Airborne pollutants contribute to ocean acidification and hence to the associated chlorophyll content level. Previous work showed that falling aerosols causing ocean acidification would in turn result in bleaching and productivity loss in coral reef builders. Chlorophyll content has been used as a measure of the concentration of the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll a (the most common  green  chlorophyll) in the ocean. In our work we have monitored the change in chlorophyll content obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on board Terra/Aqua satellites from 2000-2009 over selected pilot areas. Moreover, we have used the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) NASA chemical model to simulate sulfate, dust, black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC), and sea-salt aerosols content over the urban centers close to the areas where chlorophyll content is showing a significant decline. These parameters would reflect the natural versus anthropogenic origin of the aerosols falling over ocean waters. We expect to observe an overall decrease in chlorophyll content on the surface of the ocean. Hence, our findings may suggest that the effects of falling air pollutants in the ocean will be so detrimental as to gradually cause a decrease in photosynthetic producing material over several years

del Fierro, C.

el-Askary, H.

Lloyd, R.

English

Chapman University Digital Commons

e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work
Volume 1
Number 2 Vol 1, No 2 (2010) Article 6
September 2014
Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll
Content
C. del Fierro
R. Lloyd
H. el-Askary
Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research
Part of the Atmospheric Sciences Commons, Oceanography Commons, and the Plant Pathology
Commons
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Chapman University Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in e-Research: A
Journal of Undergraduate Work by an authorized administrator of Chapman University Digital Commons. For more information, please contact
laughtin@chapman.edu.
Recommended Citation
del Fierro, C.; Lloyd, R.; and el-Askary, H. (2014) "Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll Content," e-Research: A Journal of
Undergraduate Work: Vol. 1: No. 2, Article 6.
Available at: http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research/vol1/iss2/6
Effects of Ocean Acidification 
Copyright © 2010 C. del Fierro, R. Lloyd, H. El-Askary   e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)   83 
e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work, Vol 1, No 2 (2010) 
HOME    ABOUT    USER HOME    SEARCH    CURRENT    ARCHIVES  
Home > Vol 1, No 2 (2010) > del Fierro  
Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll Content 
C., del Fierro, R., Lloyd, and H. El-Askary 
Abstract 
Airborne pollutants contribute to ocean acidification and hence to the associated chlorophyll content level. 
Previous work showed that falling aerosols causing ocean acidification would in turn result in bleaching and 
productivity loss in coral reef builders. Chlorophyll content has been used as a measure of the concentration of the 
photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll a (the most common "green" chlorophyll) in the ocean. In our work we have 
monitored the change in chlorophyll content obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer 
(MODIS) sensor on board Terra/Aqua satellites from 2000-2009 over selected pilot areas. Moreover, we have used 
the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) NASA chemical model to simulate sulfate, dust, 
black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC), and sea-salt aerosols content over the urban centers close to the areas 
where chlorophyll content is showing a significant decline. These parameters would reflect the natural versus 
anthropogenic origin of the aerosols falling over ocean waters. We expect to observe an overall decrease in 
chlorophyll content on the surface of the ocean. Hence, our findings may suggest that the effects of falling air 
pollutants in the ocean will be so detrimental as to gradually cause a decrease in photosynthetic producing 
material over several years.  
Keywords: Chlorophyll, Black Carbon, Satellite Sensing, GOCART 
 
  
Introduction   
Ocean acidification is an extremely concerning issue today primarily because of it's effects on marine organisms, 
due to an unprecedented increase in pH level throughout the ocean. Almost a third of the excess carbon dioxide 
produced by both natural and man-made processes settles into the ocean. As mass amounts of carbon dioxide 
have been absorbed into the ocean since the industrial revolution, scientists have measured that pH levels have 
gone down 0.1 units, which actually causes a rise in acidity (as pH levels go down, acidity is increased: for example, 
going from 0.15 to 0.30 is considered a decrease in pH, and an increase in acidic level). High acidic levels cause 
calcium carbonate, which is the main skeletal material for many marine organisms as well as the primary reef 
building material where abundant habitats thrive, to dissolve. Organisms such as shellfish towards the bottom of 
1
del Fierro et al.: Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll Content
Published by Chapman University Digital Commons, 2014
C. del Fierro, R. Lloyd, H. El-Askary 
84   e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010) 
 
