[Coral-List] Corals Persist But Bioerosion Rises in Low-pH Waters
Eugene Shinn
eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu
Fri Jun 12 10:45:49 EDT 2015
No surprise that my apparent skepticism about relationship between
alkalinity shift (aka ocean acidification) and limestone boring
organisms elicited several responses both on and off line. I asked about
experimental confirmation and as expected was shown several papers
indicating positive correlations between lowered pH and increased
boring. Positive relations in these experiments were obtained when the
pH level was adjusted to projected CO_2 levels for the 21^st century.
There was no confirmation that present levels caused increased boring.
Could the positive results be a leap of faith since those projected
levels may not be reached in the future? Such experiments do serve as a
warning and should be seen as such. There is a well-tested phenomenon in
financial circles called Confirmation Bias. Simply stated, people tend
to interpret published financial data to suit their bias and often make
the wrong decision when purchasing stocks, etc. The article I read even
had a section titled “Confirmation Bias Can Look Very Scientific.” Could
we be seeing confirmation bias affecting conclusions in coral and
climate science? Could it be happening because the best way to get
published (or obtain funding) is to interpret data so that it follows
the popular climate change and ocean acidification paradigm? Follow the
money? Or is it promotions and or tenure? Just wondering. Gene
--
No Rocks, No Water, No Ecosystem (EAS)
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E. A. Shinn, Courtesy Professor
University of South Florida
College of Marine Science Room 221A
140 Seventh Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
<eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu>
Tel 727 553-1158
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