Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Ocean acidification is already impacting important species and ecosystems in California. Visualizing these impacts can aid state California Living Marine Resources resource managers in understanding what’s at stake as oceans acidify.

KEY Benthic Invertebrates Resident California species SPECIES RESPONSE TO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ECOSYSTEM ECONOMIC whose responses to ocean  Increase COMMON NAME Calcification Growth Reproduction Survival Behavior ROLE IMPORTANCE acidification have not  Decrease been studied: California Mussel   U  U R Dungeness Crab U NE M  U C, R M Mixed Results (Increased, Decreased, California Spiny Lobster* Ochre Sea Star   U U U No Effect) Pacific/Ocean Pink Shrimp* Olympia Oyster   U  U C, R California Spot Prawn NE No Effect Pacific Oyster   U  U C Brown/Pacific/California Rock Crab Purple Sea Urchin M  M M U C, R U Unknown (Not Studied) Red Rock Crab Red Sea Urchin U    U C, R Warty Sea Cucumber I Impacted Red Abalone U   M U R Giant Red Sea Cucumber Giant Keyhole Limpet Purple Hinged Rock Scallop* Predator Pelagics Pacific Geoduck* Engineer Lingcod SPECIES RESPONSE TO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ECOSYSTEM ECONOMIC California Sheephead COMMON NAME Calcification Growth Reproduction Survival Behavior ROLE IMPORTANCE Food Web Link Chinook Salmon Steelhead (Coastal Rainbow Trout) Krill (CA spp) U M U M U Coho Salmon* C Commerical Market Squid  U   U C California Halibut Pteropod (CA spp)  U   I R Recreational Pacific Jack Mackerel Pacific Herring Night Smelt Finfish ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Shiner Surfperch Results from synthesis of peer California Grunion* SPECIES RESPONSE TO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ECOSYSTEM ECONOMIC reviewed literature. In partnership with the Ocean Science Trust, data * Indicates work in progress. COMMON NAME Activity Growth Reproduction Survival Behavior ROLE IMPORTANCE compiled by Annaliese Hettinger at NOTE: This is not an exhaustive list. University of California Davis, Cabezon U NE U NE U C, R Bodega Marine Lab with input from Blue Rockfish NE NE U NE NE C, R the following experts in this field: FURTHER INFORMATION Allison Barner, Nina Bednaršek, http://bit.ly/OAimpacts Copper Rockfish  NE U NE I C, R Shallin Busch, Nann Fangue, Brian Gopher Rockfish  NE  NE I C, R Gaylord, Scott Hamilton, Tessa Hill, Gretchen Hofmann, Kristy Kroeker, Cheryl Logan, Anna McLaskey, Kerry Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Nickols, Jacqueline Padilla-Gamiño, Anne Todgham, Melissa Ward. SPECIES RESPONSE TO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ECOSYSTEM ECONOMIC COMMON NAME Photosynthesis Growth Reproduction Survival ROLE IMPORTANCE FUNDING PROVIDED BY Ocean Protection Council Eelgrass  M  U REFERENCES Giant Kelp NE M M NE C, R http://bit.ly/OAReferences DECEMBER 2018

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OCEAN ACIDIFICATION (OA) is a change in Ongoing research, monitoring, and modeling efforts seawater chemistry associated with a decrease in are beginning to illuminate chemical, ecological, and pH, caused primarily by the ocean absorbing carbon social OA “hotspots” throughout the state. To dioxide emissions. This complex process has the support this ongoing work, Ocean Science Trust, potential to significantly change the chemistry of the working closely with state partners and scientific world’s oceans, negatively impacting living marine experts, developed this visualization. This data resources along the California coast and the State’s compilation was created by synthesizing results ocean-based economy valued at approximately from peer reviewed articles and engaging scientific $45 billion annually.1 experts working on OA. The species included represent a diverse subset of species considered as Over the past 10 years, California has responded to ocean climate indicators, commercially, the threat of OA by investing in science that can recreationally, and/or ecologically important. This help the state anticipate, mitigate, and adapt to the product is a first step in sharing what we know with significant ocean chemistry changes ahead. In living marine resource managers about which ocean addition, the State’s political leaders are recognizing species may be most vulnerable to OA, and the need to identify and protect vulnerable locations identifies critical gaps in knowledge where the and species in California through legislation and potential effects of OA are still unknown. We hope it policy action: will inform decisions to reduce OA risk to important California fishery resources. • The 2018 State of California Ocean Acidification Action Plan includes actions to While there is still much to learn, this synthesis is a prepare for the full range of risks and impacts, critical first step in helping the State build resilient and build resilience of affected communities, California fisheries and ecosystems. industries and interests. • Assembly Bill No. 2139 calls for the

development of a comprehensive inventory of Learn more about OA in CA: areas in California vulnerable to OA. http://www.oceansciencetrust.org/projects/oaactionplan

1. Eastern Research Group, Inc (2016) The national significance of California’s ocean economy. NOAA. https://coast.noaa.gov/data/digitalcoast/pdf/california-ocean-economy.pdf.