the food chain are now going extinct because their shells are literally dissolving, therefore causing large amounts 
of them to die. Portions of coral reefs are also dissolving, which affects all of the organisms that depend on the 
reef as a living habitat. As pH levels continue to increase, many food webs will be altered, and humans will see a 
dramatic decrease in the amount of fish production, which many people around the world depend on. The concern 
of ocean acidification is one shared by many scientists and policymakers who have observed how rapidly the acidic 
levels in the ocean have been increasing, and how scary such an occurrence is for the future of our oceans.   
 Airborne pollutants contribute to ocean acidification and hence to the associated chlorophyll content level. 
Previous work showed that falling aerosols causing ocean acidification would in turn result in bleaching and 
productivity loss in coral reef builders. Chlorophyll   content has been used as a measure of the concentration of 
the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll a (the most common "green" chlorophyll) in the ocean.  In our work we 
have monitored the change in chlorophyll content obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging 
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on board the Aqua satellite from 2000-2009 along the California coastline.  
Moreover, we have used the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) NASA chemical model 
to simulate sulfate, dust, black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC), and sea-salt aerosols content over the urban 
centers close to the areas where we expect chlorophyll content to show a significant decline. These parameters 
reflect the natural versus anthropogenic origin of the aerosols falling over ocean waters. We expect to observe an 
overall decrease in chlorophyll content on the surface of the ocean. Hence, our findings may suggest that the 
effects of falling air pollutants in the ocean will be so detrimental as to gradually cause a decrease in 
photosynthetic producing material over several years.      
We hypothesize that if black carbon aerosols settle into the ocean along the western California coast over time, 
then chlorophyll content on the surface of the ocean will show an overall decrease. In composing our research, we 
will observe data over the years of 2003, 2007, and 2009 during the months of January and July. Looking at two 
regions, the close coastal region and the further out open ocean region, we will compare patterns of chlorophyll 
growth to that of black carbon content. We expect to see a relationship between the decrease in chlorophyll with 
the increase of black carbon. The reason why we predict that chlorophyll content will decrease as black carbon 
increases if because we believe that excess amounts of black carbon, which creates a highly acidic environment in 
the ocean, will overwhelm photosynthetic production so as to kill off some amount of photosynthetic producing 
material. In other words, we expect to identify the effects of ocean acidification as extremely harmful to ocean 
vegetation, due to high pH levels continually increasing as a result of an increased presence of black carbon 
aerosols settling into the ocean.   
Mythology 
First we picked a location: the California coastline. Then we browsed data using the Goddard Earth Sciences Data 
and Information Services Center, through the GIOVANNI-NASA website. On GIOVANNI we decided on the 
2
e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work, Vol. 1, No. 2 [2014], Art. 6
http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research/vol1/iss2/6
  Effects of Ocean Acidification  
e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)   85 
 
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on board the Aqua satellite as our means of 
collecting data. We then observed chlorophyll content along the California coast in January of 2003, 2005, and 
2007. Then we observed chlorophyll content along the California coast in July of 2003, 2005, and 2007.  Next we 
observed data through the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model. On GOCART we 
observed the content of black carbon along the western California coast in January of 2003, 2005, and 2007. We 
proceeded to observe the black carbon content in July of 2003, 2005, and 2007. After observing all of the data 
through the MODIS-Aqua satellite and GOCART model, we then made a chart correlating the months and years 
being observed, with the chlorophyll content both directly along the coastline of western California, and further off 
of the coastline of western California in open ocean water.  Lastly, we re-evaluated all data, both from the 
GIOVANNI website, and from the charts and graphs we composed, to make a conclusion of our research.   
Analysis of Black Carbon on Chlorophyll 
The data we collected throughout our research showed several things. Firstly, in comparing the months of January 
and July, generally chlorophyll content along the western California coast is more abundant during the summer 
times, which is fairly predictable given the warmer temperature causing more photosynthetic productivity.The 
month of July, in 2003, 2005, and 2007, consistently showed more chlorophyll content than January. In addition, 
there was typically more chlorophyll content closer to the coast then farther out in open water. Secondly, 
chlorophyll content was more abundant in southern California, but showed a higher concentration in certain areas 
of northern California. The region from San Francisco to Monterey Bay showed the highest concentration of 
chlorophyll, which we assume is due to the large amount of kelp beds that are notorious in that region of northern 
California. 
3
del Fierro et al.: Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll Content
Published by Chapman University Digital Commons, 2014
C. del Fierro, R. Lloyd, H. El-Askary 
86   e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010) 
 
