Severe 21st-century ocean acidification in Antarctic Marine Protected Areas

Abstract Antarctic coastal waters are home to several established or proposed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) supporting exceptional biodiversity. Despite being threatened by anthropogenic climate change, uncertainties remain surrounding the future ocean acidification (OA) of these waters. Here we pre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature Communications
Main Authors: Cara Nissen, Nicole S. Lovenduski, Cassandra M. Brooks, Mario Hoppema, Ralph Timmermann, Judith Hauck
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024
Subjects:
Science
Q
Antarctic
Antarc*
Ice Shelf
Ocean acidification
Sea ice
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44438-x
https://doaj.org/article/9d0000ebbdcf4adcba02762a63505d18
Description
Summary:Abstract Antarctic coastal waters are home to several established or proposed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) supporting exceptional biodiversity. Despite being threatened by anthropogenic climate change, uncertainties remain surrounding the future ocean acidification (OA) of these waters. Here we present 21st-century projections of OA in Antarctic MPAs under four emission scenarios using a high-resolution ocean–sea ice–biogeochemistry model with realistic ice-shelf geometry. By 2100, we project pH declines of up to 0.36 (total scale) for the top 200 m. Vigorous vertical mixing of anthropogenic carbon produces severe OA throughout the water column in coastal waters of proposed and existing MPAs. Consequently, end-of-century aragonite undersaturation is ubiquitous under the three highest emission scenarios. Given the cumulative threat to marine ecosystems by environmental change and activities such as fishing, our findings call for strong emission-mitigation efforts and further management strategies to reduce pressures on ecosystems, such as the continuation and expansion of Antarctic MPAs.

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