MBARI postdoc Charles Boch examines a small juvenile abalone in an experiment that tested how ocean change affects abalone. Over the summer, a team of MBARI scientists monitored abalones under carefully controlled environmental conditions for two months to learn more about how these animals will fare in future ocean conditions. Abalone live near the coast, an area subject to upwelling—the process of deep nutrient-rich water coming up toward the surface. Recent research indicates that coastal species exposed to upwelling can have lower growth rates, weaker calcification, and low rates of survival. Future upwelling is expected to be more stressful for coastal animals due to ocean acidification and declining oxygen levels. The results of this study will help researchers understand how natural and human-caused climate variability is affecting coastal species and ecosystems. #oceanacidification #oceanhealth #abalone #MBARI #marinebiology #intertidal #upwelling #experiment #oceanscience #biology #ecology #environment #gastropod #marinesnail #mollusc #climate #climatechange #marinebiologist #marinescientist #ecologist #coast #oceanchange