• ALGAE
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.359-366
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• 2018

Mesocosm experiments conducted for ecological purposes have become increasingly popular because they can provide a holistic understanding of the biological complexities associated with natural systems. This paper describes a new outdoor mesocosm designed for $CO_2$ perturbation experiments of benthos. Manipulated the carbonate chemistry in a continuous flow-through system can be parallelized with diurnal changes, while irradiance, temperature, and nutrients can vary according to the local environment. A target hydrogen ion activity (pH) of seawater was sufficiently stabilized and maintained within 4 h after dilution, which was initiated by the ratio of $CO_2$-saturated seawater to ambient seawater. Specifically, pH and $CO_2$ partial pressure ($pCO_2$) levels gradually varied from 8.05-7.28 and $375-2,691{\mu}atm$, respectively, over a range of dilution ratios. This mesocosm can successfully manipulate the pH and $pCO_2$ of seawater, and it demonstrates suitability for ocean acidification experiments on benthic communities.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.154-159
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• 2014

The increasing of atmospheric $CO_2$ are changing the pH (ocean acidification) and temperature of the sea. Although the effects of ocean acidification on calcifying organisms have well-documented, only a few studies have examined the combined effects of ocean acidification and elevated temperature. This study investigated the effects of ocean acidification and elevated temperature for 2100 on survival and growth of juvenile abalone, Haliotis discus hannai. Ocean acidification was simulated by bubbling $CO_2$ into seawater at concentrations of 1,000 and 1,500 ppm, and temperature was set at room temperature $+2^{\circ}C$. Neither $CO_2$ nor temperature had a significant effect on survival of abalone, while both significantly affected growth. There was no significant interaction between the two factors. Shell length can be used as a growth index of abalone to access the impacts of ocean acidification and elevated temperature.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.559-569
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• 2022

This study investigated the acidification and mixing with seawater of groundwater, stream water, and reservoir water in the Hunghae area of Pohang City, as well as the source of water expelled to the stream by liquefaction induced by the Pohang earthquake on 15 November 2017. Geologically, the area consists of Tertiary sedimentary rocks. We collected six samples of groundwater, five of reservoir water, four of stream water, two of liquefaction water, and one of seawater to analyze the chemical composition and stable isotopes (𝛿D and 𝛿¹⁸O). Gogkang Stream flows eastward through the central part of the study area into the East Sea. The groundwater and reservoir water in the lower part of the stream are acidic (pH < 4), have a Ca(Mg)-SO₄ composition, and high concentrations of Al, Fe, and Mn, likely due to the oxidation of pyrite in Tertiary rocks. The groundwater in the upper part of the stream have a Ca(Na)-HCO₃(Cl) composition, indicating the mixing of seawater with the stream water. The 𝛿D and 𝛿¹⁸O isotope data indicate the isotopic enrichment of reservoir water by evaporation. Based on the chemical and isotopic data, it is inferred that the two samples of liquefaction water originated from alluvium water in a transition zone with stream water, and from deep and shallow groundwaters that has been infiltrated by seawater, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2017

We examined changes in the physiological responses of gray mullet Mugil cephalus exposed to acidic seawater (pH 6.0, 6.5, 7.0) and normal seawater (pH 8.0, control) for 15 days. As pH decreased, survival rate and body weight also decreased. Levels of aminotransferase, total protein and triglycerides also differed significantly with changes in pH, presumably due to stress caused by exposure to acidic water. The level of osmotic pressure was significantly higher in the pH 6.0 group than in other groups. Superoxide dismutase was significantly higher in the pH 6.5 and 7.0 groups than in the pH 8.0 group, and glutathione level was lowest in the pH 6.0 group. We conclude that decreasing the pH level of seawater induces a stress response in fish, damaging their ability to control their hematological and osmotic pressure. Antioxidant enzymes are generally sensitive to osmotic stress; in this study, antioxidant activity significantly changed with pH level. These results indicate that physiological stress induced by exposure to acidification reduces survival rates and inhibits growth in M. cephalus.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.483-492
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• 2014

DNA damage such as genotoxicity was identified with comet assay, which blood cell of a marine parrot fish (Oplegnathus fasciatus) was exposed to an acidified seawater, lowered pH gradient making of $CO_2$ gas. The gradient of pH were 8.22, 8.03, 7.81, 7.55 with control as HBSS solution with pH 7.4. DNA tail moment of fish blood cell was $0.548{\pm}0.071$ exposed seawater of pH 8.22 condition, on the other hand, DNA tail moment $1.601{\pm}0.197$ exposed acidified seawater of pH 7.55 lowest condition. The approximate difference with level of DNA damage was 2.9 times between highest and lowest of pH. DNA damage with decreasing pH was significantly increased with DNA tail moment on blood cell of marine fish (ANOVA, p < 0.001). Ocean acidification, especially inducing the leakage of sequestered $CO_2$ in geological structure is a consequence from the burning of fossil fuels, and long term effects on marine habitats and organisms are not fully investigated. The physiological effects on adult fish species are even less known. This result shown that the potential of dissolved $CO_2$ in seawater was revealed to induce the toxic effect on genotoxicity such as DNA breakage.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.197-199
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• 2012

