Ocean Acidification Presentation
By Alexa Brockmueller (1st year Psych major in choir and the women's soccer program)
Problem Description
As humans go about their lives, we are burning fossil fuels constantly which is creating an excess of carbon dioxide in the air. CO2 reacts with water and carbonate ions in the ocean and creates bicarbonate ions. This was first seen as a positive way to combat global warming but the changing of the ocean’s chemistry is causing damage to the ecosystems inside . The ocean averages a pH level of around 8.2 before the Industrial Revolution, making it basic. The addition of carbon dioxide post Industrial Revolution is creating more acidic water. This number fluctuates depending on location but the current pH is between 8.1-8.0. While this appears to be a slight decrease in pH level, it is actually quite extreme. The pH scale is logarithmic and this seemingly small dip in pH means a 30% acidity increase .
Citations
Bennett, J. (2018, December 18). Ocean Acidification. Smithsonian Ocean. https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/ocean-acidification
Kolbert, E. (2014). The Sixth Extinction: an Unnatural History. Henry Holt & Company.
NOAA. (2020, April 1). Ocean Acidification. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; U.S. Department of Commerce. https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-acidification
Ocean Acidification. (2021, September 29). National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. https://marinesanctuary.org/blog/ocean-acidification/?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw4P6oBhBsEiwAKYVkq8gBwTMsC1MWOhU58uMYquaZA7vMJ5T4ku3DEKBPO_YwZt7QzDGyTRoCj4sQAvD_BwE
Ocean acidification and its effects | CoastAdapt. (2017, April 27). Coastadapt.com.au. https://coastadapt.com.au/ocean-acidification-and-its-effects#:~:text=Marine%20organisms%20could%20also%20experience
https://wartburgedu-my.sharepoint.com/personal/alexa_brockmueller_wartburg_edu/Documents/Source%20Evaluation%20Table%20(1.0)%20PDF.pdf
Vimeo
Motivation
I thought this topic was really interesting because of how slight the pH change is. But it’s having a catastrophic effect on the ocean’s biodiversity. With such high levels of carbon dioxide in the air, the ocean is absorbing an abnormal amount. The more carbon dioxide in our air, the more in our oceans. The chemical reactions that cause the ocean to absorb carbon dioxide increases the amount of hydrogen ions in the water. The water becomes more acidic and carbonate ions become less abundant. Sea shells and coral skeletons are built and maintained with carbonate ions. Without this building block, calcifying sealife have a hard time building their shells. Many species are being wiped out because they are lacking the tools to defend themselves. I don’t think many people truly understand how important the ocean is. It’s 70% of our world and is where life first began. We owe a lot of our oxygen production to the plankton located in the ocean. I am passionate about finding a solution to this problem because the harm we are causing is so large. Our planet was once very biodiverse and we are losing a hundred species daily. There needs to be a solution before there are more pointless extinctions.
Preparation
I think Wartburg’s education will help me learn how to be a better leader. Through soccer, choir, and different classroom environments, I believe this will happen. I have to communicate clearly in many different settings with many different types of people. I already feel like a stronger leader since being here because I met so many people and made new friends I didn’t think I’d be able to. It’s very difficult to feel confident in communicating with everyone on the soccer team, especially upperclassmen. But I am getting there and it gets easier every day. Wartburg has also taught me to have a high standard for responsibility. I would not be able to play soccer, sing in choir, or achieve good grades without responsibility. My sense of responsibility has gotten me very far at Wartburg already. To tackle ocean acidification, a leader would need to take individual responsibility for their actions, as well as calling others to act and do the same. A leader would unite people for the common good of preserving our oceans and help them understand the scope of the issue and where each person comes into play. Leaders know that creating a common goal and a sense of shared responsibility will move others to act.
