The Raunefjorden south of Bergen (click to enlarge)

Pelagic Ecosystem CO₂ Enrichment Study

EU Large-Scale-Facilities, University of Bergen, Norway

give PeECE a chance

Close-up of Mesocosms

(click to enlarge)

Objective:

To examine effects of Ocean acidification on natural marine plankton communities

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2001/03 details

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Rationale:

• If global CO₂ emissions continue to rise on current trends the world oceans will suffer an estimated pH drop of about 0.5 units (equivalent to a 3 fold increase in the concentration of hydrogen ions) until the year 2100.

• This pH is probably lower than has been experienced for tens of millions of years and, critically, is at a rate of change 100 times greater than at any time over this period.

• Ocean acidification is essentially irreversible during our lifetimes. It will take tens of thousands of years for ocean chemistry to return to a condition similar to that occurring at pre-industrial times.

• The magnitude of ocean acidification can be predicted with a high level of confidence. Its impacts on marine organisms and their ecosystems are largely unknown.

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An important milestone for our scientific efforts: In a nationwide competition Kiel's scientific community achieved the extremely valuable five year funding of the so called Excellence Cluster “The Future Ocean: Changes, Resources and Risks”. Ocean Acidification constitutes an important part of this researcher network. Have a look.

The Ocean Acidification Netweork (SCOR, UNESCO, IAEA, IGBP  web-site for up-to-date information about ocean acidification and CO₂ sequestration)

Report of the Royal Society about "Ocean acidification due to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide" (PDF)

Feature of the German TV about the acid oceans and the mesocosm experiments in Bergen / Norway