Applications of OA Science
Can You Taste Ocean Acidification?
When researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden set out to explore how ocean acidification might impact species of shrimp, they had consumers and the seafood market in mind. Sam Dupont’s team exposed adult northern shrimp to seawater containing levels of carbon dioxide that are projected to occur in the near future. The survival rate of these shrimp decreased; those that survived acidified conditions were cooked and served alongside shrimp that were grown in today’s seawater conditions. A panel of connoisseurs judged the two side-by-side and declared the shrimp exposed to ocean acidification to be less appealing in appearance, texture, and taste. The results of this study helped prove the concept that ocean acidification can cause changes to seafood that the public can taste.
In a nation with a long history of seafaring and high quality fisheries, seafood is a matter of cultural heritage in Sweden and its neighboring Scandinavian countries. The discovery that ocean acidification can impact the quality and taste of an important seafood species provided an opportunity to engage the public in dialogue about the ways that human activities negatively affect the marine environment. Dupont and colleagues worked with communication professionals from COMPASS at the University of Gothenburg to develop multilingual scientific communication materials that incorporate strategies derived from psychology, sociology, and the stakeholder’s culture. Through these materials, the results of the original study attracted broad international attention. However, public interest does not often translate to individual action. Dupont and his team want to help eaters connect the dots between climate change and the seafood they eat, in a way that will drive behavioral change.
Turning again to COMPASS, Dupont’s team of natural scientists collaborated with social scientists to co-create an interdisciplinary project to explore whether a physical experience of ocean acidification through taste would drive an emotional response leading to an increase in the willingness to make changes in personal behavior or values to address ocean acidification and climate change. After organizing a few public taste-testing events, official follow-up experiments are now being performed across different age groups.
This project illustrates the importance of collaboration across scientific disciplines with a clear goal in mind to prioritize what kind of data are needed. This approach deviates from the classic "science supply paradigm" in which science is repurposed for communication without preliminary thoughts about the purpose.
Logistics
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Natural and Social Scientists from the University of Gothenburg’s Sea & Society Program
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Initial biological experimentation began in 2014. Public engagement events were held in 2019 and follow-up interdisciplinary experiments will be performed in 2025.
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Northern shrimp (Panda borealis) were exposed to two pH treatments in a laboratory experiment. Sensory quality was then assessed through semi-qualitative scoring by a panel of local connoisseurs. Follow-up experiments performed in collaboration with social scientists evaluated how a seafood tasting and experiencing of ocean acidification impacts the learning outcome, emotional status and willingness to change.
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Two years of continuous measurements (each 30 min) for pH and monthly discrete samples for high precision pH and TA measurements were collected.
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High precision pH and total alkalinity (TA) measurements were collected.
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Quality control tests for continuous data involve calibration at constant temperature (25°C, for pH), data pre-processing to identify outliers, and comparison with higher precision measurements of pH.
The latter is estimated from TA and pH (NBS) data (besides temperature and salinity) with CO2CYS. The accuracy of TA measurements is 2-3 μmol kg-1, and both TA and pH involve the utilization of CRM.
Objectives
This multi-study project aims to develop an effective strategy to increase the public’s willingness to change personal behaviors to address ocean acidification. Collaboration between natural and social scientists is necessary to collect data on the impact of ocean acidification on seafood taste and on the impact of sensory experience on the willingness to change.
Challenges
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Description text goes here
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When it comes to eliciting action from the general public, standard information-based interventions struggle to change environmentally impactful behaviors. Information alone is a poor driver of change. This challenge must be taken into consideration when designing research projects meant to address issues related to climate change. Collecting scientific information for the sake of increasing our understanding is no longer enough. Researchers leading this OA project are aware of this challenge and are attempting to discover effect strategies for making a lasting impact.
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As noted above, collecting scientific information for the sake of increasing our understanding is no longer enough. Scientists must change their approach to deviate from the current science-supply paradigm by collaborating early on with other disciplines to identify a larger goal and true data gaps. In order to have significant impact, researchers must design projects based on the desired outcome for clear action. On a personal and professional level, this requires researchers to operate outside of their comfort zone and to be willing to change how they typically do science.
For this OA project, researchers needed to leave the lab and engage with people at public events. The team took the time to listen to the average citizen to learn about what is important to them when it comes to seafood and the choices they make in their personal lives. From this challenging practice, researchers learned there is a difference between consumer preference and the willingness to change.