 
Figure 1: Chlorophyll content (a) versus Black Carbon (b) during January 2003, 2005 and 2007 
4
e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work, Vol. 1, No. 2 [2014], Art. 6
http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research/vol1/iss2/6
  Effects of Ocean Acidification  
e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)   87 
 
 
Figure 2: Chlorophyll content (a) versus Black Carbon (b) during July 2003, 2005 and 2007 
In our research, we broke up our parameters along the western coast of California into two sections: the close 
coastal region, and the open ocean region further off of the coast. When comparing the average amounts of 
chlorophyll content along the close coastal region in January for the years of 2003, 2005, and 2007, to that of July 
of the same years, a pattern appeared: chlorophyll content was higher in 2003 than in 2005, but lower in 2003 
than 2007. Therefore, chlorophyll content went from high to low, to it's highest in 2007. The open ocean coastal 
region showed almost the same pattern, with some variation in July of 2005 having higher numbers than in 2003, 
5
del Fierro et al.: Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll Content
Published by Chapman University Digital Commons, 2014
C. del Fierro, R. Lloyd, H. El-Askary 
88   e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010) 
 
and 2007, and January of 2007 showing the highest numbers of all three years. Overall, January showed small 
fluctuation and fairly low chlorophyll content, whereas July proved to show more chlorophyll content along both 
regions.   
 
Figure 3: Chlorophyll Content in the open Ocean and along the coast during January and July of 2003, 2005 and 
2007  
Remarkably, black carbon content showed almost the exact same pattern as chlorophyll content in both regions 
during January and July. The open ocean region in January of 2003, 2005, and 2007, shows black carbon content 
going from high to lower, to its highest in 2007, where 2005 shows the least amount. The open ocean region in July 
of the same years increases in 2005 from 2003, and then drastically drops in 2007. July of 2007 shows the least 
amount of black carbon from any year during both January and July, along both regions. The close coastal region in 
January of all three years shows black carbon decreasing, respectively. The close coastal region in July of all three 
years does not show the same pattern as January: black carbon content is highest in 2005, and lowest in 2007, 
with 2007 displaying the vast decrease previously noted. Ultimately, black carbon content is always more 
concentrated along the close coastal region of western California, which is the exact same case with chlorophyll 
showing its most abundant and concentrated amounts along the same region.  
6
e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work, Vol. 1, No. 2 [2014], Art. 6
http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research/vol1/iss2/6
  Effects of Ocean Acidification  
e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)   89 
 
 
Figure 4: Amount of Black Carbon on Surface of Ocean during January and July of 2003, 2005 and 2007 
Conclusions 
After extensive research, our hypothesis was ultimately proven wrong: chlorophyll content along the western 
California coast did not correlate with black carbon content by showing a decrease in chlorophyll content as black 
carbon amounts increased. Our results were almost consistently the inverse of our hypothesis. However, a very 
interesting relationship between chlorophyll content and black carbon content was discovered. There appeared to 
be a direct correlation between the fluctuation of chlorophyll content and black carbon content over the years. 
Generally, as carbon content increased, so did chlorophyll. In observing the month of January during all three 
years, for example, the pattern of chlorophyll content growth is exactly the same as black carbon content increase: 
there was more chlorophyll and black carbon present in 2005 than in 2003, and even more amounts of both in 
2007. Although there were slight variations in the patterns of the amounts of both chlorophyll and carbon over the 
years, the months consistently showed very similar, if not exactly the same, patterns. One of the most interesting 
things discovered about black carbon content was its dramatic decrease in 2007, far more than any other 
fluctuation observed over all three years. In relation to our hypothesis, such a discovery was completely 
unexpected. We expected to see an overall increase of black carbon content from 2003 to 2007, causing a 
decrease in chlorophyll content. When re-evaluating our data, it actually seems perfectly logical that chlorophyll 
content would increase as carbon dioxide content increased because of chlorophyll's need for carbon dioxide in 
photosynthesis. As carbon dioxide is released into the air, and eventually settles into the ocean, vegetation 
absorbs it in order to continue its photosynthetic production.  
7
del Fierro et al.: Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll Content
Published by Chapman University Digital Commons, 2014
C. del Fierro, R. Lloyd, H. El-Askary 
90   e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010) 
 
