The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network
The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network
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  • About
  • What Is Acidification
  • Monitoring
  • News
  • Resources
  • Regional Conditions
  • Ways to Reduce
  • Webinars
  • Reference Library
  • Marine Phytoplankton
  • Crustaceans
  • Cold-Water Corals
  • Mollusks
  • Ecosystems
  • SAV
  • Finfish
  • Zooplankton
  • More
    • Home
    • About
    • What Is Acidification
    • Monitoring
    • News
    • Resources
    • Regional Conditions
    • Ways to Reduce
    • Webinars
    • Reference Library
    • Marine Phytoplankton
    • Crustaceans
    • Cold-Water Corals
    • Mollusks
    • Ecosystems
    • SAV
    • Finfish
    • Zooplankton
  • Home
  • About
  • What Is Acidification
  • Monitoring
  • News
  • Resources
  • Regional Conditions
  • Ways to Reduce
  • Webinars
  • Reference Library
  • Marine Phytoplankton
  • Crustaceans
  • Cold-Water Corals
  • Mollusks
  • Ecosystems
  • SAV
  • Finfish
  • Zooplankton

Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network

Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification NetworkMid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification NetworkMid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network
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The quickly rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere are leading to ocean acidification (OA), as the oceans absorb this excess CO2. Global ocean pH has declined by about 0.1 units since pre-industrial times, representing an increase in acidity of about 30 percent. The Mid-Atlantic may be especially vulnerable to acidification in coastal waters, where high nutrient levels and rapid growth of plankton further reduce pH. OA causes organisms to expend more energy to regulate their body chemistry and reduces the availability of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which corals, clams, oysters, lobsters, and other species require to build and maintain shells and skeletons. As a result, OA could have important effects on numerous culturally and commercially important species in the region.


The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network (MACAN) seeks to answer basic questions about the intensity, frequency, and location of acidification events. MACAN seeks to understand the causes of those events, whether from atmospheric sources of carbon, land based pollution, or something else. MACAN also works to educate managers, elected officials, industry representatives, and the public about solutions to reduce those sources of acidification. MACAN can be a starting point to work together towards data driven answers to tough acidification questions.   

News & Events

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'Hooked on OA' Virtual Mini-Series for Recreational Anglers

Watch videos of our talks covering how acidification may affect local fisheries and what can be done to reduce the impacts 

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Climate Change and Submerged and Cultural Resources in the Mid-Atlantic

Watch a video of our February 2021 webinar with featured speaker Dr. Susan Langley of Maryland Historic Trust

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Shipwrecks, Oyster Middens & Artifacts

Download this hands-on lesson on ocean acidification for high school students

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Examining the Biological Responses of OA in Early Life Stages of Fishes 

Watch a recording of our January 2021 webinar with NOAA's Dr. Chris Chambers

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Profile: MACAN Steering Committee Member Kevin Wark 

Read Capt. Wark's perspective on how OA is affecting fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic. Article by Anthony Himes, NOAA OA Fellow 

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Civic Science Initiative: Oyster Project

Learn how CSI Oyster engages citizen scientists to study the link between oyster growth rates and water quality in Chesapeake Bay

Click Icons to Learn About Acidification's Effects On:

Cold-Water Corals

Cold-Water Corals

Cold-Water Corals

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Crustaceans

Cold-Water Corals

Cold-Water Corals

Crustaceans

Ecosystems

Cold-Water Corals

Ecosystems

Ecosystems

Finfish

Phytoplankton

Ecosystems

Finfish

Mollusks

Phytoplankton

Phytoplankton

Mollusks

Phytoplankton

Phytoplankton

Phytoplankton

Phytoplankton

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation

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Zooplankton

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation

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NOTE TO USERS: Sharing information is an important role that MACAN plays in the region. However, any resources shared from members on this site does not indicate endorsement by the entities coordinating MACAN or those on its Steering Committee. 

Contact Us

If you would like to contact MACAN or join our listserv, email us at info@MidACAN.org

Copyright © 2018 The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network - All Rights Reserved.