New Zealand, U.S. scientists step up joint research into ocean, climate changes (2)

The NOAA and NIWA were also discussing collaboration on a 12- year program run by NIWA and the University of Otago to measure carbon dioxide and pH in sub-Antarctic water, which showed that surface water was acidifying in response to rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

"We don't know how the oceans are going to respond. The oceans are acidifying at a faster rate than they have for many millions of years, and it will particularly impact on shell-forming animals in the sea," said Murdoch.

Ocean acidification was already affecting the oyster and mussel industry on the west coast of the U.S. and NIWA scientists were seeing impacts on important food webs in New Zealand waters and the Ross Sea.

Other potential areas of cooperation included Antarctic research, weather-related hazard prediction and mitigation, tsunami forecasting and protected species conversation.