WHAT IS BEING DONE
Humans are putting an excessive amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere because of fossil fuel burning. Our oceans absorb that extra carbon dioxide and this process causes the ocean to have a lower pH level. Sea life like oysters and corals are having a difficult time maintaining their shells and skeletons because the carbon dioxide is neutralizing the calcium in the water. Less of these keystone species means an unbalanced food chain and less biodiversity. There aren't many methods being used to help ocean acidification. But the main solution is increasing or protecting the plant life on land and in the ocean. The Rain Campaign adds plants to the landscape in homes to help filter water and add oxygen to the air. The Seagrass Restoration project is adding seagrass into places where it’s been destroyed and upset the natural order of that area. And finally, the Canadian Green Shipping Corridors Assessment is working to lower the carbon dioxide emissions from the shipping industry. STEM professions like environmental lawyers, engineers, and scientists, renewable energy scientists, and conservation scientists are all necessary occupations to tackle this problem. It is easy to see how science, technology, and engineering will become huge parts of the solution to solve global warming and ocean acidification. Engineers have been creating new ways for clean energy and restoration effects to take place, with the help of new technology. These ideas and projects are based on science and data taken from our oceans.
Example #1
The Rain Campaign is a grassroots organization in Central Iowa that helps communities implement landscaping techniques to filter rain runoff. They work with Rainscaping Iowa and Iowa Storm Water Education Partnership. The project began in 2019 in the Des Moines metro and they partner with many businesses and neighborhoods to add filtering systems to the cities. The cities themselves have created assistant funding programs if people would like to add rain gardens to their homes. Their project is underway because in four years, they have added 106 rain gardens, 591 rain barrels, 376 soil quality restoration projects, and 83 native planting projects. The rain gardens are a landscaping feature that collects runoff rainfall and soaks and filters it through its roots and into the ground. Because of our cities’ concrete ground, filthy water causes the cities to flood and enters our rivers and oceans. By adding rain gardens, there is less flooding and less polluted water. The Rain Campaign is specifically focused on pollution and runoff problems, but their rain gardens cause the rivers and oceans to benefit from them too. In Burnsville, Minnesota, their rain gardens decreased stormwater runoff by 90%. Iowa hopes to see those same results as more rain gardens grow through this campaign.
Example #2
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is working on seagrass restoration. They work with other agencies like the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station. They are currently doing work in Charlotte Harbor, Indian River Lagoon, Biscayne Bay, the Big Bend, the Florida Keys, St. Joseph Bay, St. Andrews Bay and Pensacola Bay. The organization works with policy makers and local law enforcement to create change and impose fines on boaters that damage the seagrass. Fines began to be imposed in 2009 after an excessive amount of seagrass damage. Their work is currently being implemented because seagrass is being replanted and watched over in Florida. Some of their work consists of laying down biodegradable tubes of sediment in scarred areas, as seen in the first image. This prevents additional erosion from the boats and damaging sun exposure to the seagrass roots. Right now, this agency is just focusing on Florida because it’s a state department. There is current success in the regrowth program but it will take 3 full years of monitoring to determine the final effects.
Example #3
Oceans North is a Canadian organization working to decarbonize the shipping industry because the carbon emissions are contributing to climate change and ocean acidification. They work with all levels of the Canadian government and the shipping industry to create policy changes in ordinance with the Paris Agreement. They partner with the local communities and Indigenous groups to achieve their goals. Oceans North was developed in July 2017. They are at the very beginning of their work and have many lofty goals for 2030-2050. The organization’s work is a lot of policy change and advocacy. This group places an emphasis on adding “shore power” to ports. It allows the ships to charge and run on electric power instead. Their specific problems to focus on are implementing these shore power sources and using policy and laws to require changes that would help lower emissions, like new ships that don’t run on diesel. With the help of partnerships with Membertou First Nation, Rimot, and Allswater Marine, Oceans North hopes to create the first electric lobster fishing vessel and bi-directional charger.
Citations
Rain Gardens. (2021, March 10). Raincampaign.org.https://raincampaign.org/raingarden/Seagrass Restoration Efforts | Florida Department of Environmental Protection. (2023,
January 12th). Floridadep.gov.
