Scientists at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) and the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (CIMAS) deployed a new series of Sofar “Spotter” buoys at four of the seven Mission: Iconic Reefs within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) identified as essential sites for restoration.
The Sofar buoy at the surface measures wave energy, wind speed, sea surface temperature, and pressure. Below the surface, integrated sensors measure pH and seafloor temperature in near-real time – actively monitoring ocean acidification on crucial reefs.
Global ocean acidification is impacting the integrity and hard, calcium carbonate structure that comprises entire coral reefs. The decrease in pH across marine ecosystems due to the ocean’s increasing uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide accelerates the erosion of reefs and decreases their ability to grow (i.e. calcify). Together, these threats contribute to loss of crucial habitat that provide shelter to the highest concentration of marine biodiversity.
