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# Ocean acidification may be shifting silicon availability beneath a Pacific food web
- URL: https://intelligence.wildlandseco.com/2026-10-23-acidification-silica-plankton-foodweb/
- Published: 2026-10-23T13:39:43.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T13:39:43.000Z
- Description: Long-term Tatoosh Island observations link falling pH, dissolved silicon and chlorophyll.
- Author: Benjamin Worlund
- Tags: ocean acidification, silica, diatoms, productivity, Oceans, Climate, Water, Wildlife, #ecological-intelligence, #brief-2026-10-23, #priority-read, #peer-reviewed, #geo-north-america

Evidence

Peer-reviewed

Geography

Tatoosh Island, Washington, Makah Tribal Nation waters

System

Coastal upwelling / diatoms / dissolved silicon

## WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS

Two decades of coastal chemistry and plankton measurements showed strong declines in pH, soluble silicon relative to nitrogen and chlorophyll. Models controlling for river flow, upwelling indices and salinity remained consistent with silica-recycling losses associated with acidification.

## WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ

Acidification can potentially affect food webs through nutrient availability, not only the calcification of shells and coral skeletons. Testing the suspected silicon pathway elsewhere could reveal an overlooked productivity constraint.

## CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY

A single well-observed site with statistical models cannot prove pH directly caused the chlorophyll trend, nor establish comparable rates in all oceans.

## SOURCE

Nature Communications — Wootton et al. (2026)  
[View original evidence ↗](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-78463-3?ref=intelligence.wildlandseco.com)

From the Morning Brief · 2026-10-23

[Read the full Morning Brief →](https://intelligence.wildlandseco.com/morning-brief-2026-10-23/)