The Canadian Green Shipping Corridors Assessment. (2023). Oceans North.
https://www.oceansnorth.org/en/what-we-do/the-zero-emission-maritime-energytransition/ Ocean acidification and its effects | CoastAdapt. (2017, April 27). Coastadapt.com.au. https://coastadapt.com.au/ocean-acidification-and-itseffects#:~:text=Marine%20organisms%20could%20also%20experience Kolbert, E. (2014). The Sixth Extinction: an Unnatural History. Henry Holt &
Company. https://wartburgedu-my.sharepoint.com/personal/alexa_brockmueller_wartburg_edu/Documents/Rain%20Campaign%20-%20Source%20Evaluation%20Table%20PDF.pdf
file:///C:/Users/NikkyReadIt/Downloads/P07_Pitch1Worksheet.pdf
Local Activity
Reflection on pitch process
I think the preparation steps were very helpful. I was slightly uncomfortable talking to so many people about my project, but it was beneficial to get feedback and help brainstorming. I strongly dislike brainstorming. I also enjoyed listening to everyone else’s projects. Being in groups that related to each other like the environmental group and economy group was good to hash out similar ideas and solutions. I felt prepared for the two minute pitch because I’ve done a lot of research and I practiced a couple times to fit the time frame. I appreciated how many times we had to revise our projects even though it was annoying to keep working at it. My least favorite part of writing next to brainstorming is revising.
I surprisingly enjoy Paige’s pitch because I agree that some things could be better in the Mensa. And I like her passion. I think the logistics are very complicated, but I do hope that the college would give us healthier options at school. The access to unhealthy options are all over; icecream, soda, and dessert every day. This isn’t counting the fried food and the preservatives that’s in the prepared food. But I’d like to know for sure that the college and dining services have our best interest at heart. If we could see some change come out of this, it would be really cool. With so many athletes on campus and little access to fresh/healthy food because of time, money, or car, we need better food to help us set up ourselves for success. A lot of our habits right now are going to transfer to our lives after college. If we eat better now, we will be at less risk for disease and discomfort in the future.
I’m glad Holden and Hannah were selected because there’s a lot that needs to be done in this area. Wild animals are a problem in society, but they also aren’t there on purpose. People have caused a lot of problems and haven’t been able to control breeding or habitat loss. Animals aren’t able to speak up for themselves and are treated cruelly because of this. Changing laws and giving of time, money, and items to shelters are a great way to give back.
CJ’s group has a really meaningful goal and I’m glad we can do something with older generations. There’s a big disconnect in Western society between older and younger generations. Many people in retirement homes don’t get the interaction they need on a daily basis to be healthy. I hope we can provide that for one day.
Ocean Acidification Presentation
Alexa Brockmueller
Created on December 10, 2023
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Transcript
Ocean Acidification Presentation
By Alexa Brockmueller (1st year Psych major in choir and the women's soccer program)
Problem Description
As humans go about their lives, we are burning fossil fuels constantly which is creating an excess of carbon dioxide in the air. CO2 reacts with water and carbonate ions in the ocean and creates bicarbonate ions. This was first seen as a positive way to combat global warming but the changing of the ocean’s chemistry is causing damage to the ecosystems inside . The ocean averages a pH level of around 8.2 before the Industrial Revolution, making it basic. The addition of carbon dioxide post Industrial Revolution is creating more acidic water. This number fluctuates depending on location but the current pH is between 8.1-8.0. While this appears to be a slight decrease in pH level, it is actually quite extreme. The pH scale is logarithmic and this seemingly small dip in pH means a 30% acidity increase .
Citations
Bennett, J. (2018, December 18). Ocean Acidification. Smithsonian Ocean. https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/ocean-acidification Kolbert, E. (2014). The Sixth Extinction: an Unnatural History. Henry Holt & Company. NOAA. (2020, April 1). Ocean Acidification. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; U.S. Department of Commerce. https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-acidification Ocean Acidification. (2021, September 29). National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. https://marinesanctuary.org/blog/ocean-acidification/?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw4P6oBhBsEiwAKYVkq8gBwTMsC1MWOhU58uMYquaZA7vMJ5T4ku3DEKBPO_YwZt7QzDGyTRoCj4sQAvD_BwE Ocean acidification and its effects | CoastAdapt. (2017, April 27). Coastadapt.com.au. https://coastadapt.com.au/ocean-acidification-and-its-effects#:~:text=Marine%20organisms%20could%20also%20experience
https://wartburgedu-my.sharepoint.com/personal/alexa_brockmueller_wartburg_edu/Documents/Source%20Evaluation%20Table%20(1.0)%20PDF.pdf
Vimeo
Motivation
I thought this topic was really interesting because of how slight the pH change is. But it’s having a catastrophic effect on the ocean’s biodiversity. With such high levels of carbon dioxide in the air, the ocean is absorbing an abnormal amount. The more carbon dioxide in our air, the more in our oceans. The chemical reactions that cause the ocean to absorb carbon dioxide increases the amount of hydrogen ions in the water. The water becomes more acidic and carbonate ions become less abundant. Sea shells and coral skeletons are built and maintained with carbonate ions. Without this building block, calcifying sealife have a hard time building their shells. Many species are being wiped out because they are lacking the tools to defend themselves. I don’t think many people truly understand how important the ocean is. It’s 70% of our world and is where life first began. We owe a lot of our oxygen production to the plankton located in the ocean. I am passionate about finding a solution to this problem because the harm we are causing is so large. Our planet was once very biodiverse and we are losing a hundred species daily. There needs to be a solution before there are more pointless extinctions.
