the Ocean (MACO) will convene its fifth annual Mid-Atlantic Ocean Forum on May 17 and 18 in New York City, with virtual participation options available. The Forum gathers ocean professionals and stakeholders representing federal and state agencies, Tribal entities, marine industries, nonprofit research and advocacy organizations, and the public.
The event will feature expert panel discussions on ocean planning topics including climate-ocean action, offshore wind energy in the Mid-Atlantic, conservation efforts in the region, ocean justice issues, sustainable ocean economies and much more. A poster session will also highlight the work of students and early career professionals.
CLICK HERE for further details on the event website.