Germany launched the BIOACID—Biological Impacts of Ocean ACIDification—research project. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding this focus in the marine sciences with €8.5 million (US$12.4 million). More than 100 scientists and technicians from 14 German research institutes and universities began their work in the new program on 1 September.
Anthropogenic carbon dioxide is being taken up by the oceans on a large scale, causing them to become more acidic. Changes in the acidity of seawater have occurred repeatedly over geologic time scales, but the rate of acidification caused by fossil fuel emissions in modern times is alarmingly high. Scientists fear that marine species subjected to this dramatic change in their environment will not have time to adapt, leading to detrimental effects on individual species and entire ecosystems.
Coral reefs are a prime example. Under more acidic conditions, the organisms will no longer be able to build their calcareous skeletons and will literally dissolve in certain areas of the oceans in the near future. The consequences of ocean acidification will also be felt by humans: from fisheries to tourism, the oceans provide the foundation of economies in many parts of the world. The loss of coral reefs, both prime tourist attractions and home to many fish species, will even affect multiple economies.
In the framework of BIOACID, marine biologists, chemists, and physicists will work together with molecular biologists, paleontologists, medical researchers, and mathematicians to investigate various aspects of ocean acidification. In the field of marine technology, engineers will develop precise analytical techniques. The research activities will focus on the North and Baltic Seas, as well as on regions in which marine ecosystems are most affected by ocean acidification, such as the Polar Regions and the Tropics. BIOACID has initially been funded for three years.
The BIOACID research community will cooperate closely with their colleagues in other countries such as the United Kingdom and the USA, which are also developing national research programs with a focus on ocean acidification.
– from greencarcongress.com