Preparation
I think Wartburg’s education will help me learn how to be a better leader. Through soccer, choir, and different classroom environments, I believe this will happen. I have to communicate clearly in many different settings with many different types of people. I already feel like a stronger leader since being here because I met so many people and made new friends I didn’t think I’d be able to. It’s very difficult to feel confident in communicating with everyone on the soccer team, especially upperclassmen. But I am getting there and it gets easier every day. Wartburg has also taught me to have a high standard for responsibility. I would not be able to play soccer, sing in choir, or achieve good grades without responsibility. My sense of responsibility has gotten me very far at Wartburg already. To tackle ocean acidification, a leader would need to take individual responsibility for their actions, as well as calling others to act and do the same. A leader would unite people for the common good of preserving our oceans and help them understand the scope of the issue and where each person comes into play. Leaders know that creating a common goal and a sense of shared responsibility will move others to act.
WHAT IS BEING DONE
Humans are putting an excessive amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere because of fossil fuel burning. Our oceans absorb that extra carbon dioxide and this process causes the ocean to have a lower pH level. Sea life like oysters and corals are having a difficult time maintaining their shells and skeletons because the carbon dioxide is neutralizing the calcium in the water. Less of these keystone species means an unbalanced food chain and less biodiversity. There aren't many methods being used to help ocean acidification. But the main solution is increasing or protecting the plant life on land and in the ocean. The Rain Campaign adds plants to the landscape in homes to help filter water and add oxygen to the air. The Seagrass Restoration project is adding seagrass into places where it’s been destroyed and upset the natural order of that area. And finally, the Canadian Green Shipping Corridors Assessment is working to lower the carbon dioxide emissions from the shipping industry. STEM professions like environmental lawyers, engineers, and scientists, renewable energy scientists, and conservation scientists are all necessary occupations to tackle this problem. It is easy to see how science, technology, and engineering will become huge parts of the solution to solve global warming and ocean acidification. Engineers have been creating new ways for clean energy and restoration effects to take place, with the help of new technology. These ideas and projects are based on science and data taken from our oceans.
Example #1
The Rain Campaign is a grassroots organization in Central Iowa that helps communities implement landscaping techniques to filter rain runoff. They work with Rainscaping Iowa and Iowa Storm Water Education Partnership. The project began in 2019 in the Des Moines metro and they partner with many businesses and neighborhoods to add filtering systems to the cities. The cities themselves have created assistant funding programs if people would like to add rain gardens to their homes. Their project is underway because in four years, they have added 106 rain gardens, 591 rain barrels, 376 soil quality restoration projects, and 83 native planting projects. The rain gardens are a landscaping feature that collects runoff rainfall and soaks and filters it through its roots and into the ground. Because of our cities’ concrete ground, filthy water causes the cities to flood and enters our rivers and oceans. By adding rain gardens, there is less flooding and less polluted water. The Rain Campaign is specifically focused on pollution and runoff problems, but their rain gardens cause the rivers and oceans to benefit from them too. In Burnsville, Minnesota, their rain gardens decreased stormwater runoff by 90%. Iowa hopes to see those same results as more rain gardens grow through this campaign.