According to the IPCC climate change scenario (A1B scenario), the surface seawater temperature of the South Sea of Korea by 2100 may be $2-3.5^{\circ}C$ higher than at present, and seawater pH may decrease from 8.1 to 7.8, due to the increase in atmospheric $CO_2$, which is predicted to increase in concentration from 380 to 750 ppm. These changes may not only intensify the strength of typhoons/storm surges but also affect the function and structure the marine ecosystem. In order to assess the impact of climate change on the marine ecosystem in Korean waters, the project named the 'Assessment of the impact of climate change on marine ecosystem in the South Sea of Korea' has been supported by the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, from 2008. The goal of this project is to enhance our ability to adapt and prepare for the future environmental changes through the reliable predictions based on the knowledge obtained from projects like this. In this respect, this project is being conducted to investigate the effects of climate/marine environment changes (ocean warming and acidification), and to predict future changes of the structure and function of the ecosystem in the South Sea of Korea. This special issue contains 6 research articles, which are the highlights of the studies carried out through this project.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.123-125
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• 2013

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), ocean warming and acidification are accelerating as a result of the continuous increase in atmospheric $CO_2$. This may affect the function and structure of marine ecosystems. Recently, changes in marine environments/ecosystems have been observed (increase in SST, decrease in the pH of seawater, northward expansion of subtropical species, etc.) in Korean waters. However, we still don't understand well how climate change affects these changes and what can be expected in the future. In order to answer these questions with regard to Korean waters, the project named 'Assessment of the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems in the South Sea of Korea' has been supported for 5 years by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and is scheduled to end in 2013. This project should provide valuable information on the current status of marine environments/ecosystems in the South Sea of Korea and help establish the methodology and observation/prediction systems to better understand and predict the impact of climate/marine environment changes on the structure and function of marine ecosystems. This special issue contains 5 research and a review articles that highlight the studies carried out during 2012-2013 through this project.

• ALGAE
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.173-183
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• 2013

Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is widely used to disinfect seawater in power plant cooling systems in order to reduce biofouling, and in ballast water treatment systems to prevent transport of exotic marine species. While the toxicity of NaOCl is expected to increase by ongoing ocean acidification, and many experimental studies have shown how algal calcification, photosynthesis and growth respond to ocean acidification, no studies have investigated the relationship between NaOCl toxicity and increased $CO_2$. Therefore, we investigated whether the impacts of NaOCl on survival, chlorophyll a (Chl-a), and effective quantum yield in three marine phytoplankton belonging to different taxonomic classes are increased under high $CO_2$ levels. Our results show that all biological parameters of the three species decreased under increasing NaOCl concentration, but increasing $CO_2$ concentration alone (from 450 to 715 ${\mu}atm$) had no effect on any of these parameters in the organisms. However, due to the synergistic effects between NaOCl and $CO_2$, the survival and Chl-a content in two of the species, Thalassiosira eccentrica and Heterosigma akashiwo, were significantly reduced under high $CO_2$ when NaOCl was also elevated. The results show that combined exposure to high $CO_2$ and NaOCl results in increasing toxicity of NaOCl in some marine phytoplankton. Consequently, greater caution with use of NaOCl will be required, as its use is widespread in coastal waters.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.862-867
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• 2013

Since the industrial revolution, seawater has increased in temperature and acidity due to the increase in anthropogenic carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. To understand the effect of elevated $CO_2$ on the early life stages of fish, we reared fertilized eggs of black sea bream Acanthopagrus schlegelii under three $CO_2$ concentrations (400, 850 and 1550 ppm) for 3 weeks. The standard length and wet weight of black sea bream larvae declined with enhanced $CO_2$ concentration in the rearing water (P<0.05). However, chemical analysis using ICP-OES on internal tissues of black sea bream larvae indicated that the whole-body calcium concentration increased with $CO_2$ concentration in the rearing water. These conflicting results suggest that future experiments should examine the acid-base balance to investigate the formation of bone and otolith during larval growth.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.826-833
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• 2017

The rising concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide is causing ocean acidification and global warming. The seahorse is an important species in marine ecosystems and fishery markets, however, their populations have recently decreased due to ocean acidification. As a result, we examined changes in the physiological responses of the spotted seahorse Hippocampus kuda when it was exposed to acidic sea water (pH 6.0, 6.5, and 7.0) and normal seawater (pH 8.0 as the control) over a period of 15 days. As the pH decreased, the seahorses' body weight and length also decreased. Components in body of ash, the crude lipids and crude proteins also differed significantly with changes in pH, due to stress caused by the seahorses' exposure to the acidic water conditions. The superoxide dismutase levels were significantly lower in the pH 6.0 and 6.5 groups than they were in the pH 7.0 and pH 8.0 groups. However, the catalase and glutathione levels were significantly higher in the acidic sea water groups. We suggest that decreasing the pH level of rearing water induces a stress response in H. kuda, damaging their ability to maintain their homeostasis and energy metabolism. Antioxidant enzymes are generally sensitive to acidic stress; in this study, the antioxidant activity was significantly affected by the pH level of the rearing water. These results indicate that physiological stress, induced by exposure to acidification, induces an antioxidant reaction, which can reduce general components in the body and the growth of H. kuda.