Ocean acidification poses a particular threat to polar ocean ecosystems. The same chemistry that sees chilled champagne hold more CO2 fizz than warm champagne ensures that polar marine ecosystems will see increasingly acidic conditions in the future. To date, ocean acidification research on polar region flora and fauna has been laboratory and mesocosm focussed. The Antarctic Free Ocean Carbon Enrichment experiment (antFOCE) will place 2 x control units and 2 x -0.4 pH offset treatments under the Spring ice cover in coastal waters off Casey Station, Antarctica to assess the vulnerability of Southern Ocean sea-floor communities to continuing, and increasing, CO2 emissions.
See video news coverage of 2014 antFOCE deployment from December 29, 2013 on ABC News.
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