pH and temperature profiles in Salish Sea in regards to Ocean Acidification (2017-2021)

• Main Author: Vo, Ann-marie
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Western CEDAR 2022
• Subjects: Ocean acidification
• Online Access: https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2022ssec/allsessions/54; https://cedar.wwu.edu/context/ssec/article/3216/viewcontent/60_a34895e322224a6abd8fbc96d6c83b90.pdf

Ocean acidification is a global crisis that is mainly caused by too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere being absorbed by bodies of water, altering the water chemistry. Ocean acidification has large visual consequences, such as the bleaching of coral reefs, but less obvious, small scale influences are also found in the Salish Sea. A major indication of global warming’s effects on local water systems is pH, or the measure of how acidic or basic a solution is. The goal of this study is to observe how ocean acidification has affected pH and temperature in a salt-wedge estuary in Possession Sound near Everett, Washington. We utilized pH and temperature vertical profiles collected from a YSI EXO Sonde over five years to assess the degree of ocean acidification regionally. Trends were analyzed according to depth, season, and tidal stage. Previous global studies have shown that pH has been decreasing (becoming more acidic) over the years, while the overall temperatures have been rising. Preliminary studies of this particular site have shown minor changes. Given the potential for negative impacts on the estuary, it is worth expanding the study by investigating a longer time frame. Local estuary data regarding depth, season, and tidal stage will allow people to better understand how these variables change in our environment and gain a greater understanding of climate change’s influences on ocean acidification locally.