Measuring coastal acidification using in situ sensors in the National Estuary Program

EPA Report EPA-842-R-21001
By: , and 

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Abstract

Estuaries and coastal areas are highly vulnerable to the impacts of acidification on shellfish, coral reefs, fisheries, and the commercial and recreational industries that they support. Yet, little is known about the extent of this vulnerability and the estuary-specific drivers that contribute to acidification, such as nutrient enrichment from stormwater, agriculture and wastewater discharges, upwelling of CO2 -rich seawater, elevated atmospheric CO2 from urban and agricultural activities, benthic and marsh-driven processes, and alkalinity and carbon content of freshwater flows. Comprehensive, high resolution monitoring data are needed at varying spatial and temporal scales to provide actionable information tailored to each estuary. Because carbonate chemistry in the coastal environment can be affected by nutrient dynamics, understanding how nutrient inputs exacerbate acidification impacts is essential for the formulation of estuary-specific actions.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype Federal Government Series
Title Measuring coastal acidification using in situ sensors in the National Estuary Program
Series title EPA Report
Series number EPA-842-R-21001
Year Published 2021
Language English
Publisher EPA
Contributing office(s) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Description 71 p.
Country United States
State Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware. Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, Washinton
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