Presentation Type

Poster

Faculty Mentor’s Full Name

David Long

Faculty Mentor’s Department

Chemistry: FVCC

Abstract / Artist's Statement

Note: This project was done during an internship with the Montana Space Grant Consortium, hosted by Flathead Valley Community College. The project is ongoing.

The purpose of this work was to better characterize the carbon and carbonate cycles of marine systems. Due to increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the world’s oceans are both warming and acidifying. This rapid change in marine systems demands researches to investigate how these changes will affect the ocean and the variety of life within them. Saltwater tanks are frequently used as model ecosystems, but are notoriously and fundamentally difficult to control parameters, which may lead to unreproducible research.

Characterizing the carbon and carbonate cycles within a closed system can counteract issues within closed systems, and lead to more accurate research. Specific goals were as follows: control temperature, salinity, and pH to narrow and natural parameters, provide necessary components for calcification by managing alkalinity and calcium levels, characterize and quantify dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) types in the model ecosystem over time, track and equilibrate the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (p(CO2)). Only when the system is understood and controlled, may it be manipulated in meaningful ways.

A previously established saltwater tank was used for this research. Lighting, heaters, and circulation pumps were set to mimic conditions of the pacific ocean near Mo’orea. Carbon dioxide and sodium hydroxide injection systems were designed and implemented to control pH. Alkalinity, calcium content, salinity, magnesium, and phosphate were tested regularly and adjusted as needed. Data was gathered over the course of 2.5 months and analyzed for consistency that reflect natural conditions.

Adapting to a changing world requires scientific inquiry and ingenuity, to overcome issues that may be presented. An essential element for any research is a system that can be monitored and quantified. It is my hope that my previous and future research in this field can counteract the negative impacts of climate change, and provide a healthy ocean for generations to come.

Category

Life Sciences

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Apr 22nd, 3:00 PM Apr 22nd, 4:00 PM

Monitoring and Managing Carbonate Chemistry in a Marine Model Ecosystem.

UC South Ballroom

Note: This project was done during an internship with the Montana Space Grant Consortium, hosted by Flathead Valley Community College. The project is ongoing.

The purpose of this work was to better characterize the carbon and carbonate cycles of marine systems. Due to increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the world’s oceans are both warming and acidifying. This rapid change in marine systems demands researches to investigate how these changes will affect the ocean and the variety of life within them. Saltwater tanks are frequently used as model ecosystems, but are notoriously and fundamentally difficult to control parameters, which may lead to unreproducible research.

Characterizing the carbon and carbonate cycles within a closed system can counteract issues within closed systems, and lead to more accurate research. Specific goals were as follows: control temperature, salinity, and pH to narrow and natural parameters, provide necessary components for calcification by managing alkalinity and calcium levels, characterize and quantify dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) types in the model ecosystem over time, track and equilibrate the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (p(CO2)). Only when the system is understood and controlled, may it be manipulated in meaningful ways.

A previously established saltwater tank was used for this research. Lighting, heaters, and circulation pumps were set to mimic conditions of the pacific ocean near Mo’orea. Carbon dioxide and sodium hydroxide injection systems were designed and implemented to control pH. Alkalinity, calcium content, salinity, magnesium, and phosphate were tested regularly and adjusted as needed. Data was gathered over the course of 2.5 months and analyzed for consistency that reflect natural conditions.

Adapting to a changing world requires scientific inquiry and ingenuity, to overcome issues that may be presented. An essential element for any research is a system that can be monitored and quantified. It is my hope that my previous and future research in this field can counteract the negative impacts of climate change, and provide a healthy ocean for generations to come.