Global network to track ocean acidity

Nature : Oceanographers from more than 20 countries met last month to set up an international network of monitoring stations to measure ocean acidification. Carbon dioxide levels in the oceans have been rising since the start of the Industrial Revolution. They can also fluctuate due to acid rain, high nutrient loads in the water, and the natural upwelling of deep water that carries large amounts of dissolved CO ₂. High levels of acidity can weaken the calcium carbonate shells or skeletons of sea-dwelling organisms such as corals, oysters, and plankton. With better data, researchers should be able to assess problem areas and model future trends, writes Jessica Marshall for Nature.