In reference to ocean acidification, our research showed that measures of ocean acidification effects cannot be 
obtained by observing chlorophyll and black carbon content. In other words, chlorophyll and black carbon do not 
have a directly correlating relationship with the effects of ocean acidification. The detrimental effects of ocean 
acidification are more closely associated with the decrease and dissolving of calcium carbonate in the ocean, and 
not the growth loss of vegetation. Although creating a highly acidic and polluted environment within the ocean is a 
horrible result of ocean acidification, vegetation is not as highly affected by ocean acidification as one would 
expect. Our research does not reveal the terrible effects of ocean acidification, which is primarily due to the fact 
that remote sensing satellites cannot penetrate deep enough into the ocean to produce results needed to measure 
such effects.   
 
Figure 5: Black Carbon Compared to Chlorophyll in the open Ocean and along the coast during January of 2003, 
2005 and 2007  
8
e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work, Vol. 1, No. 2 [2014], Art. 6
http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research/vol1/iss2/6
  Effects of Ocean Acidification  
e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)   91 
 
 
Figure 6: Black Carbon Compared to Chlorophyll in the open Ocean and along the coast during July of 2003, 2005 
and 2007  
In the future, extensive research that could be done in order to further test the relationship between chlorophyll 
content and black carbon content could include measuring water and air temperature. In measuring water 
temperatures, pH levels could be obtained in order to test for any correlation between pH levels and water 
temperature with chlorophyll content. Since it is an agreed fact by scientist and policy makers around the world 
that black carbon does in fact increase the pH levels in the ocean, one could perform an experiment that directly 
measures the pH levels in a specified parameter of the ocean in order to identify the exact percentage relationship 
between black carbon and pH levels. In addition, using different models, sensors, and satellites could potentially 
give different results than those obtained by our experiment.  
References 
Sponberg, Adrienne Froelich. Ocean Acidification: The Biggest Threat to Our Oceans? Bioscience, V.57, no.10, 
p.822. (Nov. 2007).  
Steve Kempler. Giovanni. http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/giovanni/. Acessed: April 20, 2010.  
9
del Fierro et al.: Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll Content
Published by Chapman University Digital Commons, 2014
92   e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)   
 
10
e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work, Vol. 1, No. 2 [2014], Art. 6
http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research/vol1/iss2/6


Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll Content

e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate WorkVolume 1Number 2 Vol 1, No 2 (2010) Article 6September 2014Effects of Ocean Acidification on ChlorophyllContentC. del FierroR. LloydH. el-AskaryFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-ResearchPart of the Atmospheric Sciences Commons, Oceanography Commons, and the Plant PathologyCommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by Chapman University Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in e-Research: AJournal of Undergraduate Work by an authorized administrator of Chapman University Digital Commons. For more information, please contactlaughtin@chapman.edu.Recommended Citationdel Fierro, C.; Lloyd, R.; and el-Askary, H. (2014) "Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll Content," e-Research: A Journal ofUndergraduate Work: Vol. 1: No. 2, Article 6.Available at: http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research/vol1/iss2/6Effects of Ocean Acidification Copyright © 2010 C. del Fierro, R. Lloyd, H. El-Askary   e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)   83 e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work, Vol 1, No 2 (2010) HOME    ABOUT    USER HOME    SEARCH    CURRENT    ARCHIVES  Home > Vol 1, No 2 (2010) > del Fierro  Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll Content C., del Fierro, R., Lloyd, and H. El-Askary Abstract Airborne pollutants contribute to ocean acidification and hence to the associated chlorophyll content level. Previous work showed that falling aerosols causing ocean acidification would in turn result in bleaching and productivity loss in coral reef builders. Chlorophyll content has been used as a measure of the concentration of the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll a (the most common "green" chlorophyll) in the ocean. In our work we have monitored the change in chlorophyll content obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on board Terra/Aqua satellites from 2000-2009 over selected pilot areas. Moreover, we have used the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) NASA chemical model to simulate sulfate, dust, black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC), and sea-salt aerosols content over the urban centers close to the areas where chlorophyll content is showing a significant decline. These parameters would reflect the natural versus anthropogenic origin of the aerosols falling over ocean waters. We expect to observe an overall decrease in chlorophyll content on the surface of the ocean. Hence, our findings may suggest that the effects of falling air pollutants in the ocean will be so detrimental as to gradually cause a decrease in photosynthetic producing material over several years.  Keywords: Chlorophyll, Black Carbon, Satellite Sensing, GOCART    Introduction   Ocean acidification is an extremely concerning issue today primarily because of it's effects on marine organisms, due to an unprecedented increase in pH level throughout the ocean. Almost a third of the excess carbon dioxide produced by both natural and man-made processes settles into the ocean. As mass amounts of carbon dioxide have been absorbed into the ocean since the industrial revolution, scientists have measured that pH levels have gone down 0.1 units, which actually causes a rise in acidity (as pH levels go down, acidity is increased: for example, going from 0.15 to 0.30 is considered a decrease in pH, and an increase in acidic level). High acidic levels cause calcium carbonate, which is the main skeletal material for many marine organisms as well as the primary reef building material where abundant habitats thrive, to dissolve. Organisms such as shellfish towards the bottom of 1del Fierro et al.: Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll ContentPublished by Chapman University Digital Commons, 2014C. del Fierro, R. Lloyd, H. El-Askary 84   e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)  the food chain are now going extinct because their shells are literally dissolving, therefore causing large amounts of them to die. Portions of coral reefs are also dissolving, which affects all of the organisms that depend on the reef as a living habitat. As pH levels continue to increase, many food webs will be altered, and humans will see a dramatic decrease in the amount of fish production, which many people around the world depend on. The concern of ocean acidification is one shared by many scientists and policymakers who have observed how rapidly the acidic levels in the ocean have been increasing, and how scary such an occurrence is for the future of our oceans.    Airborne pollutants contribute to ocean acidification and hence to the associated chlorophyll content level. Previous work showed that falling aerosols causing ocean acidification would in turn result in bleaching and productivity loss in coral reef builders. Chlorophyll   content has been used as a measure of the concentration of the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll a (the most common "green" chlorophyll) in the ocean.  In our work we have monitored the change in chlorophyll content obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on board the Aqua satellite from 2000-2009 along the California coastline.  Moreover, we have used the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) NASA chemical model to simulate sulfate, dust, black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC), and sea-salt aerosols content over the urban centers close to the areas where we expect chlorophyll content to show a significant decline. These parameters reflect the natural versus anthropogenic origin of the aerosols falling over ocean waters. We expect to observe an overall decrease in chlorophyll content on the surface of the ocean. Hence, our findings may suggest that the effects of falling air pollutants in the ocean will be so detrimental as to gradually cause a decrease in photosynthetic producing material over several years.      