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Students track ocean threat at Crystal Cove
February 4th, 2010, 6:17 am · 7 Comments · posted by Pat Brennan, science, environment editor
High school students are wading bravely into chilly surf at Crystal Cove State Park this week, buckets in hand, to measure what climate scientists call a growing threat: an increasingly acidic ocean. 
But it might be more than an academic exercise. Their measurements could become part of a real-world research effort to learn how severely the rise in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is affecting the oceans — and how that, in turn, could affect marine life.
“I believe it doesn’t really matter who caused it, whether it’s natural or man-made,” said Aurelio Isidro, 18, one of 75 advanced-placement environmental-science students from Segerstrom High School in Santa Ana taking part in the program Wednesday. “We still have to take responsibility, ’cause it is going to affect us — maybe not us, but our children.”
The new program, only in its second day, is the work of the Crystal Cove Alliance, once a fierce opponent of proposed coastal development. The cove it is named for is famous for its ramshackle seaside cottages; as it turned out, the plan to develop a resort there faded, the cottages were refurbished and are now rented out to vacationers by State Parks. The Alliance has become part landlord, part educator, offering university-backed programs complete with a marine science lab.
“Ocean acidification is the new bad guy on the block,” said Alliance president Harry Helling, a marine biologist who was helping teach the students Wednesday. “We’re involving these kids in the cutting edge of research.”
The Segerstrom students broke into two groups, each taking a turn at ocean sampling, then more detailed investigation in the lab.
They watched eggshells dissolve away from their eggs in a highly acidic vinegar solution, just to get a feel for the biological implications of an acidifying ocean. They blew air through straws into water samples in beakers, mimicking the action of waves and air, which mixes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the ocean, and measured increased acidity as in the water as a result.
The increased carbon dioxide — much of it a product of fossil-fuel burning — is believed by scientists not only to be warming the planet, but raising ocean acidity levels, with potentially dire implications for sea life.
The students also anlayzed data from Stanford scientists, comparing sea-urchin larvae raised in water with acidity at expected future levels to those raised in present-day seawater.
“The ones in the acidic environment are much, much smaller,” Helling said.
They measured effects of mildly acidic water on seashells and, of course, they measured acidity in the ocean-water samples themselves.
“We will begin monitoring both the acid levels in Crystal Cove and its potential impact,” Helling said.
UC Irvine and Stanford University have provided instructors, equipment and funding for the project, Helling said, with another environmental group, Oceana, also providing funding.
Some of the high school students’ measurements could be incorporated into research studies, he said, and educational researchers also are tracking how the students learn.
But the ocean acidification program, involving about 500 students from eight high schools and two middle schools in Orange County, is only part of a push by the Crystal Cove Alliance to transform the cottage area.
Historical displays and exhibits can be seen around the grounds. And the public can take part, at no charge, in making scientific observations that will be used by researchers — counting dolphins or threatened California gnatcatchers, for example.
Rebecca Nguyen, 17, also a Segerstrom student, says she isn’t sure yet whether she wants to pursue a career in science, but she was moved by what she’d seen so far.
“Learning about this stuff makes me want to make a difference,” she said.
See schedule for public programs.
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The ocean is huge. Measuring the acidification at a location does not say much. Then one also has to consider the flow of the different oceans on the earth. What about the instability of the ocean floors where earthquakes occur regularly? What about the uplifts from the activities? Is depth of the location of the place where measurement take place a factor? Do we even know how deep the ocean is? How much does carbon dioxide actually interact with the surface of the water? Plants in the ocean need the carbon dioxide, is that right? Have the students been eating lemon bomb candies? Have they been “snuffing” hair spray? Have they been eating burritos during lunch time before the measuring of the acid level?
Will they publish it if it turned out to be the opposite? Or they will just fake the data like the one from “global warming” hoax?
Ocean is so vast and huge that it also contains buffeting compounds ( minerals ) that would counteract the acidification. For example when calcium carbonate dissolves (this action reduces acidity)..it adds free calcium back into water for corals and sea shells to use. Have they looked into that?
The world is coming to an end… AGH! Run for your lives. Global Warming is going to gobble us all up.
haha I love this stuff..
Its great to see the high school students taking part in hands-on service learning!
The point of the article is to get across the fact that students are taking part in a hands on program in which they’re studying the environment and its effect on us and other living things. The point is to understand that there is an awareness amongst the younger generation who understand why it is important to be studying this and doing whatever they can to learn at least the fundamentals of the science. Surely we can’t just pinpoint and answer every single question you may have but what we have here is in relation to the children of the next generation learning about the impact of the world we live in. Wondering about acidification or how deep the ocean is? Take the initiative and get off your butt and do some research rather than sit here on a computer bad-mouthing what students are learning and asking absurd questions like if students eat lemon candies or snuff hairspray? Did you even read the article because you obviously need 1) a better thing to do then probably play World of Warcraft all day and criticize others or 2) better reading skills and understanding the point of the article. Enough said.
And your assumptions are completely valid too, right ATis? Assuming people that think that man-made global-warming the-sky-is-falling joke, are people with nothing better to do than play World of War Craft? I personally have never played that game but I bet you there are some really smart people that play it. So what? If they are to learn about the “effects” on us and our living things, then call it what it is. Dont call it a study on the threat of greenhouse gases to our environment. Seriously, do the research. The earth is always changing and always has no matter if you and I are here or not. Conservation is great but who’s making a buck off all this? The very preachers of this bs religion. Look at the conference in Copenhagen… What a joke! But ATis the almighty judge has made his rulings on the rest of us that think this is all a joke. I guess whatever gets you through the day.
More over-the-top enviros on their self-righteous platform.