European Project on Ocean Acidification

Objective

"The overall goal of the European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA) is to fill the numerous
gaps in our understanding of the effects and implications of ocean acidification.
EPOCA aims to document the changes in ocean chemistry and biogeography across space and time.
Paleo-reconstruction methods will be used on several archives, including foraminifera and deep-sea
corals, to determine past variability in ocean chemistry and to tie these to present-day chemical and
biological observations.
EPOCA will determine the sensitivity of marine organisms, communities and ecosystems to ocean
acidification. Molecular to biochemical, physiological and ecological approaches will be combined
with laboratory and field-based perturbation experiments to quantify biological responses to ocean
acidification, assess the potential for adaptation, and determine the consequences for biogeochemical
cycling. Laboratory experiments will focus on key organisms selected on the basis of their ecological,
biogeochemical or socio-economic importance. Field studies will be carried out in systems deemed
most sensitive to ocean acidification.
Results on the chemical, biological and biogeochemical impacts of ocean acidification will be integrated
in biogeochemical, sediment and coupled ocean-climate models to better understand and predict
the responses of the Earth system to ocean acidification. Special special attention will be paid to the
potential feedbacks of the physiological changes in the carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and iron cycles.
EPOCA will assess uncertainties, risks and thresholds (""tipping points"") related to ocean acidification
at scales ranging from sub-cellular, to ecosystem and from local to global. It will also assess pathways
of CO2 emissions required to avoid these thresholds and describe the state change and the subsequent
risk to the marine environment and Earth system should these emissions be exceeded."

Fields of science

Coordinator

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS

Address

Rue Michel Ange 3
75794 Paris
France

Activity type

Research Organisations

Administrative Contact

Hélène Faradji (Dr.)

Links

Objective

Fields of science

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

Funding Scheme

Coordinator

Participants (27)

Share this page

Download