Example #2
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is working on seagrass restoration. They work with other agencies like the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station. They are currently doing work in Charlotte Harbor, Indian River Lagoon, Biscayne Bay, the Big Bend, the Florida Keys, St. Joseph Bay, St. Andrews Bay and Pensacola Bay. The organization works with policy makers and local law enforcement to create change and impose fines on boaters that damage the seagrass. Fines began to be imposed in 2009 after an excessive amount of seagrass damage. Their work is currently being implemented because seagrass is being replanted and watched over in Florida. Some of their work consists of laying down biodegradable tubes of sediment in scarred areas, as seen in the first image. This prevents additional erosion from the boats and damaging sun exposure to the seagrass roots. Right now, this agency is just focusing on Florida because it’s a state department. There is current success in the regrowth program but it will take 3 full years of monitoring to determine the final effects.
Example #3
Oceans North is a Canadian organization working to decarbonize the shipping industry because the carbon emissions are contributing to climate change and ocean acidification. They work with all levels of the Canadian government and the shipping industry to create policy changes in ordinance with the Paris Agreement. They partner with the local communities and Indigenous groups to achieve their goals. Oceans North was developed in July 2017. They are at the very beginning of their work and have many lofty goals for 2030-2050. The organization’s work is a lot of policy change and advocacy. This group places an emphasis on adding “shore power” to ports. It allows the ships to charge and run on electric power instead. Their specific problems to focus on are implementing these shore power sources and using policy and laws to require changes that would help lower emissions, like new ships that don’t run on diesel. With the help of partnerships with Membertou First Nation, Rimot, and Allswater Marine, Oceans North hopes to create the first electric lobster fishing vessel and bi-directional charger.
Citations
Rain Gardens. (2021, March 10). Raincampaign.org.https://raincampaign.org/raingarden/Seagrass Restoration Efforts | Florida Department of Environmental Protection. (2023, January 12th). Floridadep.gov. The Canadian Green Shipping Corridors Assessment. (2023). Oceans North. https://www.oceansnorth.org/en/what-we-do/the-zero-emission-maritime-energytransition/ Ocean acidification and its effects | CoastAdapt. (2017, April 27). Coastadapt.com.au. https://coastadapt.com.au/ocean-acidification-and-itseffects#:~:text=Marine%20organisms%20could%20also%20experience Kolbert, E. (2014). The Sixth Extinction: an Unnatural History. Henry Holt & Company. https://wartburgedu-my.sharepoint.com/personal/alexa_brockmueller_wartburg_edu/Documents/Rain%20Campaign%20-%20Source%20Evaluation%20Table%20PDF.pdf
file:///C:/Users/NikkyReadIt/Downloads/P07_Pitch1Worksheet.pdf
Local Activity
Reflection on pitch process
I think the preparation steps were very helpful. I was slightly uncomfortable talking to so many people about my project, but it was beneficial to get feedback and help brainstorming. I strongly dislike brainstorming. I also enjoyed listening to everyone else’s projects. Being in groups that related to each other like the environmental group and economy group was good to hash out similar ideas and solutions. I felt prepared for the two minute pitch because I’ve done a lot of research and I practiced a couple times to fit the time frame. I appreciated how many times we had to revise our projects even though it was annoying to keep working at it. My least favorite part of writing next to brainstorming is revising. I surprisingly enjoy Paige’s pitch because I agree that some things could be better in the Mensa. And I like her passion. I think the logistics are very complicated, but I do hope that the college would give us healthier options at school. The access to unhealthy options are all over; icecream, soda, and dessert every day. This isn’t counting the fried food and the preservatives that’s in the prepared food. But I’d like to know for sure that the college and dining services have our best interest at heart. If we could see some change come out of this, it would be really cool. With so many athletes on campus and little access to fresh/healthy food because of time, money, or car, we need better food to help us set up ourselves for success. A lot of our habits right now are going to transfer to our lives after college. If we eat better now, we will be at less risk for disease and discomfort in the future. I’m glad Holden and Hannah were selected because there’s a lot that needs to be done in this area. Wild animals are a problem in society, but they also aren’t there on purpose. People have caused a lot of problems and haven’t been able to control breeding or habitat loss. Animals aren’t able to speak up for themselves and are treated cruelly because of this. Changing laws and giving of time, money, and items to shelters are a great way to give back. CJ’s group has a really meaningful goal and I’m glad we can do something with older generations. There’s a big disconnect in Western society between older and younger generations. Many people in retirement homes don’t get the interaction they need on a daily basis to be healthy. I hope we can provide that for one day.