Open AccessSurface ocean CO2 variability and vulnerability workshop, Paris, France, 11–14 April 2007
Author(s) -
Metzl Nicolas,
Tilbrook Bronte,
Bakker Dorothee,
le Quéré Corinne,
Doney Scott,
Feely Richard,
Hood Maria,
Dargaville Roger
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/2007eo280005
Subject(s) - environmental science , climate change , ocean acidification , oceanography , climatology , baseline (sea) , vulnerability (computing) , ecosystem , atmospheric sciences , ecology , geology , biology , computer science , computer security
The oceans have taken up approximately half of the anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. This uptake reduces climate change but also lowers ocean pH, with the potential to disrupt ecosystems. Climate change affects ocean biology and physics and could lead to reduced efficiency of the carbon sinks, a process that atmospheric data and ocean models indicate is already occurring in the Southern Ocean. Attempts to set a baseline stabilization target for the atmospheric CO 2 concentration will ultimately depend on our understanding and prediction of oceanic CO 2 sinks. While we are now close to monitoring oceanic CO 2 uptake on decadal and regional scales, meaningful predictions of its future behavior are difficult. There is a critical and urgent need to better understand the ocean processes regulating CO 2 uptake and to identify research and observational priorities for the future.