Tetiaroa Interdisciplinary Studies

Tetiaroa in the South Pacific Ocean is a paradise of turquoise, clear water and white-sand beaches. Sea turtles, juvenile sharks and birds of all sizes live in and around the atoll, a series of 12 small coral islets encircling a lagoon.

As part of a broader effort by many researchers with in the College of the Environment, UW professors and chemical oceanographers Alex Gagnon and Julian Sachs are testing the effects of increased levels of carbon dioxide on sea life in the ocean. As carbon dioxide levels continue to rise, the world’s oceans absorb some of this carbon, making the water more acidic. Ocean acidification has already upset ecosystems such as coral reefs and nearshore organisms such as shellfish.

Read more here.