Water quality

Check out the Ocean Networks Canada website to see the dashboard full screen and explore other datasets.

Temperature

When the water is too warm, it can be stressful for marine organisms. Heat can be particularly deadly for organisms that aren’t able to move. Organisms like barnacles, oysters, muscles, and some seaweed species (like kelp) are stuck in place. They can become stranded in the heat when the tide moves out and temperatures rise. Learn more on our shellfish aquaculture page. Heat also tends to have a greater impact on native species, because introduced species tend to come from warmer climates. This can result in a loss of native species, with introduced species coming in to take their place. These introduced species provide a much-needed food source, but reduced diversity can have negative impacts on the entire food web.  

Conductivity

Dissolved salts in the ocean make the water more conductive. Conductivity measurements can be used to determine the water's salinity and density. The density of ocean water drives global deep-sea currents that impact nutrient availability and the climate. A high level of conductivity can also be a sign of increased water pollution. Lower readings would indicate an influx of freshwater. Learn more about contamination on our contamination page.

Oxygen Concentration

If there isn't enough oxygen in the water, it can cause issues for marine life. Low oxygen conditions are generally associated with harmful algae blooms. These blooms generally occur when too many nutrients are released into the ocean. This causes hypoxia (low oxygen) or anoxia (no oxygen) when the blooms of algae are decomposed. The decomposers have a lot of work to do, which means they need to use up a lot of oxygen!  These blooms also act like a large blanket that blocks out sunlight. Sunlight and oxygen are both needed for many aquatic life forms, so this is bad for the ecosystem. Learn more below.

pH

Ocean acidification does not necessarily mean the seawater is acidic in an absolute sense (pH less than 7). Ocean acidification refers to the relative acidity of the ocean. If an area goes from a pH of 8 to 7.5, it has become more acidic. Learn more on our ocean acidification page.  

CO₂ Partial Pressure (pCO₂)

Like on land, animals in the ocean release CO₂ when they breathe out and photosynthesizers absorb CO₂ to feed themselves. Because of this transference, the pCO₂ can be used to study biological productivity in the ocean. This measurement also provides information about ocean acidification. Excess dissolved CO₂ can lower the pH of the ocean (lower pH = more acidic).