Nearshore Carbonate Chemistry at Shellfish Aquaculture Sites in the Northern Salish Sea
Presentation Abstract
Key Words: Salish Sea, shell fish aquaculture, carbonate chemistry, pH, aragonite saturation, shore-based.
The majority of carbonate chemistry and ocean acidification research in Canada to date has been focused on the open ocean and there has been relatively little study of nearshore sites. Carbonate chemistry controls the aragonite saturation state, which negatively affects shellfish if values are low, especially at the larval stage. As shellfish aquaculture takes place in nearshore areas, the risk of acidification to the industry is largely unknown. We therefore aim to characterise the carbonate chemistry of three nearshore regions in the Salish Sea, including the highly productive Baynes Sound, where the majority of shellfish aquaculture in BC occurs. Initial samples have been obtained from regions with moderate shellfish production. We took bottle samples from various locations and depths and measured dissolved inorganic carbon, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, temperature, salinity and nutrient concentration. We aim to demonstrate the diurnal and seasonal variation and patterns of pH, pCO2 and the aragonite saturation state at shore-based sites and put these data in the context of water properties determined from ship board measurements in the open Strait of Georgia.
Session Title
Ocean Acidification in the Salish Sea
Conference Track
Climate Change and Ocean Acidification
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Carbon dioxide--Absorption and adsorption--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Ocean acidification--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Seawater--Carbon dioxide content--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Nearshore Carbonate Chemistry at Shellfish Aquaculture Sites in the Northern Salish Sea
2016SSEC
Key Words: Salish Sea, shell fish aquaculture, carbonate chemistry, pH, aragonite saturation, shore-based.
The majority of carbonate chemistry and ocean acidification research in Canada to date has been focused on the open ocean and there has been relatively little study of nearshore sites. Carbonate chemistry controls the aragonite saturation state, which negatively affects shellfish if values are low, especially at the larval stage. As shellfish aquaculture takes place in nearshore areas, the risk of acidification to the industry is largely unknown. We therefore aim to characterise the carbonate chemistry of three nearshore regions in the Salish Sea, including the highly productive Baynes Sound, where the majority of shellfish aquaculture in BC occurs. Initial samples have been obtained from regions with moderate shellfish production. We took bottle samples from various locations and depths and measured dissolved inorganic carbon, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, temperature, salinity and nutrient concentration. We aim to demonstrate the diurnal and seasonal variation and patterns of pH, pCO2 and the aragonite saturation state at shore-based sites and put these data in the context of water properties determined from ship board measurements in the open Strait of Georgia.
