OCEAN ACIDIFICATION MONITORING
Ocean acidification is the lowering of the ocean’s pH caused by the increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The ocean has become 26% more acidic, changing from a pH of 8.2 to 8.1. While that might not seem like a lot, our oceans are home to some very important species that we rely on for subsistence. Even this slight change in pH has caused stress to shellfish, plankton, and finfish.
To help better understand what is going on in our oceans, Ketchikan Indian Community will be partnering with SEATOR to send in water samples to test for pH, pCO2, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity. This will allow us to study the changes in our oceans and make plans for how to deal with these changes.
For more information on ocean acidification and the ways we will be monitoring it, visit http://www.seator.org/ocean-acidification.
Have any questions about any of these projects or ideas for future projects?
Contact
Nicole Forbes
Cultural Resource Department’s Environmental Specialist
Phone: 907-228-9312
Email: nforbes@kictribe.org