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Declining Oxygenation and pH of the Eastern Pacific Margin: Evaluating Trends and Ecosystem-Level Consequences for California and Mexico.

The California Coastal Atlas is hosting online collaboration for the UCMexus project.

LEAD PIs

Dr. L. Levin (USA), Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0218, USA. Fax: 01-858-822-0562, Phone: 01-858-534-3579; email: llevin@ucsd.edu

Dr. Jaime Färber, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Departamento de Ecologìa, Carr. Tijuana-Ensenada, Km. 107.
C.P. 22830 Ensenada, B.C. Phone: (52)6461750500 Fax: (52) 646 175-0545 email: jFärber@cicese.mxemail

CO-PIs

Dr. J. Martin Hernandez-Ayon (MEXICO). Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas. Universidad Autónoma de Baja California. Km. 103 Carretera Tijuana-Ensenada. Ensenada Baja California, México. Phone (6) 1744601-Ext. 120. Fax (6) 1745303. email: jmartin@uabc.mx.

Dr. Francisco Delgadillo-Hinojosa (MEXICO) Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanologicas, UABC. km 103 Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, CP22890, Phone: 52 646174-4601 ext. 154 FAZ: 52 646-174-5303; e-mail: pili@uabc.mx

Dr. Carlos Neira (USA) Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0218, USA. Fax: 01-858-822-0562, Phone: 01-858-534-1864. Email: cneira@coast.ucsd.edu

COLLABORATORS

Dr. Victoria Diaz (MEXICO) Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada Carr. Tijuana-Ensenada Km.107 Ensenada, Baja California 2890 Tel. (646) 174-42-64 Tel. 175-05-00 Ext. 24241 (CICESE). email:vidiaz@cicese.mx

Dr. Andrew Dickson (USA) Earth Sciences Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, CA 92093 email: adickson@ucsd.edu Telephone 1-858-822-2990 Telefax 1-858-822-2919

Dr. Todd Martz (USA), Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093 (as of Jan. 1, 2009) email: tmartz@mbari.org

Dr. John Helly (USA), San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of California, San Diego, Sequoyah Hall, 9500 Gilman La Jolla CA 92093-0527 USA. Fax: +01 858 822 3631, Phone: 01 858 534 5060; email: hellyj@ucsd.edu

Dr. Steven Bograd, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Environmental Research Division 1352 Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA 93950-2097 ph: 831-648-8314 fax: 831-648-8440, e-mail: steven.bograd@noaa.gov


Abstract.

In recent decades eastern Pacific oxygen minimum zones have been expanding, and continental shelves have experienced unprecedented hypoxia (oxygen shortages) in normally well-oxygenated waters. These regions support valuable fisheries resources; thus understanding system responses to declining oxygen and the accompanying low pH is essential. We propose to initiate a collaborative research and monitoring network focused on studying, understanding and projecting the impacts of changing oxygenation/and pH in continental shelf waters of California and Mexico. The goals are to assemble historical oxygen and pH data for the margin, evaluate temporal and spatial trends and the sources of forcing and variability, initiate a real-time monitoring and communication system for event alerts, and develop hypoxia event response protocols. With a collaborative research cruise aboard the El Puma we will examine the structural and functional effects of margin hypoxia, including the consequences for trophic structure and resource distribution. This project will develop an intellectual infrastructure in the form of young scientists and graduate students who are capable of addressing the responses of OMZ ecosystems to climate change in a binational context and who can provide scientific advice to resource managers and policy makers.

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