About the Benthic Acidification consortium
The overarching aim of this consortium (as part of
the UK Ocean
Acidification Research Programme) is to
quantify, predict and communicate the impact of ocean
acidification on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in three
key UK coastal habitats; soft sediments, calcareous biogenic
habitats (such as cold water coral reefs and maerl beds) and the
rocky intertidal.
This consortium has six science objectives:
- Quantify the impact of ocean acidification
and warming on the health and activity of key benthic
organisms
- Assess the potential for organism
adaptation to ocean acidification and warming
- Quantify the impact of ocean acidification
and warming on the biogeochemistry of marine benthic
habitats
- Quantify the impact of ocean acidification
and warming on benthic microbial communities
- Predict the impact of future
CO2 scenarios on the population dynamics of benthic
marine organisms
- Predict the impact of future
CO2 scenarios on the biodiversity and functioning of
coastal habitats
This consortium brings together 25 key researchers from
12 UK organisations and will use laboratory experiments to
determine the ways in which ocean acidification will change key
physiological processes, organism behaviour, animal interactions,
biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The understanding gained
will be used to build and run conceptual, statistical and numerical
models, which will forecast the impact of future ocean pH
scenarios on the biodiversity and function of coastal ecosystems.
In addition to this the consortium will act as a focal point
for UK ocean acidification research in this area, promoting
communication between many different interested parties; UK and
international scientists, policy makers, environmental managers,
fisherman, conservationists, the media, students and the general
public.
The consortium will also: assist the UK government
(via Defra and DECC) in delivery of statutory obligations under
national legislative drivers (e.g. UK Biodiversity Action Plan, UK
Marine and Coastal Access Bill); provide information to aid the
assessment process for the UK Regional Seas, via the UKMMAS
Charting Progress III, in 2015 and the OSPAR Assessment Framework;
and support the design and implementation of measures needed to
achieve Good Environmental Status in UK Regional Seas.