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Ocean Acidification: A Systems Approach to a Global Problem
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CC BY-NC
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In this curriculum module, students in high school life science, marine science, and/or chemistry courses act as interdisciplinary scientists and delegates to investigate how the changing carbon cycle will affect the oceans along with their integral populations.

The oceans cover 70 percent of the planet and play a critical role in regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide through the interaction of physical, chemical, and biological processes. As a result of anthropogenic activity, a doubling of the atmospheric CO2 concentration (to 760 ppm) is expected to occur by the end of this century. A quarter of the total CO2 emitted has already been absorbed by the surface oceans, changing the marine carbonate system, resulting in a decrease in pH, a change in carbonate-ion concentrations, and a change in the speciation of macro and micronutrients. The shift in the carbonate system is already drastically affecting biological processes in the oceans and is predicted to have major consequences on carbon export to the deep ocean with reverberating effects on atmospheric CO2. Put in simple terms, ocean acidification is a complex phenomenon with complex consequences. Understanding complexity and the impact of ocean acidification requires systems thinking – both in research and in education. Scientific advancement will help us better understand the problem and devise more effective solutions, but executing these solutions will require widespread public participation to mitigate this global problem.

Through these lessons, students closely model what is occurring in laboratories worldwide and at Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) through Monica Orellana’s research to analyze the effect CO2 has on ocean chemistry, ecosystems and human societies. Students experiment, analyze public data, and prepare for a mock summit to address concerns. Student groups represent key “interest groups” and design two experiments to observe the effects of CO2 on seawater pH, diatom growth, algal blooms, nutrient availability, and/or shell dissolution.

Subject:
Atmospheric Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Module
Author:
Aisha McKee
Alexis Boleda
Alexis Valauri-Orton
Allison Lee Cusick
Anna Farrell-Sherman
Baliga Lab
Barbara Steffens
Claudia Ludwig
Danny Thomson
Dexter Chapin
Dina Kovarik
Donald Cho
Eric Grewal
Eric Muhs
Helen Ippolito
Holly Kuestner
Institute for Systems Biology
Jeannine Sieler
Jennifer Duncan-Taylor
Jia Hao Xu
JoAnn Chrisman
Jocelyn Lee
Kedus Getaneh
Kevin Baker
Mari Knutson Herbert
Megan DeVault
Meredith Carlson
Michael Walker
Monica V. Orellana
Nitin S. Baliga
Olachi Oleru
Raisah Vestindottir
Steven Do
Systems Education Experiences
William Harvey
Zac Simon
Date Added:
03/09/2023