This project seeks to provide a first characterization of coastal ocean acidification (COA) using the waters of Long Bay, South Carolina (S.C.) where hypoxia (low oxygen) and acidification (in the form of low pH) have already been documented. Project findings will fill a substantial knowledge gap in the Southeast U.S. regarding spatial and temporal trends in coastal and estuarine acidification – the new knowledge generated will provide researchers and coastal managers with a first clear picture of the degree and extent of the COA problem in S.C. waters, and the main drivers behind it. Data from this local characterization will be used in informal and formal education settings to increase public awareness of COA as a statewide coastal concern. The project will serve as a pilot effort to guide future expansion to the rest of the state’s coastline.
S.C. Sea Grant Funded Research
Coastal and Estuarine Acidification in Long Bay, South Carolina
Funding Cycle: 2022-2024
Principal Investigator: Angelos Hannides, Coastal Carolina University
Co-Principal Investigators: Danielle Viso and Susan Libes, Coastal Carolina University; Janet Reimer, Southeast Ocean and Coastal Acidification Network (SOCAN); Emily Hall, SOCAN and Mote Marine Laboratory