{ "id": "R40143", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R40143", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 423042, "date": "2013-08-07", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T21:01:55.589275", "title": "Ocean Acidification", "summary": "With increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, the extent of effects on the ocean and marine resources is an increasing concern. One aspect of this issue is the ongoing process (known as ocean acidification) whereby seawater becomes less alkaline as more CO2 dissolves in it, causing hydrogen ion concentration in seawater to increase. Scientists are concerned that increasing hydrogen ion concentration could reduce growth or even cause death of shell-forming animals (e.g., corals, mollusks, and certain planktonic organisms) as well as disrupt marine food webs and the reproductive physiology of certain species. While not yet fully understood, the ecological and economic consequences of ocean acidification could be substantial. \nScientists are concerned that increasing hydrogen ion concentration in seawater could alter biogeochemical cycles, disrupt physiological processes of marine organisms, and damage marine ecosystems. This report does not discuss the effects of increasing thermal stress to marine organisms and ecosystems (e.g., coral bleaching) related to climate change. However, marine ecosystems are likely to be affected by the synergistic effects of factors involved in both thermal and chemical processes.\nCongress is beginning to focus attention on better understanding ocean acidification and determining how this concern might be addressed. In the 111th Congress, the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 (Title XII, Subtitle D, of P.L. 111-11) directed the Secretary of Commerce to establish an ocean acidification program within NOAA, established an interagency committee to develop an ocean acidification research and monitoring plan, and authorized appropriations through FY2012 for NOAA and the National Science Foundation. The only bill related to ocean acidification that has been introduced during the 113th Congress is the Coral Reef Conservation Act Amendments of 2013 (S. 839). S. 839 would include ocean acidification in the criteria used to evaluate project proposals for studying threats to coral reefs and developing responses to coral reef losses. On July 30, 2013, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation ordered S. 839 to be reported.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R40143", "sha1": "bfa7d33be1485220320154c6e3c64eb4737499c5", "filename": "files/20130807_R40143_bfa7d33be1485220320154c6e3c64eb4737499c5.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R40143", "sha1": "af220baf9278f3ed61e379a7885e1bd5486bce2b", "filename": "files/20130807_R40143_af220baf9278f3ed61e379a7885e1bd5486bce2b.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 315, "name": "Ocean and Coastal Resources" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 3878, "name": "Climate Change Science, Technology, and Policy" }, { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4644, "name": "Federal Role in Ecosystem Restoration" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc227633/", "id": "R40143_2013Jul30", "date": "2013-07-30", "retrieved": "2013-11-05T18:07:05", "title": "Ocean Acidification", "summary": "Report that discusses the increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, and the extent of related effects on the ocean and marine resources.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20130730_R40143_e2866f0ed4ad8204cbe37748316174d3586b9ddf.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20130730_R40143_e2866f0ed4ad8204cbe37748316174d3586b9ddf.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air pollution", "name": "Air pollution" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Carbon dioxide", "name": "Carbon dioxide" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Water pollution", "name": "Water pollution" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Acid pollution of rivers, lakes, etc.", "name": "Acid pollution of rivers, lakes, etc." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Marine resources", "name": "Marine resources" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Marine pollution", "name": "Marine pollution" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc462621/", "id": "R40143_2010May27", "date": "2010-05-27", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "Ocean Acidification", "summary": "This report discusses the increasing concern, within the scientific community, that rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could detrimentally alter marine ecosystems. The report discusses how ocean acidification happens, its possible outcomes, as well as natural and human responses that could possibly limit or reduce the rate of the process.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20100527_R40143_66d54dc7a16086712006bf1a05c92b7878c738cf.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20100527_R40143_66d54dc7a16086712006bf1a05c92b7878c738cf.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Natural resources", "name": "Natural resources" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Aquatic biology", "name": "Aquatic biology" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Marine resources", "name": "Marine resources" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air pollution", "name": "Air pollution" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc86538/", "id": "R40143_2009Jul02", "date": "2009-07-02", "retrieved": "2012-06-15T10:07:48", "title": "Ocean Acidification", "summary": "With increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, the extent of effects on the ocean and marine resources is an increasing concern. One aspect of this issue is the ongoing process whereby seawater becomes acidified (i.e., ocean acidification) as more CO2 dissolves in it, causing hydrogen ion concentration in seawater to increase.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090702_R40143_e78a9e7740f4e4d80eb204ce60556b5267969c16.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090702_R40143_e78a9e7740f4e4d80eb204ce60556b5267969c16.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Carbon dioxide", "name": "Carbon dioxide" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Ocean policy", "name": "Ocean policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Environmental policy - United States", "name": "Environmental policy - United States" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc462758/", "id": "R40143_2009Feb20", "date": "2009-05-27", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "Ocean Acidification", "summary": "This report discusses the increasing concern, within the scientific community, that rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could detrimentally alter marine ecosystems. The report discusses how ocean acidification happens, its possible outcomes, as well as natural and human responses that could possibly limit or reduce the rate of the process.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090527_R40143_ebaf8ee851fc7f0b69e7fdd3df5e53eac8bf57f2.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090527_R40143_ebaf8ee851fc7f0b69e7fdd3df5e53eac8bf57f2.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Natural resources", "name": "Natural resources" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Aquatic biology", "name": "Aquatic biology" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Marine resources", "name": "Marine resources" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air pollution", "name": "Air pollution" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc817604/", "id": "R40143_2009Apr24", "date": "2009-04-24", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Ocean Acidification", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090424_R40143_4e2dd1d60275b13655e59b6c99dbaa8a9ff1015e.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090424_R40143_4e2dd1d60275b13655e59b6c99dbaa8a9ff1015e.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc463268/", "id": "R40143_2009Apr02", "date": "2009-04-02", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "Ocean Acidification", "summary": "This report discusses the increasing concern, within the scientific community, that rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could detrimentally alter marine ecosystems. The report discusses how ocean acidification happens, its possible outcomes, as well as natural and human responses that could possibly limit or reduce the rate of the process.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090402_R40143_c1ec5561d971fcd7b066547a3062e5e4abd07f6e.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090402_R40143_c1ec5561d971fcd7b066547a3062e5e4abd07f6e.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Natural resources", "name": "Natural resources" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Aquatic biology", "name": "Aquatic biology" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Marine resources", "name": "Marine resources" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air pollution", "name": "Air pollution" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Appropriations" ] }