UW|360 February 2014 - Ocean Acidification

Carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by human activities comes back into the ocean. Increasing the carbon dioxide in the ocean lowers its pH, making it more corrosive. Ocean acidification on the Washington coast and in Puget Sound may have long-lasting impacts on the environment; corrosive waters are a threat to the local shellfish industry right now. In 2013 the Washington State legislature appropriated $1.8M to establish the Washington Ocean Acidification Center at the UW. Co-directed by Jan Newton and Terri Klinger, the center's mission is to improve forecasts of where and when corrosive waters may occur and to create mitigation strategies.