Overview

Online interactive map that shows where the ocean chemistry is changing most rapidly, where vulnerable species are located, and where people who most depend on these species reside.

Ocean acidification, in which atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater and creates an acid, poses a serious threat to the web of life underwater. But ocean acidification can seriously harm people as well by changing the ways we eat, earn a living, and support our communities. It has already cost the $110 million oyster industry in the Pacific Northwest significant amounts of money and jeopardized thousands of jobs. Yet relatively little attention has been paid to the human dimension of ocean acidification and fundamental questions about how ocean acidification will affect people remain unanswered. Who is going to be hardest hit by ocean acidification? In what ways will ocean acidification threaten their way of life? What actions can vulnerable communities take to protect themselves?

These maps display the results of a study we conducted to identify which coastal communities in the United States are most vulnerable to ocean acidification. The analysis focuses specifically on the potential economic and social impacts to communities that derive benefits from shelled mollusk harvests, which are particularly threatened by ocean acidification. We take a simple approach of mapping where the ocean chemistry is changing most rapidly, where vulnerable species are located, and where people who most depend on these species reside. The intersection of these factors reveals an elevated risk from ocean acidification.

Explore these maps to see if your community is at risk as a result of ocean acidification. If it is, examine why and consider actions you, your neighbors, and your legislators can do to reduce that risk. Observe how quickly water chemistry is changing off your shores from fossil fuel emissions and tally the local factors (such as coastal pollution) that might exacerbate these changes in your area. Consider elements that reduce the adaptive capacity of your community. An understanding of where and why regional impacts will occur is critical to preparing for a more acidic ocean.

This synthesis is just the beginning. We examined OA vulnerability in the U.S. through the lens of mollusk harvests. However, people will be affected by OA in other ways. The sensitivity of coral reefs to ocean acidification and their high social value is just one way to expand the assessment and build a more complete picture. We hope the present synthesis will shed new light on the issue of ocean acidification and begin a scientific and public conversation about how we can tackle this problem now to minimize the harm to society.

Data Source References: https://www.nrdc.org/resources/ocean-acidification-hotspots-data-source…;