Applications of OA Science
The Olympic Coast as a Sentinel: An Integrated Social-Ecological Regional Vulnerability Assessment to Ocean Acidification
The Olympic Coast as a Sentinel project developed and tested a place-based, integrated approach to assess how ocean acidification (OA) and related ocean changes impact both the natural ecosystems and human communities of the Olympic Coast — a region of deep ecological and cultural significance.
Working in collaboration with Coastal Treaty Tribes, scientists, and local partners, the project used a step-by-step, interdisciplinary framework to co-produce knowledge that is relevant to local needs and values. Drawing on both Indigenous knowledge and Western science, the team identified culturally and ecologically important marine species, synthesized long-term ocean data, and modeled future conditions to evaluate how those species—and the communities that depend on them—might be affected by changing ocean chemistry.
Key outputs included a catalog of tribally important species, a framework for assessing Indigenous well-being, and species-specific vulnerability profiles—such as for razor clams, which are especially sensitive to declining aragonite levels in spring. This work has directly supported Tribal climate adaptation planning and regional marine conservation strategies.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted some of the participatory work and synthesis efforts, the project underscored the value of transparent, reciprocal partnerships and demonstrated how place-based, transdisciplinary approaches can inform effective and equitable adaptation planning for ocean change.
Logistics
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Lead PIs:
Jan Newton, UW Applied Physics Lab and the Washington Ocean Acidification Center (WOAC)
Melissa Poe, UW Washington Sea Grant (WSG)
Co-PIs:
Simone Alin, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Lab (PMEL)
Meg Chadsey, WSG/ PMEL
Richard Feely, PMEL
Steven Fradkin, Olympic National Park (ONP)
Jennifer Hagen, Quileute Tribe
Janine Ledford, Makah Cultural and Research Center
Julie Ann Koehlinger, Hoh Tribe
Joe Schumacker, Quinault Indian Nation (QIN);
Samantha Siedlecki, University of Connecticut;
Russell Svec, Makah Tribe
Jenny Waddell, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS)
Melissa Watkinson-Schutten, Puget Sound Partnership
Partners:
Bernard Afterbuffalo, Hoh Tribe
Adrianne Akmajian, Makah Natural Resources
Halle Berger, Univ Connecticut
Roxanne Carini, UW Applied Physics Lab
Justine James, QIN
Justin “Rio” Jaime, Quileute;
Jaqueline Laverdure, OCNMS
Andrew Mail, QIN
Rebekah Monette, Makah Cultural and Research Center
Tommy Moore, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
Ann Penn-Charles, Quileute
Adrienne Sutton, PMEL
Katie Wrubel, OCNMS
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September 2017 - February 2022
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The project used a place-based, transdisciplinary approach that drew from multiple knowledge streams to assess coupled social-ecological vulnerability to ocean acidification. It incorporated social science, such as ethical research protocols, a catalog of tribally-important species, and an Indigenous well-being framework, alongside the co-production of new social information with Coastal Treaty Tribes. The project synthesized existing chemical, biological, and socioeconomic datasets and used modeled future projections to assess changes in ocean conditions. Indigenous knowledge played a key role in guiding species selection and informing social science understanding.
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1 – 8 years
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pH
Total dissolved inorganic carbon content (DIC)
Total alkalinity content (TA)
Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2)
Carbonate ion content ([CO32−])
Calcium carbonate mineral saturation states for aragonite (Ωarag)
Calcium carbonate mineral saturation states for calcite (Ωcal)
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The data consisted of climate quality OA data from NOAA and University of Washington, as well as weather quality OA data from Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and the National Park Service, and biological data from the Coastal Treaty Tribes.
Results were used for climate adaptation planning by the Makah Tribe (including leveraging BIA grant funds) and used in the condition report and rapid climate assessment by the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.
The work has influenced policy in the region, including several policies in Canada.
Objectives
This ambitious project developed a locally-relevant, step-wise, interdisciplinary process to co-produce actionable information in place-based contexts like the Olympic Coast eco-cultural region.
Project partners used new social information co-produced with Coastal Treaty Tribes to determine the social importance of key OA-sensitive marine species of the Pacific Northwest Olympic Coast and the role these species play in community well-being. By synthesizing existing chemical and biological data sets from Olympic Coast open ocean to intertidal areas, researchers estimated the risk of direct and indirect OA impacts to key biological resources that are important to tribal community partners.
This formed the foundation for engaging with and providing critical information to the area’s residents and decision makers to increase coastal communities’ ability to prepare for and respond to OA vulnerabilities.
Challenges
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Combining diverse knowledge systems, especially Indigenous and Western scientific knowledge, requires transparency, reciprocity, and long-term trust-building.
Timing and sequencing of outputs from different disciplines didn’t always align, limiting integration.
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Lack of published biological thresholds for species sensitivity to ocean acidification made risk assessments less certain.
Annual averages obscure monthly or seasonal variability, which is critical for species like razor clams.
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OA is only one of many overlapping stressors (temperature, oxygen, hypoxia, etc.) making it difficult to isolate its impacts or plan for it in isolation.
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COVID-19 interrupted stakeholder engagement, limiting synthesis and discussion of results with Tribal partners.
Lessons Learned
One of the most important lessons from the project was the value of bringing together different types of knowledge, especially Indigenous knowledge and Western science.
The team was able to combine these knowledge systems in meaningful ways. For example, Indigenous knowledge helped researchers better understand which marine species matter most to Tribal communities. This helped guide which species were chosen for scientific study on how ocean changes might affect them.
The team had also hoped to bring the science results into community workshops to better understand how these ocean changes affect people’s well-being. However, some parts of the research were delayed, and unexpected challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic made it harder to fully connect all the pieces during this project.
Even so, the step-by-step method they used worked well. The team believes it’s a strong model for future projects and encourages others to use it. One key takeaway is the need to stay flexible, especially when working across cultures and scientific fields. Plans may shift, but staying adaptable helps keep partnerships strong and the work meaningful.