Ocean acidification may be shifting silicon availability beneath a Pacific food web
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 ↗
Long-term Tatoosh Island observations link falling pH, dissolved silicon and chlorophyll.
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