We hypothesize that if black carbon aerosols settle into the ocean along the western California coast over time, then chlorophyll content on the surface of the ocean will show an overall decrease. In composing our research, we will observe data over the years of 2003, 2007, and 2009 during the months of January and July. Looking at two regions, the close coastal region and the further out open ocean region, we will compare patterns of chlorophyll growth to that of black carbon content. We expect to see a relationship between the decrease in chlorophyll with the increase of black carbon. The reason why we predict that chlorophyll content will decrease as black carbon increases if because we believe that excess amounts of black carbon, which creates a highly acidic environment in the ocean, will overwhelm photosynthetic production so as to kill off some amount of photosynthetic producing material. In other words, we expect to identify the effects of ocean acidification as extremely harmful to ocean vegetation, due to high pH levels continually increasing as a result of an increased presence of black carbon aerosols settling into the ocean.   Mythology First we picked a location: the California coastline. Then we browsed data using the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center, through the GIOVANNI-NASA website. On GIOVANNI we decided on the 2e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work, Vol. 1, No. 2 [2014], Art. 6http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research/vol1/iss2/6  Effects of Ocean Acidification  e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)   85  Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on board the Aqua satellite as our means of collecting data. We then observed chlorophyll content along the California coast in January of 2003, 2005, and 2007. Then we observed chlorophyll content along the California coast in July of 2003, 2005, and 2007.  Next we observed data through the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model. On GOCART we observed the content of black carbon along the western California coast in January of 2003, 2005, and 2007. We proceeded to observe the black carbon content in July of 2003, 2005, and 2007. After observing all of the data through the MODIS-Aqua satellite and GOCART model, we then made a chart correlating the months and years being observed, with the chlorophyll content both directly along the coastline of western California, and further off of the coastline of western California in open ocean water.  Lastly, we re-evaluated all data, both from the GIOVANNI website, and from the charts and graphs we composed, to make a conclusion of our research.   Analysis of Black Carbon on Chlorophyll The data we collected throughout our research showed several things. Firstly, in comparing the months of January and July, generally chlorophyll content along the western California coast is more abundant during the summer times, which is fairly predictable given the warmer temperature causing more photosynthetic productivity.The month of July, in 2003, 2005, and 2007, consistently showed more chlorophyll content than January. In addition, there was typically more chlorophyll content closer to the coast then farther out in open water. Secondly, chlorophyll content was more abundant in southern California, but showed a higher concentration in certain areas of northern California. The region from San Francisco to Monterey Bay showed the highest concentration of chlorophyll, which we assume is due to the large amount of kelp beds that are notorious in that region of northern California. 3del Fierro et al.: Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll ContentPublished by Chapman University Digital Commons, 2014C. del Fierro, R. Lloyd, H. El-Askary 86   e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)   Figure 1: Chlorophyll content (a) versus Black Carbon (b) during January 2003, 2005 and 2007 4e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work, Vol. 1, No. 2 [2014], Art. 6http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research/vol1/iss2/6  Effects of Ocean Acidification  e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)   87   Figure 2: Chlorophyll content (a) versus Black Carbon (b) during July 2003, 2005 and 2007 In our research, we broke up our parameters along the western coast of California into two sections: the close coastal region, and the open ocean region further off of the coast. When comparing the average amounts of chlorophyll content along the close coastal region in January for the years of 2003, 2005, and 2007, to that of July of the same years, a pattern appeared: chlorophyll content was higher in 2003 than in 2005, but lower in 2003 than 2007. Therefore, chlorophyll content went from high to low, to it's highest in 2007. The open ocean coastal region showed almost the same pattern, with some variation in July of 2005 having higher numbers than in 2003, 5del Fierro et al.: Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll ContentPublished by Chapman University Digital Commons, 2014C. del Fierro, R. Lloyd, H. El-Askary 88   e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)  and 2007, and January of 2007 showing the highest numbers of all three years. Overall, January showed small fluctuation and fairly low chlorophyll content, whereas July proved to show more chlorophyll content along both regions.    Figure 3: Chlorophyll Content in the open Ocean and along the coast during January and July of 2003, 2005 and 2007  Remarkably, black carbon content showed almost the exact same pattern as chlorophyll content in both regions during January and July. The open ocean region in January of 2003, 2005, and 2007, shows black carbon content going from high to lower, to its highest in 2007, where 2005 shows the least amount. The open ocean region in July of the same years increases in 2005 from 2003, and then drastically drops in 2007. July of 2007 shows the least amount of black carbon from any year during both January and July, along both regions. The close coastal region in January of all three years shows black carbon decreasing, respectively. The close coastal region in July of all three years does not show the same pattern as January: black carbon content is highest in 2005, and lowest in 2007, with 2007 displaying the vast decrease previously noted. Ultimately, black carbon content is always more concentrated along the close coastal region of western California, which is the exact same case with chlorophyll showing its most abundant and concentrated amounts along the same region.  