Pollution in the Ocean: Expert Reports
The division produces 60-70 reports per year. These reports are unique, authoritative expert evaluations. Each report is produced by a committee of experts selected by the Academy to address a particular statement of task and is subject to a rigorous, independent peer review. The experts who volunteer their time participating on study committees are vetted to make sure that the committee has the range of expertise needed to address the task, that they have a balance of perspectives, and to identify and eliminate members with conflicts of interest. All reports undergo a rigorous, independent peer review to assure that the statement of task has been addressed, that conclusions are adequately supported, and that all important issues raised by the reviewers are addressed. Thus, while the reports represent views of the committee, they also are endorsed by the Academy.
Approaches for Ecosystem Services Valuation for the Gulf of Mexico After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Interim Report (2011)
The unprecedented magnitude of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill presents significant challenges for oil spill responders and those tasked with assessing the impacts of the spill. Evaluating changes to ecosystem services—the benefits people receive from natural resources and processes—caused by the oil spill could expand the potential to capture and value the full breadth of impacts to the ecosystem and the public. This report assesse... More >>
Report in Brief
Assessing Requirements for Sustained Ocean Color Research and Operations (2011)
Satellite measurements of ocean color provide a unique global perspective on the health of the ocean by allowing scientists to track changes in the abundance and productivity of phytoplankton, microscopic organisms that live in the ocean's surface waters and form the base of the marine food chain. Monitoring phytoplankton abundance can provide information on the ocean's essential functions and resources, which can be used to assess long-ter... More >>
Report in Brief
Ocean Acidification: A National Strategy to Meet the Challenges of a Changing Ocean (2010)
Excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere—in addition to contributing to climate change—is absorbed by the ocean, making sea water more acidic and leading to a suite of changes in ocean chemistry. Preliminary evidence suggests ocean acidification will have negative effects on corals, shellfish, and other marine life, with wide-ranging consequences for ecosystems, fisheries, and tourism. This report, requested by Congress, reviews the current stat... More >>
Report in Brief
Tackling Marine Debris in the 21st Century (2009)
Humans once viewed the ocean as limitless, believing that disposal of debris into the marine environment would do little harm. However, awareness of the impacts of marine debris has grown as the public has seen horrific images of seabirds, turtles, and marine mammals that are dead or dying because they have ingested debris or become entangled in errant fishing gear. Littered beaches and surface waters impair recreational activities and reduc... More >>
Report in Brief
Marine Mammal Populations and Ocean Noise: Determining When Noise Causes Biologically Significant Effects (2005)
Due to a series of marine mammal strandings, lawsuits, and legislative hearings, and most recently, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy report, attention has been drawn to the subject of how ocean noise affects marine mammals. One way to assess the impact of ocean noise is to consider whether it causes changes in animal behavior that are "biologically significant"--those that affect an animal's ability to grow, survive, o... More >>