title: Detecting the unexpected: a research framework for ocean acidification.
abstract: The threat that ocean acidification (OA) poses to marine ecosystems is now recognized and U.S. funding agencies have designated specific funding for the study of OA. We present a research framework for studying OA that describes it as a biogeochemical event that impacts individual species and ecosystems in potentially unexpected ways. We draw upon specific lessons learned about ecosystem responses from research on acid rain, carbon dioxide enrichment in terrestrial plant communities, and nitrogen deposition. We further characterize the links between carbon chemistry changes and effects on individuals and ecosystems, and enumerate key hypotheses for testing. Finally, we quantify how U.S. research funding has been distributed among these linkages, concluding that there is an urgent need for research programs designed to anticipate how the effects of OA will reverberate throughout assemblages of species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago , Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States.
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Esbaugh
authors.forename: Christina A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Frieder
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: Emily E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Bockmon
authors.forename: Meredith M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Brendan R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Benway
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Blanchette
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carrington
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: McClintock
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: McCorkle
authors.forename: Wade R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: McGillis
authors.forename: T Aran
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ziveri
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D057486:Carbon Cycle; D017753:Ecosystem; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012106:Research; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000143:Acids