6e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work, Vol. 1, No. 2 [2014], Art. 6http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research/vol1/iss2/6  Effects of Ocean Acidification  e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)   89   Figure 4: Amount of Black Carbon on Surface of Ocean during January and July of 2003, 2005 and 2007 Conclusions After extensive research, our hypothesis was ultimately proven wrong: chlorophyll content along the western California coast did not correlate with black carbon content by showing a decrease in chlorophyll content as black carbon amounts increased. Our results were almost consistently the inverse of our hypothesis. However, a very interesting relationship between chlorophyll content and black carbon content was discovered. There appeared to be a direct correlation between the fluctuation of chlorophyll content and black carbon content over the years. Generally, as carbon content increased, so did chlorophyll. In observing the month of January during all three years, for example, the pattern of chlorophyll content growth is exactly the same as black carbon content increase: there was more chlorophyll and black carbon present in 2005 than in 2003, and even more amounts of both in 2007. Although there were slight variations in the patterns of the amounts of both chlorophyll and carbon over the years, the months consistently showed very similar, if not exactly the same, patterns. One of the most interesting things discovered about black carbon content was its dramatic decrease in 2007, far more than any other fluctuation observed over all three years. In relation to our hypothesis, such a discovery was completely unexpected. We expected to see an overall increase of black carbon content from 2003 to 2007, causing a decrease in chlorophyll content. When re-evaluating our data, it actually seems perfectly logical that chlorophyll content would increase as carbon dioxide content increased because of chlorophyll's need for carbon dioxide in photosynthesis. As carbon dioxide is released into the air, and eventually settles into the ocean, vegetation absorbs it in order to continue its photosynthetic production.  7del Fierro et al.: Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll ContentPublished by Chapman University Digital Commons, 2014C. del Fierro, R. Lloyd, H. El-Askary 90   e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)  In reference to ocean acidification, our research showed that measures of ocean acidification effects cannot be obtained by observing chlorophyll and black carbon content. In other words, chlorophyll and black carbon do not have a directly correlating relationship with the effects of ocean acidification. The detrimental effects of ocean acidification are more closely associated with the decrease and dissolving of calcium carbonate in the ocean, and not the growth loss of vegetation. Although creating a highly acidic and polluted environment within the ocean is a horrible result of ocean acidification, vegetation is not as highly affected by ocean acidification as one would expect. Our research does not reveal the terrible effects of ocean acidification, which is primarily due to the fact that remote sensing satellites cannot penetrate deep enough into the ocean to produce results needed to measure such effects.    Figure 5: Black Carbon Compared to Chlorophyll in the open Ocean and along the coast during January of 2003, 2005 and 2007  8e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work, Vol. 1, No. 2 [2014], Art. 6http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research/vol1/iss2/6  Effects of Ocean Acidification  e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)   91   Figure 6: Black Carbon Compared to Chlorophyll in the open Ocean and along the coast during July of 2003, 2005 and 2007  In the future, extensive research that could be done in order to further test the relationship between chlorophyll content and black carbon content could include measuring water and air temperature. In measuring water temperatures, pH levels could be obtained in order to test for any correlation between pH levels and water temperature with chlorophyll content. Since it is an agreed fact by scientist and policy makers around the world that black carbon does in fact increase the pH levels in the ocean, one could perform an experiment that directly measures the pH levels in a specified parameter of the ocean in order to identify the exact percentage relationship between black carbon and pH levels. In addition, using different models, sensors, and satellites could potentially give different results than those obtained by our experiment.  References Sponberg, Adrienne Froelich. Ocean Acidification: The Biggest Threat to Our Oceans? Bioscience, V.57, no.10, p.822. (Nov. 2007).  Steve Kempler. Giovanni. http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/giovanni/. Acessed: April 20, 2010.  9del Fierro et al.: Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll ContentPublished by Chapman University Digital Commons, 201492   e-Research, Vol 1, No 2 (2010)    10e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work, Vol. 1, No. 2 [2014], Art. 6http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/e-Research/vol1/iss2/6

https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1025&amp;context=e-Research

Effects of Ocean Acidification on Chlorophyll Content

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Chapman University Digital Commons

Chapman University Digital Commons