Dear OCB colleagues,

We have been allocated a special session on the effects of multiple environmental stressors (including ocean acidification)on marine biota at Ocean Sciences 2012 (Salt Lake City, USA, 20-24 Feb.). 

The abstract submission deadline is 23:59 pm Central Daylight Time on 7 October 2011.  Abstract submission and registration deadlines can be found at: http://www.sgmeet.com/osm2012/

Best regards,
David Hutchins, Philip Boyd, Shannon Meseck & Adina Paytan

046: Understanding the Biological Consequences of Ocean Acidification in a Holistic Global Change Context

Organizers: David Hutchins, University of Southern California, dahutch@usc.edu; Philip Boyd, University of Otago, New Zealand, Pboyd@chemistry.otago.ac.nz; Shannon Meseck, National Marine Fisheries Service, smeseck@clam.mi.nmfs.gov; Adina Paytan, University of California Santa Cruz, apaytan@ucsc.edu

Ocean acidification is happening in concert with a complex matrix of other ocean global change variables, including sea surface warming, stratification and mixed-layer shoaling, altered irradiance regimes, changes in major and micronutrient supplies, sea-ice retreat, increased hypoxia, and consequent novel trophic and competitive interactions due to biogeography shifts. Each of these factors individually will have impacts on the structure and function of biological communities, but the interactions between them may often be more influential on the physiology and ecology of marine organisms than the effect(s) of any one variable alone. Ocean acidification and other global change variables can sometimes interact in highly nonlinear ways, including both synergistically and antagonistically. We therefore encourage presentations featuring experimental, observational, and/or modeling work on the biological consequences of these types of multivariate environmental stressors. Research findings that offer insights into the ability of marine organisms to acclimatize or adapt to long-term changes in multiple environmental stressors are particularly welcome. This session is intended to foster a holistic consideration of biological ocean acidification impacts in the context of complex ecosystem changes, including the capacity for organisms to respond to simultaneous shifts in multiple environmental factors through either phenotypic plasticity or evolution.