Megan Prevost, Biotechnology Major

Recently some really exciting information has come to light on the SMCC campus: the EPA, or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has provided us with $85,000 towards a high-grade ocean observing system. This program will be used to evaluate the threat of coastal acidification. Ocean acidification happens when there is too much carbon dioxide in the air that causes the shells of certain sea creatures with calcium carbonate shells, like snails, to thin or dissolve. Ocean acidification is one of the many results of too much carbon dioxide. With too much carbon dioxide in the air, it enters the ocean and bonds with the seawater. This creates carbonic acid and this increases the acidity of the water and can be threatening to many sea creatures, especially those that have shells.

To test the acidity of the water, the system (first used at the SMCC pier) uses sensors that tell us the levels of seawater acidity. It also tells us if there’s any dissolved carbon dioxide, the temperature and the levels of dissolved oxygen. This program is generally used to test the open ocean and this is the first time it’s been used to take a closer look at water quality this close to the shore.

This program not only provides scientists with the information they need – letting them know how acidic the ocean around here is so they can do something about it, like finding ways to promote the conservation of carbon dioxide – but it also will be an amazing resource for students in the Marine Biology program here at SMCC.

“Our students are a part of cutting edge research here on an issue of vital importance,” said SMCC President Ronald Cantor. “This is experiential, hands-on learning at it’s best.” This project is a collaboration with SMCC, EPA, the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, the University of New Hampshire, Friends of Casco Bay and the Northeast Coastal Acidification Network. This program will further research not only in Maine but all over the country, and maybe even provoke other colleges to start similar programs. This could also lead to an overall improvement of the acid levels in the oceans.

There are many ways to limit the amount of carbon dioxide every day; for example, taking your bike to places that are close by instead of your car greatly helps the environment and taking shorter showers or turning the water off when you’re not using it can help tremendously as well. There are lots of small things that can be done to limit our usage, and with this new program on the SMCC campus, hopefully we can reduce our carbon levels and find out some really cool things about our ocean at the same time!